Spahn & Rose Celebrates Big Red Check Week with Virtual Event

Many things were different during 2020. Throughout the year, Spahn & Rose made several changes to help ensure the safety of employees and customers.  At our 23 locations, we accommodated curbside pickup and bolstered our online ordering system for easy home delivery of thousands of products.

Despite all the changes last year, though, one constant was the Spahn & Rose Foundation’s tradition of giving. In 2020, the Foundation donated $159,010 to local charities in the communities that Spahn & Rose serves. These gifts were spread among 67 nonprofits in 42 counties throughout Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin.

One thing that was different in 2020: the annual Big Red Check Day. Every year, Spahn & Rose employees and representatives from the recipient charities gather at the Dubuque, Iowa, Spahn & Rose location to celebrate together. This past year, out of an abundance of caution, the in-person event was transformed: Instead of taking place one time, Big Red Check Day was stretched into a week and held virtually through Facebook.

“We truly miss being able to celebrate Big Red Check Day with our charitable partners,” says Spahn & Rose Marketing Director Jacque Arensdorf. “We wanted to keep everyone safe, so we connected virtually and look forward to seeing everyone next December.”

The virtual event began December 21. Charities posted photos of their Big Red Checks along with a description of what they used their donation for, a summary of their mission and a link leading to additional information.

The Spahn & Rose Charitable Foundation was established in 1950 to support programs that provide services to benefit higher education, healthy communities and at-risk youth. Over the last three years, the Foundation has donated more than $300,000 to a wide range of nonprofit groups and other worthy causes.

In addition to donations to charities within the communities Spahn & Rose serves, the company’s resources and employees’ unique talents have helped support local nonprofit organizations through volunteering, material donations and leadership.