Lordstown Ships New Cruze, Donates to Local Nonprofits
LORDSTOWN, Ohio -- The first of the newly redesigned 2015 Chevrolet Cruzes left the General Motors Co.’s Lordstown Complex today, destined for showrooms across the country. The first vehicles left on carrier trucks at 8 a.m., sparking excitement among the plant workers, many of whom were there when the millionth model rolled off the production line in June.
“Today we are over 1,124,000 Cruzes produced at this facility and we're still going strong. It's almost unusual that this late in a product's life cycle, as we enter the fourth year of this product's cycle, a new model is coming out and that we're selling this many vehicles,” said plant manager Steve Notar Donato. “It's a tremendous blessing.”
Just three days before the 50th anniversary of the plant's groundbreaking, Notar Donato noted the impact GM Lordstown has had on the entire Mahoning Valley, quoting what former Gov. Jim Rhodes said at the celebration on Sept. 29, 1964.
“’[This is] a great testimony to a great corporation's faith and confidence in the industrial and economic climate in Ohio. Because of that faith and the willingness to risk capital in the free market system, the greatest gift of all has been bestowed upon our people: the gift of jobs,’” the plant manger quoted Rhodes as saying a half-century ago.
Notar Donato also said northeast Ohio is partially responsible for the success of the Cruze and, in turn, the success of the GM plant in Lordstown.
“The success we have at this plant doesn't happen in a vacuum. It takes the entire community for support, recognition and sales of the vehicle. We've sold over 30,000 Cruzes right here in northeast Ohio,” he said. “That speaks to the cooperation.”
Appreciation of that cooperation was also announced Friday, as the GM Foundation donated a total of $100,000 to seven nonprofit organizations throughout the Mahoning Valley: the American Cancer Society Northeast Ohio Region, Boys and Girls Club of Youngstown, Ohio, Inspiring Minds in Warren, March of Dimes Northern Ohio Chapter, Miss Liberty House in Ravenna, Warren Family Mission and United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley.
“We're very appreciative of what [GM workers do] and what [they're] doing for us. This is a great partnership,” said United Way President Bob Hannon. “On behalf of the thousands of people that will benefit, most of which you'll never meet, you're changing their lives, changing their stories forever and you're making a difference.”
Donations to the United Way are taken out of United Auto Workers members' paychecks if they wish, according to community service chairwoman Karen Eusanio, resulting in a $70,000 donation, the largest awarded at the event.
“The employees like the jobs they have and, in turn, like to give some back to the community in any way possible. A lot people have places close to their heart they want to give back to, but a lot of people here give to everything,” she commented.
Warren Mission House was awarded $5,000, which will be used to provide drug treatment and food to families in Warren.
“[Heroin] is a large part of our case load right now, which requires a lot of specialization. Also, we do large amounts of work with our food program. Our hot food program is up to 400 meals a day and we're doing 1,000 food baskets per month,” said Pastor Chris Gilger, who runs the mission. “We appreciate this check. It's going to get us a little more food and help some families right here.”
This marks the fourth consecutive year that donations from the Lordstown plant are at $100,000, something that Notar Donato believes speaks to the success of the plant.
“We can't afford to do the charitable donations that we do without being successful as a plant and as a company. To that end, the donations going forward, with a new model coming, I'm confident we'll be in a position financially to [increase donations],” he commented.
Pictured: A carrier prepares to transport Lordstown-made Cruzes to lots and showrooms.
Copyright 2014 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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