Fresh Produce Blog

Happy Friday, everyone!  FP is traveling around the globe this week!  We donated tons of clothing and other goodies to the Airline Ambassadors program, a nonprofit organization that provides aid to children around the world, and now our vibrant colors and good spirits are reaching far beyond the United States.  Check out these children in Soyapango, El Salvador with Fresh Produce beachballs.

Greetings! Secretsuny here, a brand new addition to the FP Team. As a fresh face here in this bright and colorful office, I’m excited to learn about everything Fresh and to contribute my skills as a marketing intern. I’m no stranger to Boulder, however. I’ve lived in this beautiful town for the last four years, attending the University of Colorado where I am currently finishing my last semester.

Yesterday was my first day at FP, and after a dizzying tour of the office, its warehouse and its many friendly faces, I was recruited to assist with an inaugural project – to make banners advertising a sale in our retail stores. We gathered around a conference table and proceeded to cut felt hearts and sew them onto the many banners, creating a colorful and adorable result. I admit that I was completely unprepared to participate in arts and crafts on the first day (I have no idea how to sew!), but I was impressed by FP’s whimsical spirit and its ability to connect to its customers. So keep an eye out for those exquisitely handmade and personalized banners at any one of our stores .

It’s Bike to Work Day! Yay! FP-Dlovely, Jenny Bloggins (& Clay), Que Sera Sera and I met up at Whole Foods for some pancakes, bananas and energizing Pixie Mate before biking over to Fresh Produce. As you can see, there was a sea of bikes in the parking lot, full of happy riders. We think every day should start this way! Cruise on…fresh-E

Boulder celebrates Bike to Work Day!

Sea of Bikes

FPD-lovely, Jenny Bloggins, Que Sera Sera, & Clay

Yesterday fresh-E and I participated in a Macerich Centers-sponsored nationwide Step Out, Step Up volunteer event to support the Step Up Women’s Network. The event gathered volunteers from local communities across the country to stuff more than 30,000 wellness bags for women cancer patients. Retailers from Twenty Ninth Street and Flatiron Crossing (the home of this year’s big FP Warehouse Sale) donated goods and services to be included in the gift bags. Fresh Produce donated 600 deliciously soft Cozy Robe bath robes, complete with FP employee hand-written notes. There were so many nice women gathered to stuff bags that we finished in record time, which meant all the more opportunity to enjoy the other fun stuff provided by participating retailers, like makeovers from MAC and yoga demonstrations by Lululemon!

All in all it was a successful event and a great way to spend just 2 hours of our time making a difference in the community. We feel good about working with companies like Macerich that go the extra mile to help out in the communities where they do business (we have stores in 2 Macerich centers - FP Gilbert and FP Scottsdale). The wellness bags will be distributed through a partnership with local affiliates of Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the American Cancer Society just in time for Mother’s Day this weekend. We surely hope the goodies and well wishes bring some smiles to their recipients. Be well.

Fresh Produce Sportswear is pleased to announce their participation in Boulder Shares, a humanitarian aid relief trip to El Salvador under the guidance of Airline Ambassadors, a non-profit organization affiliated with the United Nations that provides a way for individuals to participate and contribute to humanitarian relief and development projects.  The Boulder Shares event brings together a group of Boulder area companies including Fresh Produce, Croc’s, Wallaroo Hats, OneWorld Running Company, Page Two and Instant Imprints to deliver goods to individuals and families in need.  Under the leadership of William Dise, regional director for Airline Ambassadors, the 3-day relief mission will visit two villages and orphanages in two days, supplying men, women and children with new clothes, toys and other vital necessities for health, nutrition and hygiene. At the invitation of El Salvador’s First Lady, Ana Ligia Mixco de Saca, the Boulder Shares mission trip will take place February 27^th – March 1^st.  Donations made by Boulder Shares participants will be shipped to El Salvador by American Airlines.   Mission participants, including representatives from some of the participating businesses, will distribute donated goods from Boulder including clothes, shoes, hats, toys, powdered milk, hygiene and newborn kits, strollers and more.

