Rogers Group’s Central Kentucky Team Partners With a Couple Helping to Unite a Local Community.
By Therese Dunphy
Active involvement in its community is a way of life for Rogers Group’s Central Kentucky team. It participates in school programs, children’s charities, and much more, but certain partnerships stand out and truly capture their hearts. That was the case for Scott Harrison, Rogers Group’s sales manager for Central Kentucky and Ohio, when his team became involved with Love City in Portland, Ky.
“We are extremely active,” Harrison said. “We want the community to know that we are active in the community, that we support the community, and that we give back to the community. We take it very seriously in the Louisville area.”
A recent donation of stone base for a basketball court in a local park was particularly impactful. Through it, Harrison and his team not only contributed to a park serving the nearly 12,000-person community, but also saw the power individuals have to transform lives.
Learning About Love City
Love City is the brainchild of a Louisville couple, Shawn and Inga Arvin. The duo earned master’s degrees from a private college in Louisville and were on the hunt for a fixer upper when they came across the community of Portland, part of downtown Louisville. They found a home they wanted to buy, but the seller had an interesting prerequisite. He would sell them the house, but they had to take the adjacent community center as well.
“They went in and completely revamped the community center, and they literally united the community. It was unbelievable,” Harrison said, noting that approximately 800 residents attended a fish fry to mark the re-opening of the center.
What quickly became known as Love City developed a mission to love its neighbors and community and create a culture that empowers a movement of loving people as they are. Such messages resonate within the community where nearly 40% of residents earn less than $15,000 per year and almost half don’t have a high school education.
Following their success with the community center, the Arvins adopted Westonia Park from the city and began rehabbing it, including the update of a dilapidated basketball court. One of Rogers Groups’ paving customers agreed to supply the asphalt and reached out to Harrison for a donation of stone base, which Rogers Group quickly provided.
“There are projects that just stand out – they really reach out and grab you,” Harrison said. “I couldn’t believe how Shawn walks around this community and tells these people he loves them. They come up to him and hug him like the way you or I interact with a family member. This is what’s going on every day as he walks the streets of this community.”
The partnership was beneficial for everyone involved. Rogers Group helped improve the park, and its team members saw how what was happening in Love City transformed the community. “They love it,” Harrison said. “It really boosts morale.”
Sharing the Love
Each time Harrison’s team is involved in a community event such as Westonia Park, photos and information about the event are posted on social media – either through his account or Rogers Group’s. “We’re connected with a lot of our customers and these organizations on LinkedIn and Facebook,” he said. “We try to give credit where credit is due. If a customer got us involved, I want to give that customer and that person credit.”
Over time, regular posts about its community activities have garnered positive attention from customers, local businesses, and area leaders. Rogers Group was named Louisville Business of the Year in Middletown, where one of its quarries is based, and was a finalist in the Greater Louisville Inc.Credible award in 2019.
Community leaders see that Rogers Group is a good neighbor. On one recent post, Louisville councilman Anthony Piagentini commented: “You guys are the best. The Rogers Group defines what it is to be a great corporate citizen. Appreciate you all!”
Therese Dunphy has covered the aggregates industry for nearly 30 years, while also serving multiple roles as a public official. As the owner of Stone Age Communications, she provides communications consulting services to help aggregate producers build stronger relationships within the communities they serve. She can be reached at t[email protected].