SEDLEY
Hubbard Peanut Company has been celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. But rather than expect any kind of tribute for such longevity, the employees decided instead to present a gift to the community by serving in the communities where they live.

Hubs President Lynn Rabil explained the thinking to customers in the catalog.

“Contemplating the history of Hubbard Peanut Company led us to think about the earliest days

when our parents, Dot and HJ, were just starting out. Their entrepreneurial spirit was vast

and they worked very hard, but without the community of support of family, friends and

neighbors, their business would likely not have grown to the extent it did,” she said.

Out of the thinking and discussion Hub’s Hearts was born. In addition, company employees are also paid for the time they serve.

“What better way to celebrate the legacy handed down to us by our parents than by giving back? What

better way to celebrate 60 years in business and to reflect upon how we came to be where we are

today? What better way to say thank you to our community for the support bestowed upon us

for the past 60 years?”

Already employees have helped out at the hospital and a nursing home as well as a food programs for families. The company also annually puts together 15 to 20 boxes of food for the Cooperative Ministries. Hubs includes a coupon for a turkey in each container.

“In addition, we have a year round ‘matching peanut butter program’ for Cooperative Ministries. For every $2 jar of peanut butter a customer purchases, Hubbard Peanut Company matches,” she wrote. “We are also a sponsoring partner with Project Peanut Butter, an organization that provides ready to use therapeutic food packs for severely malnourished children throughout the world.”

For the Kids College program, Teri Zurfluh of the Regional Workforce Development Center got some needed help from a few employees.

“Heather Lilly from Hubs approached me last spring to tell me about their Hub’s Hearts volunteer program and wondered if Kids College would be interested in a partnership and I jumped at the chance! Ada Grimes and Susan Williams both came from Hubs to help us during the Kids College 2014 program this past summer,” Zurfluh said. “Ada served as an instructional assistant and driver for many of our Kayak Kid classes, and often finished a day on the river with a couple hours of administrative work. Susan Williams worked directly with our Kids College registrar, Josette Sthole-Hayes, on various registration documentation and tracking projects.

“This partnership was so terrific as we got very talented volunteers who helped us do important work at no cost to my program. This Hubs Hearts program is so consistent with the community minded culture that Hubs embodies every day. I am so proud to be a partner with Hubs!”

The Downtown Franklin Association has also been a beneficiary of the volunteers.

“They were very good,” said Dan Howe, executive director of the DFA. “Bobby Varmette has been a volunteer for the DFA since about 2008-2009. He has been doing We Be Jammin’ for years as well as other music events. His wife, Becky, even helps. Bobby would come in the daytime to set up for Jammin’. He was really a breath of fresh air…and then he’d come back in the evening and clean up. Susan Williams also helps here at the Visitors Center. She helped me with paperwork and inventory. She did a lot of typing.”

Howe said he’s hopeful that when the season slows down, the Hub’s Hearts will resume.

“It’s a very good program. I hope they’ll come back,” he said. “We always need volunteers.”

Rabil said the work done in 2014 will continue into 2015 and beyond.

“Hub’s Hearts are just getting started in their service,” she continued. “But just as our own biological hearts pump life into our bodies, Hub’s Hearts can help pump energy into our home town. We are excited about building upon a great start for our company based volunteer program.

“For 60 years, we have had the support of friends and neighbors, but also that of many customers,

like you, who have shared Hubs home cooked Virginia peanuts across the globe. From the

bottom of our hearts, we say thank you!”