Piper’s Pizza & Grinders owner Katrina Bigelow decided to give Rexam Plastic Packaging in Constantine free food on Tuesday and Thursday (September 21st and 23rd) as a thank you for their good patronage over the years.
Bigelow and her mother, Karen Bigelow, baked and delivered 60 pizzas, included salad to feed 300 people, and made 600 chocolate and oatmeal ‘no bake cookies’ for approximately 300 Rexam employees, which included all shifts.
“This is for our community. They’ve been good customers,” said owner Bigelow. “We’re doing it to let them know our community is behind them.”
Katrina Bigelow, owner of Piper's Pizza & Grinders in Constantine labels pizza boxes. Bigelow and her mother Karen Bigelow baked and delivered 60 pizzas, included salad to feed 300 people, and made 600 chocolate and oatmeal 'no bake cookies' for approximately 300 Rexam Plastic Packaging employees, which included all shifts. "This is for our community. They've been good customers," said owner Bigelow.
Employees of Rexam in Constantine learned in mid-February that the plant will close in the fall. Rexam, previously Owens-Illinois, manufactures plastic caps for the beverage market. The plant began operations in Constantine in 1972.
Rexam is still going until the end of October, according to Becky White, Rexam manager in human resources.
“Piper’s is a very thoughtful gesture, phenomenal. Piper’s delivered this week because they wanted to catch the next wave of employees going out next week,” White said.
In a memorandum commending Piper’s White commented:
“Piper’s has done an outstanding job servicing us over the years, and has gone out of their way to meet our needs, opening up on holidays, and in some cases with last minute notice. They’ve accommodated our work schedule as we run 24/7 and even deliver at 11:30 for our night shift. The fact is Piper’s themselves have been impacted by the downturn in the economy, but still feels impelled to treat Rexam employees to lunch. It says a lot about their business.” White added, “On behalf of all our employees at Rexam Constantine plant thank you!”
Other community services done by Piper’s include providing bread for the Soup Pot held from 4:30-6 p.m. Mondays at Constantine United Methodist Church. Pipers also provided employees food after a fire at Jaxon Industries in Constantine. They are donating pizzas to Constantine football players at the September 24th homecoming celebration.
Source: Story and photo contributed by Angie Birdsall
How wonderful! Such a great way to take care of our community!