Fresh Produce Sportswear is pleased to provide vibrant, colorful Fresh Produce clothing for women and children. The company aspires to spread color, comfort and hope to those in need, something that Fresh Produce owners Thom and Mary Ellen Vernon have made an integral part of their company culture.  Explains Mary Ellen: “We have seen firsthand what a positive impact something a simple as receiving a new shirt or dress can make on a women or child who has so little to call their own.  As an apparel company, this is something that just makes sense for us to do and we are delighted to work with Airline Ambassadors, and the other participating businesses in Boulder to make it happen.”  Donated goods also include colorful footwear from Crocs and protective sunhats from Wallaroo.

Additionally, Boulder Country Day School has coordinated a drive for toy cars, Beanie Babies and gently used Umbrella Strollers. Broomfield High School has donated sneakers and athletic shoes collected in a recent shoe drive, and a Longmont family has generously purchased new umbrella strollers and helped procure other items. 

About Airline Ambassadors

Airline Ambassadors International is a non-profit organization affiliated with the United Nations and recognized by the US Congress. It began as a network of airline employees using their pass privileges to help others and has expanded into a network of students, medical professionals, families and retirees who volunteer as “Ambassadors of Goodwill” in their home communities and abroad.   AAI provides humanitarian aid to children and families in need as well as relief and development to under-privileged communities worldwide. Airline Ambassadors provides travel escorts for children in need, hand-delivers humanitarian aid to orphanages, clinics, and remote communities, raises public awareness and involves youth in humanitarian efforts around the world. Inspired by the UN Millennium Development Goals, AAI provides a way for individual travelers to participate and contribute to humanitarian relief and development projects worldwide. By partnering with non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), schools, churches and civil society, AAI works with governments and leverages contacts with the travel industry to match world resource to world need. Thousands of our members volunteer their skills, time, finances and effort to become a direct link, providing humanitarian aid, tangible care and goodwill services, spanning countries and cultures throughout the globe.

 
FP beach party with Airline Ambassador Founder
and President Nancy Rivard

FP Beach hat

So excited, she’s wearing 2 dresses!

Brand new FP clothing!

Kathie Horman was the winning bidder for the one of a kind FP quilt shown in our catalog. It was a very exciting auction full of constant bidding. One customer even called in every half hour to check bidding status, but Mrs. Horman prevailed!

Kathie Horman is a long time customer of Fresh Produce, having shopped in Nordstrom’s, our Sanibel store and now in Gilbert. She is an avid quilter and has donated many of her own creations to benefit various charity events through the years, so naturally our event really spoke to her. She purchased the quilt for her daughter (her granddaughters are pictured here). And true to style, she is wearing FP head to toe!

Fresh Produce matched the winning bid. The proceeds were donated to the Jewell McFarland Lewis Fresh Start Women’s Resource Center in Phoenix, AZ.

Thank you to Kathie for her persistence in becoming the successful bidder of our beautiful FP quilt!

Last Friday, a group of FP employees went to a new Habitat for Humanity house that was being built in Longmont, CO. When we arrived it was cold, snowing, sleeting, muddy, and only the foundation and subflooring existed. By the time we left, most of the exterior frame was up and we were all thrilled that we were able to be part of such a great cause - even though our fingers and toes were frozen :)  Enjoy the pics ~freshE

The beginning of the house, building the frames

Nothing can stop the FP assembly line!

One of the final frames to go up for the day…

We hope the family enjoys their new house!

