Fourth-generation, family-owned company inspires community through pink ready mix truck and The Merry Mixer®

MOKENA, IL, UNITED STATES, March 13, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Manufacturers, Products & Services (MPS) Division of the National Ready Mix Concrete Association (NRMCA) awarded Ozinga with their 2023 Concrete Cares Award for their pink concrete truck and The Merry Mixer^®. This award recognizes outstanding contributions in community service by an NRMCA producer member company.

In May of 2022, Ozinga debuted its pink truck, a bold symbol of support for breast cancer awareness. The idea for this came from Alivia, the daughter of Ozinga's president, Justin Ozinga. The pink truck quickly became a staple of the Ozinga fleet, delivering concrete daily to customers while raising awareness for the cause. During Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, the truck visited two Making Strides Against Breast Cancer events hosted by the American Cancer Society, providing a photo opportunity for guests. Ozinga also donated 25% of the truck’s October revenue to the American Cancer Society and the Cancer Support Center in Mokena. To further spread awareness, Ozinga supplied every coworker with a pink company t-shirt.

“As it turns out, shortly after the pink truck hit the streets, my beautiful wife Annie (Alivia’s mom) was diagnosed with breast cancer,” said Justin Ozinga, president. “Thankfully, it was detected early through a routine mammogram. We hope this truck serves as a reminder and inspires others that early detection saves lives.”

In addition to the pink truck, The Merry Mixer is Ozinga’s festive display of holiday cheer. Decked out in 32,000 LED lights synced to classic Christmas music, The Merry Mixer brought joy to 32 events, including 10 parades, 6 assisted living/support homes, and 3 children's hospitals. During these visits, Ozinga coworkers, along with their friends and family, walked in parades and handed out candy. The company also donated more than 1,600 items for children at these support homes and hospitals.

Tracy Lau-Esquibel, a Child Life Specialist at Comer Children's Hospital, spoke highly of The Merry Mixer's impact: "We are forever grateful that The Merry Mixer was able to be part of our events this holiday season. It helped bring the spirit of the holidays to our patients and families. As always, the children and the adults in the lobby looked with amazement and delight while watching the light show. Parents expressed how wonderful it was that the hospital was able to host this event. Staff who have seen The Merry Mixer from past visits were eager to watch this year’s show. Lastly, we were able to broadcast the light show over our CCTV channel simultaneously to the hospital rooms using Zoom, allowing the opportunity for everyone to view the magic in real-time. Thank you, Ozinga, for continuing a wonderful tradition with us at Comer!”

The Concrete Cares Award aims to recognize the community efforts and shine a national spotlight on the positive impact ready mixed concrete companies have in hometowns across the nation. A representative from the NRMCA stated, “The impact of Ozinga's initiatives extends far beyond the concrete they deliver. Through the Pink Truck and The Merry Mixer, Ozinga is making a difference in the lives of those they serve and bringing hope to communities in need. On behalf of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, we extend our heartfelt thanks to Ozinga for their continued commitment to making a positive impact and for being a deserving recipient of the Concrete Cares Award.”

As an award recipient, the NRMCA will make a $1,000 donation in Ozinga’s name to their desired charity, which is the American Cancer Society. The award was presented at the NRMCA Annual Awards Ceremony on March 12. Andy Wydra, community relations specialist at Ozinga, accepted the award on the company’s behalf.

About Ozinga
Ozinga is a fourth-generation family-owned American business in the construction materials industry. They make a positive impact on individuals, their families and the community for generations by providing concrete, aggregates and cement that help build a better future.

Kristi Munno
Ozinga
+1 708-326-4582
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