The Hardy family has spent many decades focusing on how to best give back to their community and, through their generosity, have made an impact on the lives of individuals touched by hardships ranging from illness to unemployment. Their philanthropic spirit and sense of genuine caring for the human condition are the foundation that is igniting the recent efforts of a group of Nemacolin associates who have the heart and desire to personally touch lives in their community and truly make a difference. They have named this organization Nemacolin Gives Back.
Nemacolin Gives Back is not financially supported by any corporation or entity and operates solely on the generosity of Nemacolin associates. Therefore, the projects considered are primarily designed to involve the donation of personal time with the focus being that each project has a direct impact on an individual or cause. There are many in need who are often forgotten because their hardship doesn’t fall under a socially supported spectrum of charitable foundations. There are worthy causes shrouded in a cloud of hard work that most people seek to avoid. These are their focus.
On April 20th and 27th, Nemacolin Gives Back is thrilled to be participating in their first event since its inception in January of this year. Seventeen associates will travel to the site of the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to participate in a reforestation project. They will navigate steep and rocky terrain and plant seedling trees in an effort to help repair the damage that remains from years of coal mining in the region. The location of this project is one that is close to the hearts of many, yet the organizers had a difficult time filling the volunteer spots necessary to proceed with the project. Nemacolin Gives Back is very proud to be able to contribute and is looking forward to the challenge and the end result. In addition to this project, they will be participating in the building of a Habitat for Humanity home, as well as a Children’s Hospital special event and toy drive. Nemacolin Gives Back is currently searching for additional projects that will enlighten the lives of individuals, even if just for one day.
While individual passions may vary, the people involved in this organization share one belief that unites them: “What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” ― Albert Pike
Julie King
Marketing Manager & Nemacolin Gives Back Organizer
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
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Nemacolin Gives Back
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Sales and Marketing
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Radio, Newspaper, Television, Social Media, Billboards, Banner Ads, Press Releases, Bounce Back Offers, Magazine, SEO, Creative, FAM Trips, Email, Coupons, Direct Marketing … the list of marketing opportunities for a brand goes on and on and as technology and communication evolve so does the way brands communicate with their customers. However, there does exist a set of words that to a Marketer and Brand will always remain king. Those words are… Word of Mouth.
Word of Mouth is essentially free advertising and can undoubtedly be the most effective ROI (return on investment) for a Brand. Why you ask? Well, think about many of the decisions and purchases you have made in your life. How many times have you weighed your options or asked advice from those around you? We would bet that on most, if not all, of those occasions you enlisted an opinion from others. The reality is that most of us rely on others for major life decisions. This form of reassurance from others also trickles down to some of the most insignificant of decisions.
Check out the recent form of word of mouth advertising we received from a past leisure guest and group client. This letter was sent from a loyal Nemacolin customer to a current client who is considering bringing their group to Nemacolin.
“I was talking to Dennis Noonan at Nemacolin today as we have a three day meeting scheduled there in May and he mentioned you are thinking of a fall meeting there. I just wanted to put in my two cents in hopes it helps you in the process. We have been going to NWL for 14 years now. We bring anywhere from 200 - 400 people there every other May and have since 1998. The reason we picked it and continue to go there is it is the perfect spot. Dennis and his staff do a GREAT JOB of giving you what my father called "champagne on a beer budget". Meaning - they are willing to work with you to make sure you have a great experience at a price that works. We have travelled to many great hotels and destinations throughout the world, and NWL is right up there. When you go and stay in the Chateau - you will get an idea as to why my dad loved it there - he felt right at home, surrounded by Louis XIV pieces and antiques. All that in the middle of the Pennsylvania countryside!
Seriously, it is a great spot for selling the dream, having a goal setting workshop, team building or just a weekend away with each other. To give you an idea of the type of people they are, when Dad passed they were one of the first to call, offer condolences and offer a free place for my wife and I to come reflect and get away. No other Hotel around us did that! Joe and Maggie Hardy have created a wonderful spot there and I am looking forward to our trip in a couple months.”
No amount of advertising or marketing campaign can compete with the ROI of the referral from a lifetime customer, and because of this… Word of Mouth remains king.
