Two Farmington Valley businesses – Cosi and Staples -- have joined the owners of TCBY Avon Marketplace in raising money for the Sandy Hook School Support Fund.
“Cosi has now joined our coalition and is donating 10 percent of their sales on Wednesday’s, and Staples has contributed by making our posters at no cost,” TCBY owners Lisa and Mark Arnold said.
On Dec. 26, the Arnolds started a campaign to donate 10 percent of their sales to the fund and challenged other local businesses to help out.
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“When Ann Dunn at Cosi saw articles about our fundraiser she told us she wanted to participate,” Lisa Arnold said.
“We wanted to be involved and our employees wanted that also,” said Dunn, general manager of Cosi in Avon.
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Cosi is contributing 10 percent of proceeds Wednesdays from 3 to 9 p.m. throughout January. The first Wednesday of the campaign, Jan. 9, Cosi donated $117 of their $1,100 sales, Dunn said.
Staples in Simsbury participated by printing posters for both TCBY and Cosi at no cost.
“When they approached me I thought, ‘How can you say no to such a good cause?’” said Bryce White, store manager.
He also noted that companywide, Staples has donated school supplies to Sandy Hook.
As of Jan. 15, TCBY raised a total of $1,755, including percentage of sales and monetary donations from customers.
“Response from the community has been overwhelming, and people are very appreciative of our efforts,” Lisa Arnold said. “Mark and I are stopped everywhere we go by people who just hand us money and ask to contribute to our cause. It’s very heartwarming to see the response. We just knew it was the right thing to do.”
The Arnolds’ fundraising will continue through Jan. 26 at both their Farmington Valley and Glastonbury stores.
“We would still like other businesses in the community to join us on whatever level would work for them,” Lisa Arnold said.
TCBY Avon Marketplace is located at 530R Bushy Hill Road in Simsbury (860-658-1332) and TCBY Eric Town Square is located at 70 Hebron Avenue in Glastonbury (860-659-8550).
Cosi's address is 385 West Main Street, Avon (860-678-8989) and Staples' is 15 Albany Turnpike, Simsbury (860-843-7633).
