American Pest Branch Supports Local Family Affected by Housefire

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – When a family in Charlottesville, Va., lost their home in a devastating fire earlier this month, American Pest’s local branch stepped in to help.

American Pest, an Anticimex company, and its branch in Charlottesville are always looking for ways to support the communities they service. Christine Santana, manager of American Pest’s Charlottesville branch, said a local radio station reached out and asked if the company wanted to partner to support a family in-need this holiday season.

The branch had partnered with the radio station, 99.7, in the past and were looking to reestablish the partnership, said Santana.

The radio station asked its listeners to nominate families that needed community support, then then reached out to local businesses to help the nominated families. Santana and Shawn Spradlin, service manager at the branch, connected with the people who nominated the family affected by the housefire.

Santana and Spradlin have been life-long community members. To them, giving back to their community is always a no-brainer.

“The community is really our building block and our base-building block of who we are,” said Santana. “To be able to be with American Pest, who is a fantastic support system to give back as well, it truly meant something personally and professionally.”

The Charlottesville branch was able to donate clothes, household items, money and other necessities to the family, said Spradlin. An Amazon Wishlist was also created so that Santana and Spradlin’s co-workers and the radio station’s sponsors and listeners could contribute to helping the family get back on their feet.

At American Pest in Charlottesville, serving their community is a year-round effort, said Spradlin. He also said the company services local schools for their pest needs while also delivering truckloads of canned food items to them throughout the year.

“It is a tight little community,” said Spradlin. “It’s cliché to say, but almost everybody knows everybody. … But that’s important to be able to be proud of where you live.”

For pest control companies aiming to give back to their communities, Santana recommends connecting and engaging with people and community events.

“Keep it simple and be mindful of your community and surroundings,” said Santana. “Just have genuine conversations with people. You will get told so many things by just sitting down with somebody and having a cup of coffee.”