We have said it before, and we will say it again, just by adding a splash of color to people’s lives, you can make a big difference. However, Daniel Vile and Antonio Ragosta, project managers of the COLORFUL COMMUNITIES® program in Stowmarket, the UK, decided the differences they made should bridge multiple generations and several projects too.
Pictured: Mike Walsh, former PPG site manager, now Refinish marketing manager in the UK & Ireland, gives Daniel and Tony recognition certificates for their dedication to community work.
Becoming a Sherlock Holmes of Solving Historical Color Inquiries
Daniel Vile, color information support manager at our Stowmarket site, enjoys helping local organizations that are seriously lacking funding. As a family man with three children, his roots are very much in the place where he lives. He loves giving back to the community he calls home.
His job at PPG sees him working as part of a team who liaises directly with motor manufacturers to collect new color information for vehicles globally. He has a passion for classic cars and becomes a real-life Sherlock Holmes at work when the team investigates elusive colors for customers using their vast archive of historical information and color panels dating back to the 1920s.
Rolling Up the Sleeves to Help Community
Antonio Ragosta, community lead, raw material and process specialist, also at Stowmarket, enjoys the hands-on nature of helping people. Tony is not one who fears rolling up his sleeves and getting stuck in. He too feels that volunteering is a vital way to help underfunded local organizations.
At work, his role is varied like the projects he gets involved in. His job ranges from managing raw materials, interacting with suppliers, and being involved in process improvement projects.
Smells Like Team Spirit
What really impresses us is the way that many of our colleagues happily come together to make a collective difference. In Stowmarket, this team spirit has led to more than 60 team members getting involved in a number of local projects. The ages of those that received their help range from pre-school children right through to the older generation.
Many Hands Make Light Work
From designing and building gardens through to brightening up buildings and areas desperately in need of some JOHNSTONE’S™ color, our colleagues approach it all with a smile. One of the organizations our employee volunteers helped was Rookery Bowls Club.
Colors Helping People with Dementia and Disabilities
They work with dementia and disability groups and visit care homes in the Stowmarket area. Here, the team added a much-appreciated touch of paint to brighten up the interior and bring a more modern feel.
They performed the same service at Wood Ley Community Primary School. While at Trinity CEVA Primary School, they added some extra PPG expertise into the mix.
Color consultants from PPG Architectural at Stowmarket, selected which colors to use in the creation of something rather special. Our volunteers built an outdoor learning space complete with gardening and relaxation areas for the students and staff to use.
New Look for the Garden
Altogether, the team installed bespoke garden furniture and built raised beds, cleared overgrown areas and seven tons of soil. Plus, by painting interior and exterior areas, suddenly, color was flowing everywhere. Our colleagues received many messages of thanks from all who enjoyed the new bright and cheery look, and won the coveted Community Involvement Award at the 2019 Suffolk Business Awards. It is amazing what a difference our team can make. Well done, we are all #PPGProud of you!
Learn more about
Colorful Communities initiative
here.