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General
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While the pain of the Bronco’s playoff defeat of the Steelers and the 316 passing yards attributed to the oft maligned arm of Tim Tebow have begun to fade, the true agony begins this Sunday evening when the winner of Super Bowl XLVI declares they are “Going To Disney World” and my beloved football disappears from the airwaves for six months. With the Pro Bowl being moved to the week between the conference championships and the Super Bowl, I don’t even have that contrived and somewhat silly game to stave off my annual depression. I think it is no coincidence that this is the time of year when people are beset with symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is attributed, in part, to long winter nights and lack of sunlight. Although, I have no formal medical training, (however, I did stay at Nemacolin Woodlands last night) I would argue that lack of football might actually be to blame for this seasonal malady. One of the best known treatments for the disorder is light therapy where a patient sits a few feet away from a bright light for 30 minutes or more. This leads me to believe that a more effective solution might lie in the hands of Roger Goodell…extend the NFL season for a month or so. I personally have been known to sit for hours just inches away from a box emitting bright lights, flashing colors and uplifting music as I cheer on my beloved Steelers or delight in the defeat of the loathed Patriots. Doctors also recommend that affected patients keep socially active. What could be more social than gathering with friends, even enemies, for some adult beverages and animated if not boisterous communication? Unfortunately, until I complete the necessary research to present to the commissioner, I, along with millions of others will have to suffer through yet another winter of empty Sundays. Yes, there is the Professional Bowlers Association, the West Coast swing for the PGA and the Pittsburgh Power Arena League team but for the most part, I have resigned myself to tucking away my Hines Ward jersey, folding up my Terrible Towel and using my foam finger as packing material to cradle my treasured ceramic football, the serving dish of choice for chips of every flavor.
In my effort to improve my general health and well-being…Resolution number 1 in 08, 09, 10, 11 and 12…I have pledged to be more active during this year’s off-season so as to be in the best possible shape when training camp opens in July. What better place than Nemacolin Woodlands to prepare for the rigors of football in 2012? For starters, I plan to spend next Sunday afternoon at the Field Club shooting sporting clays. You might ask how that particular activity could possibly better my skills for next season. It’s as simple as these three words…Hand -Eye Coordination. Shooting those clays, some soaring, some rolling takes incredible precision. One must pull the trigger with perfect timing. Imagine how this exercise might fine tune my remote control skills for viewing in the fall, flying fearlessly through commercials, switching effortlessly between games and muting Tony Siragusa before one syllable escapes his lips.
On the following weekend, I have made an appointment at the Woodlands Spa to meet with a personal trainer. One would most likely assume that I will be working with weights to bolster my strength and endurance for the rigors of the gridiron, but it’s flexibility that I feel will be the key to next season’s success. Flexibility to wave that Terrible Towel for hours on end taking care not to injure those around me and lest we forget, just how limber one needs to be in the repetitive retrieval of cheese puffs, peanut shells and other snack foods from the carpet and hardwood below.
Week three, you can find me at The WildSide for intense viewing training…and I mean intense. For those of us who refuse to let our viewing skills be weakened during the winter months, there’s no other option but to watch everything and anything we can, preferably all at once. With more than twenty flat screen televisions in nearly every corner of the building, The WildSide will provide enough programming and sports to experience the sensory overload, constantly changing content and noise that define my world each season.
The fourth Sunday, post-football, will have me at Mystic Mountain, Nemacolin’s outdoor adventure center. Now, please don’t think that I would risk injury by actually venturing out on the slopes. I am spending the afternoon at the Hitchin’ Post Saloon safely ensconced on a perfectly sturdy bar stool. This final week of training will be dedicated to the world of food and beverage. There is nothing more embarrassing than beginning a new football season horribly out of shape. Imagine sitting down for the first game in September with the realistic goal of devouring a full dozen wings and two frosty drafts before halftime. None of us wants to disappoint our fans and I would be remiss if I didn’t do all that I could to ensure success in consumption for 2012.
Some may be surprised that I am so adamant about the off-season amidst rumors of my retirement. I assure you that they are nothing but rumors. As long as I have the strength to haul the tailgate supplies to the car and the vision to change the batteries in the remote, I will carry on. I know that this training regimen may seem quite aggressive to others who have relegated their upcoming Sundays to reading or crafting or resting but for those of us who take our football seriously, this is what we do. We put the past behind us, shop for team apparel on clearance racks and look ahead to the glory of the fall when our weekends and worlds are all about the GAME.
Zelma Kassimer
Director of Marketing
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
Our friend, and National Speaker, Consultant and Author, John DiJulius once said... "You can have a great product, but it takes world-class service to create brand loyalty." We would like to take the time to recognize and congratulate our Associates of the Month for delivering world-class service and embodying the Nemacolin culture and spirit.
Associate of Month, Back of the HouseDon Butler - Engineering
Associate of the Month, Front of the HouseAdam Checton - The Tavern
Rising Star of the MonthStan Plume - Butcher Shop
Leader of the MonthMichelle Lacek - Front Desk
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Activities
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Nemacolin Woodlands Resort would like you to meet the newest member of our Wildlife Academy family... meet Kira!