Hello everyone!
Last week, I was alerted to some “Do-Goodingness” back in the warehouse…It seems that Julia (fpHoneyB’s mom), had gotten together with some of her girlfriends and had created some AWESOME Christmas gift packets for the children at the Lovia School in Accra, Ghana. The preschool was funded with love by Carol Freund, mother of our own Customer Service Diva, Kathe. The school started with 10 kids in a garage and now lovingly supports 150 students! I can’t wait to see pics of the kids once they’ve received their lovingly created packages. Not only did Julia and her friends send 200 gift packets for the students and their siblings, but they also sent crayons, notebooks, fun pads, playdough, pencils, and hygiene packets for the children. What a great way to live the FP Life at the holidays!

By the way, all of us at Fresh Produce want to know how you’re living the FP Life too! Please send me (ehendley@fpcolor.com) some pics and stories so that I can post them on the blog and share them with everyone! Or, if you have a friend or family member you’d like to nominate for the way they are Living the FP Life, please write a profile on this person because like I said, I’d love to highlight some of your “Do-Goodingness”!

Have a great Turkey Day! ~fresh-E

Julia, with her lovingly crafted gifts

Toys galore, and look at the cute hand-stamped packages!

Hello all of you FP Blog fans! I haven’t done an Employee Profile in awhile, so today I’d like to introduce you to Teresa, our uber creative & talented store designer. If you have visited a remodeled or brand new store, she’s one of the masterminds behind it. Besides being creative, she is also a do-gooder in one of the biggest senses of the word. Recently, Teresa designed, made, and donated pieces from her one-of-a-kind jewelry line which were auctioned off to benefit the Longmont Humane Society. What a creative way to Live the FP Life! Pics from the auction courtesy of Silver Lining Productions.

Catch up with her in a recent interview:

- Describe your job…I have the best job in the world, I get to make things pretty!
- How long have you worked at Fresh Produce? 2 1/2 years
- What is the best thing about your job?  the people that I work with and the freedom to be myself
- What is your favorite color (doesn’t have to be an “FP specific color”)  Neptune and semisweet
- Describe your typical day at work…all kinds of things… looking for inspiration and new ways of showing the fp life,  looking for new ideas in merchandise fixtures, putting together storyboards,  shopping for fun props, painting and modifying props - its all about props and color!
- Where do you find your inspiration?  in the craziest places….
- Who is your favorite artist? Nicole Seifert
- What is your favorite song? What’d I Say by Ray Charles
- What did you have for breakfast?  coffee and a bottle of water
- What do you want to be when you grow up?  Run a siberian husky rescue in the mountains- or let them run me…that is kind of the husky way 

Teresa and her “pack”

That’s right folks, she also fosters kitties!

A few of Teresa’s lovely designs to be auctioned

The Longmont Humane Society’s Auction

Such cute centerpieces!

Hola Amigos!

fpHoneyB is back from her wonderful vacation! I’ve been out of the office for a week spending some good ‘ol fashion Fresh Produce R&R. I was wisked away to tropical Puerto Rico for some adventure, exploration, and relaxation.

First on my stop was the capital, San Juan.  I stopped over in old San Juan to check out the markets, scenery, and the colorful historic buildings. I bought some amazing handmade soaps there!

Above are some photos of the streets of San Juan and below, is the El Morro Fort, where Spainsh soldiers were stationed in the “Age of Exploration“. This is also the place where famous Spanish pirates were imprisioned!

  Next I was off for some adventure! Caving was the first expedition,  I rapelled down 200 ft into the mouth of Angel Cave! Squeezed through small holes, swam in an underwater river, and walked among bats! I also went kayaking and exploring the Rainforest of El Yunque. Did you know El Yunque is the only U.S. National Park that is a rainforest? The forest can also get over 200 inches of rain! After all that adventure I was ready for some real getaway rest!

Who doesn’t go to the Carribean and not go to the beaches? Well you know I did! The water was crystal “Tahiti” and as beautiful as ever!

Well I had a great time and it was a vacation to remember! Can’t wait for my next getaway, Fresh Produce style!

Do you have a great vacation or adventure? A funny story or memory from your getaway? Let us know! Add a comment or add photos to our flickr (photos) group.

 - good times and great memories
Love, fpHoneyB