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Alderson’s Awards West Printwares loves our community. This longtime Lewis County company feels blessed to provide recognition to the wonderful people living here. In celebration of Valentine’s Day, they invite everyone to share the love with their newest community-supported T-shirt fundraiser.

Purchase a T-shirt and create new love stories here in Lewis County. Photo courtesy: Alderson’s Awards West Printwares.

Benefiting Love INC of Lewis County, the $15 plus tax T-shirts feature a multi-color “LOVE” logo with the words “Unconditional Acts of Kindness.” Available in women’s, men’s, and youth sizes, all proceeds go directly to Love INC, supporting their mission in our area.

According to Love INC’s new Executive Director, Dawn Oryszak, last year the organization served 1,700 people with basic needs like laundry vouchers, food, rent and gas. They call these interactions “love stories.”

What makes Love INC unique is that they meet needs not typically fulfilled by other resources. This includes access to firewood, household repairs like fixing or replacing broken water heaters, or improving home access by installing ramps or making driveway repairs – all important acts of love.

Around 80 volunteers and a handful of Love INC employees work in conjunction with local organizations and churches. Cash donations and fundraisers like Alderson’s love campaign are used in a myriad of ways to help those in need.

“The staff works like I have never seen before to make sure people are cared for,” Oryszak says. “They respect them so much. I watch how they work and I’m honored to work with them.”

Help Alderson’s in their efforts to uplift the less fortunate. Photo courtesy: Alderson’s Awards West Printwares.

The organization recently created a new “love story” for a man who uses a wheelchair. Unfortunately, his home wasn’t wheelchair accessible and he hadn’t been able to leave in months.

With the help of other community organizations and local businesses, Love INC stepped in. “The gentleman is now able to get out of his home,” shares Oryszak. “It starts with a need and Love INC does everything it can. The end result is that the need is fulfilled.”

Love INC will host its annual major fundraising event on February 23. The shirts will be available at the upcoming Souper Supper, provided they are not sold out prior to the event. Attendants dine on soups, salads and artisan breads donated by local restaurants, while listening to Love INC’s most impactful love stories. “The littlest things, like giving someone a blanket and pillow, make my heart smile,” says Oryszak. “Those things we take that for granted; you understand that isn’t the way life is for some people.”

Alderson’s started fundraising with T-shirts last year, first for the Veteran’s Memorial Museum and then for local food banks. Their most recent effort raised just over $1,600, with several people donating more than the cost of the shirt.

“Our feeling is, by doing this, we’re able to leverage what we have and donate more,” shares Tom Alderson, the company’s General Manager. “That’s where the idea for these T-shirt fundraisers came from. Because, hey, that’s what we do for a living.”

As a part of our community for the last 30 years, Love INC serves all parts of Lewis County. Photo credit: Katie Hayes.

Love INC’s ability to meet community needs made Alderson’s want to help. “We want to support organizations that serve a humanitarian need,” Alderson says. “We also want the organization to serve Centralia and Chehalis, and beyond. Love INC hit all those buttons and the name matched the theme. It all fell into place.”

Love shirts are available on Friday, February 1 at Alderson’s Awards West Printwares. They can sell out, so get one quickly. “We’re excited,” says Alderson. “We always look forward to when these fundraisers get going and our staff is geared up.” With a goal to sell at least 100 Love shirts, Alderson’s hopes to raise $1,500 or more for Love INC.

The shirts are limited edition, although Alderson says they would do a reprint if needed. They’re a perfect Valentine’s Day gift and are great for groups. Show your love – and your community – unconditional love with this colorful gift. Stop in at Alderson’s Awards West Printwares and pick up a love shirt today.

Alderson’s Awards West Printwares is located at 1124 Kresky Avenue in Centralia. For more information, call 360-736-2912 or email info@aldersons.net.

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