PMPs caught in the act — of kindness

It’s no secret that the professional pest management industry is teeming with kind and generous people.

Here are some recent examples to perhaps inspire you and your team as the holiday season of giving gets underway. Share your stories with us at pmpeditor@northcoastmedia.net.

PHOTO: EARTH’S BEST NATURAL PEST MANAGEMENT

On Sept. 18, New Port Richey, Fla.-based Earth’s Best Natural Pest Management celebrated International Coastal Cleanup Day by sponsoring and volunteering alongside the University of Florida to help clean up Florida coastlines. All collected trash was documented and taken in as data. In recent years, plastic has surpassed cigarettes as the No. 1 pollutant, according to The Ocean Conservancy.

PHOTO: ARIZONA PEST CONTROL

This fall, Arizona Pest Control committed to sponsoring six high school football programs throughout Tucson, Ariz. In addition, the company made a $5,000 contribution to the Catalina Foothills School District Foundation, and currently is looking into sponsoring after-school programs at the elementary and middle school levels.

PHOTO: KINGFISH PEST CONTROL

Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.-based Kingfish Pest Control received an email thanking the company after technician Michael Parrish found a lost wallet. Parrish researched to whom the wallet belonged, called the owner and was able to return it to the elderly man — with all its contents intact. The man’s son wrote the grateful email, which said in part to please “pass along a huge thank-you to Michael for restoring my hope in humans. He deserves a raise, and I would want 1,000 of him working in my company.”

PHOTO: PRESTIGE PEST SERVICES

Hawthorne, N.J.-based Prestige Pest Services (PPS) donated routine pest control services at no cost to a local organization, the Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center. From left are PPS President Favio Ulloa; Debbie Provencher, executive director, and Jackie Frazier, operations manager of the Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center; and PPS service technician Derek Palacios.

PHOTO: CALIFORNIA PEST MANAGEMENT

California Pest Management donated a ballistic protective vest to Dino, La Verne Police Department’s first-ever canine officer. The three-year-old German shepherd models his $1,800 vest with his handler, Officer Addiel Julian. California Pest Management CEO and entomologist Jim Harmon is known for his enthusiastic support of National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Funny Cars, but has been a longtime supporter of the police department, as well.