CINCINNATI — Sitting in the West End, Dyer Park was looking like it had seen better days. That's until 200 Gorilla Glue employees showed up on a sunny fall day and transformed it.
One team raked up leaves and debris, while the other painted benches and swing sets. Eric Phoenix was in the latter group.
"I am painting this swing set," he yelled down from his perch about 10 feet off the ground, paintbrush in hand. "And I feel really good about it."
Across the park is a wall that was white earlier that morning. But about a half-hour later, after a swarm of employees with paint and brushes attack the wall, it's a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns.
Sarah Wenke is a graphic designer for Gorilla Glue. For her, this is the perfect way to spend a day.
"It is really an amazing thing, and I love it," Wenke said. "It's probably one of my favorite things about working at my company."
And that's part of the purpose of the Cincinnati-based company. One day each year their 800 employees are paid to go into the community and make it better. While 200 employees are at Dyer Park that morning, the other 600 are packing up food for those who need food assistance.
"This is our annual give back to the community," said Aaron Frome, Gorilla Glue's senior marketing director. "We're a hometown company, a hometown brand, and we believe it's one of our four pillars of our company that we give back to the community that's given so much to us."
The company started Give Back Day five years ago.
On these projects, employees work with people they may never have met before. The company admits that's part of the strategy.
Jordan Leo is usually in an office, working on research and development. This day, he's raking up leaves and debris and says he loves it.
"It's wonderful," said Leo. "The fact that our company supports our community and we're able to join with our community and serve the community Is phenomenal. It's a great opportunity."