Kira is a Bengal Tiger and is approximately six months old. She currently inhabits the Wildlife Academy Nursery and will reside there for the remainder of the winter. In Spring 2012, Kira will be relocated to a larger outdoor enclosure as part of our Animal Habitats. Currently, guests can meet Kira on our Safari Tour or Nursery Tours.
General Bengal Tiger facts:
- Bengals are the most common sub-species of tiger.
- They are native to India and other portions of Southeast Asia.
- Tigers are the largest member of the cat family.
- Bengal tigers are carnivores (meat eaters).
- They are solitary (meaning they live alone, not in groups).
- Tigers usually hunt at night and will drag their kill to a safe place, such as up a tree, to eat it. They can consume more than 70lbs in one sitting and will then not eat for days.
- They are excellent swimmers.
- Each tiger has a pattern of stripes unique to each individual (just as our fingerprints).
- Bengal tigers are usually brownish-orange with black stripes however, there is a rare mutation that produces white tigers.
Kira will make special appearances at our Holiday Wild Animal Shows. For more information, please contact our Wildlife Academy at 724.329.6961.
Karen Brindle
Wildlife Academy Supervisor
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
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Spa
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Everyone knows that the holidays can consume quite a bit of our energy and time. However, the season of giving doesn’t mean you have to give-up on your workout routines and/or your healthy lifestyle goals.
Our Fitness Supervisor, Susan Pelfrey, provides us with some tips to stay on track as we navigate through the temptations and stresses of the holidays.
- Stay committed to your workouts. This may mean cutting back on some days but don’t cut out all days! Make three cardio sessions a week your goal. Studies show we can maintain our current fitness level even if we reduce the frequency. The secret here is we must maintain the intensity of the workouts. Therefore, going from five to three workouts each week during the holidays will not undo your good deeds from the summer and fall as long as the intensity is the same.
Introduce multi-joint exercises to save time in the weight-room. Examples: lunges with shoulder presses, wall squats with bicep curls, push-ups over an exercise ball or walking planks on the Bosu.- Continue to be aware of calorie intake. This time of year we are tempted with office goodies, family favorites, weekend parties and very little will power. Set yourself up for success by not skipping on meals throughout the day.
- Make a check list of goals for the day. For example: I will not shop through lunch today. I will eat five veggies and five fruits today. I will only have 5oz of wine at the party tonight. I will shop with a list. I will allow myself 150 calories today that are totally guilt free. You get the picture.
Do you have any tips that you live by or would like to share to help others continue their healthy lifestyles throughout the holiday season?
Susan Pelfrey
Fitness Supervisor
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
Visiting our Resort? Did you know Nemacolin offers complimentary Fitness Classes to guests 16 years and older. Click Here to download our Fitness Calendar.
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General,
Gourmet
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This year's Gingerbread display included the following ingredients:
150 LBS. OF GINGERBREAD
1,700 GUMBALLS
108 ASSORTED AIR HEADS
20 LBS. ASSORTED SIXLETS
216 HERSHEY COOKIES & CRÈME
216 KIT KATS
48 LAFFY TAFFFY ROPES6 LBS. ASSORTED LICORICE
30 STRAWBERRY MENTOS
108 MR. GOODBARS
10 LBS. GOOD & PLENTY
48 RAZZLES
72 ROLOS
96 KING SIZE REESE CUPS
30 LBS. STARLITE MINTS
10 LBS. ASSORTED TOOTSIE FROOTSIES
48 KING SIZE TWIX
72 YORK PEPPERMINT PATTIES
560 MINIATURE CANDY CANES72 CANDY CANES
4 LBS. TROLLI APPLE O’S
200 CHARM BLOW POPS
5 LBS. CANDY BLOX
6 LBS. CHICKLETS
288 HERSHEY MILK CHOCOLATE BARS
240 ICE CUBES
12 PKGS. FRUIT STRIPE BUBBLE GUM
6 LBS. ASSORTED STARBURST
25 LBS. HERSHEY KISSES
30 LBS. SPICE GUMDROPS
18 LBS. CHOCOLATE ROCKS
A special thank you all our Associates who helped:
KANYA KNOX, CHEF KRYSTAL JENNINGS, CHEF DANILE MAULE, CHEF EARL MORSE, ANGIE KASSOUF, BEN ORENDORFF, BRIAN BARCUS, SHEENE HUSAR, ALICIA FALLAS, JOSH STILLWAGON, COURTNEY ZITO, JOSH LIND, GIULIANO GIACOPETTI, LEE PRATHER, KARA SHUTERLY, WILL WRIGHT, BRITTANY WERTZ
CARPENTERS: JEFF HESS & DAN SIMONIK
PASTRY CHEF AMBER FRAZEE
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