The lights dim in a small theater. Dramatic music begins to swell. A wall rises slowly to reveal … a forklift.
That was the scene Friday, as Toyota Material Handling presented Community Provisions of Jackson County, Inc with the donation of a reach truck. Their battery partner, EnerSys, is chipping in with a battery and charging unit, and Toyota’s local dealer, ProLift, will support the service and training, said Justin Albers, corporation communications and public relations specialist at Toyota.
Toyota Material Handling President and CEO Jeff Rufener was present at the donation event, as were other representatives from Toyota, the other two companies and Community Provisions.
“We certainly appreciate the work that you’re doing,” said brand ambassador Tom Lego as he presented the reach truck. “So this is a way that, in essence, we believe that we can help people carry the load.”
Community Provisions is a faith-based food pantry with no ties to national organizations, Director Chuck Seybold said.
“We operate strictly on donations from the local community — from the county,” he said. “This is a full Jackson County service that we offer here. It’s not just Seymour.”
For more on this story, see Monday’s Republic.