Bouncing (and giving) back…

Columbia’s Purpose Statement is “Significant Service.”  And “We are Family” is one of our Core Values.  (Along with Customer Service, Absolute Integrity and Share the Success).

We’re proud of the actions our people take to live out these values, and wanted to expose you to a story that illustrates what we mean.

People react to traumatic circumstances in many ways.  And after a cancer incident in the family, it’s easy to see how putting it all behind you is a choice many people make.

But when Richard Parker, Columbia’s CFO, saw that his wife Robin had made it through to the recovery phase, he did the opposite.

Robin benefitted from being diagnosed with her breast cancer early in the process.  She and Richard were compelled to do something that would make that possible for other women. 

They didn’t have to look very far…right there in Greensboro is the headquarters of a non-profit whose mission lined up perfectly… Earlier.org – Friends for an Earlier Breast Cancer Test®.

To make a long story short, Richard agreed to participate in a 24-hour doubles tennis fundraising marathon they called “Round Robin for Research,” with money coming from entry fees and side contributions.

The thing is, Richard agreed to play in ALL the matches.  For 24 hours straight.

As this news report shows, he made it through just fine, and had enough energy left to be interviewed with a smile on his face. 

Unfortunately, the follow-up edition of “Round Robin” was cancelled due to COVID in 2020.

But in late April, it happened again.  And, despite moving locations mid-event due to rain, this repeat performance netted $ 35,000 for the cause.  Those of us in Richard’s Columbia Family are grateful for and inspired by his dedication and grit!