Plush Project Gives Warm And Fuzzy Feeling to All, From "Success Stories"
By Jen Zorger
November, 2009 

When Patrick Doyle heard that Artistic Toy Mfg. Inc. (asi/37122) was offering 2,000 overstock plush animals free to a good home, he saw an opportunity to make a positive impact on his community – but he knew he would need some help. “I used to belong to a service club called Kinsmen Club of Canada, so I contacted them,” Doyle says. “The idea came up, ‘What about the Canadian military?’”

Doyle then called the local Canadian Force Base (CFB) and explained the plan to donate toys for kids in military families. “They said, ‘Wow, we’d love it,’ ” he says. “My next challenge became cost of distribution, because these toys were down in the U.S., and I had to have them imported up into Canada.”

Luckily, the Kinsmen came through, offering to pay for shipping and imprinting, with the agreement that their logo would appear on the toys. Joining in the spirit, the supplier provided its services at cost. “I can’t thank Artistic Toy enough,” Doyle says. “I guess the company itself had military people involved in it, and when they heard it was the Canadian military, they bent over backwards.”

While he didn’t get to see how the kids responded – and some of the toys won’t be handed out until the holidays – the feedback he got from his contacts was heartwarming. “They were just totally blown away,” he says.

Besides the animals designated for military families, Doyle also arranged for some toys to go to the Toronto Children’s Hospital and to Grandview Children’s Home, a daycare center for challenged children.

BIZ TIP Grab a partner and achieve more

When an opportunity comes along that seems too big for you to handle, remember: You’re not alone. Here are some ways that partnering can help you go bigger:

• Pair up with a supplier to split the cost of a self-promotion.
• Team with other businesses in the area to sponsor a community event.
• Bring two clients together on a promotion (theater and restaurant, caterer and photographer, etc.).