Tropical Smoothie Cafe, a national smoothie and sandwich chain, dropped off a donation of $365,000 Monday to the Casco-based Camp Sunshine, and left with a pledge to help raise $1 million for the camp’s endowment.
Here’s a statement from Camp Sunshine Executive Director Matthew Hoidal:
Despite an otherwise tough economic climate for many businesses, Tropical Smoothie Café continues to stand out with its leadership rallying its team and inspiring its customers so that children with life-threatening illnesses and their families from around the country can find respite at Camp Sunshine. This gift today, coupled with the $1 million commitment toward Camp Sunshine’s endowment, is historic, and will have lasting positive impacts on Camp Sunshine’s future.
If you’re unfamiliar with Camp Sunshine, it provides a retreat for children from around the country facing life-threatening illnesses, as well as their families. The Sebago Lake operation has provided free “recreational, medical and counseling” services to more than 32,000 people since 1984, according to a camp announcement issued today.
From left, Tropical Smoothie Cafe Chief Operating Officer Mike Rotondo, Camp Sunshine Executive Director Matt Hoidal, Tropical Smoothie Cafe Regional Director Bob Fischer, host of Tropical Smoothie employees and franchisees volunteering this week at Camp Sunshine, Camp Sunshine Founder Anna Gould, and Tropical Smoothie Cafe Regional Director Dana Lockyear. (Photo courtesy of Camp Sunshine)
The $365,000 donated to the camp Monday represents money raised through Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s annual Flip Flop Day this year, during which flip flop-clad customers were offered free smoothies and encouraged to make donations to Camp Sunshine.
The chain has now raised a total of $1.5 million all-time for Camp Sunshine through its Flip Flop Days, and the new pledge to raise a $1 million endowment was described by the camp Tuesday as the largest corporate gift of its kind, and will pay for an entire session at Camp Sunshine in perpetuity.
The two organizations paired up in 2008, when the Destin, Fla.,-based Tropical Smoothie Cafe representatives were searching for a nonprofit benefit partner and were impressed by Camp Sunshine’s fiscal responsibility and national reach as rated by Charity Navigator.
Here’s Tropical Smoothie Cafe Chief Operating Officer Mike Rotundo’s statement on the subject:
Camp Sunshine creates memorable experiences for the families touched by this incredible program, and Tropical Smoothie Café stands behind those efforts 100 percent. We are proud to be involved with such a wonderful organization and look forward to continuing to support Camp Sunshine.
Tropical Smoothie Cafe has more than 300 franchises nationwide, but according to the company website, none in Maine. If you want to patronize the next annual Flip Flop Day — or try one of their wraps — your closest shot would be Rochester, N.H., or North Dartmouth, Mass.
