CHINA GROVE — One day, late last month, anyone driving by the Little League field in China Grove likely saw a ton of red shirts out working on a windy Wednesday afternoon.

The group was the Macy’s Leadership Team, a group of Macy’s Distribution Center personnel that were volunteering their time for a community cleanup project. They worked on and off the ball fields, in the dug outs and the concessions stands to clean things up, remove debris and get it ready for game time.

Alisa Stone is the senior director facility leader for the Macy’s Distribution Center.

“Today, we are out here cleaning up the park,” she said. “We had connected with (Mayor) Rodney (Phillips) and with (Councilman) Don (Bringle) and said that we wanted to do something in the community, and this is what they offered, so we jumped on it…”

“It’s a general cleanup to make sure the fields are ready for little league kick off. The intent is that this services a few hundred children through the spring season. It will round out again in the fall. That is why we are here to get them ready.”

Stone said that members of various leadership teams at Macy’s distribution centers around the country look to involve themselves within the communities where they are located.

“Part of our culture is Mission Every One,” Stone said. “Mission Every One is making sure we are giving back to the communities in which we live. Even though our facility is not open yet, this is the fifth community event that we have participated in.”

Stone indicated that the goal is to do something once a month within the community.

“We worked at Rowan Helping Ministries,” she said. “We have got something we are doing with Rotary club (in March)…

“We try to isolate a window of opportunity, one to three hours on a Wednesday afternoon typically to break up the week.”

Although the distribution center is located in China Grove, they are not stopping at the city limits.

“We are technically in China Grove but that does not mean that is where we are going to do all of our work,” Stone said. “Our intent is to do the work where our colleagues live every day.”

Stone just recently purchased a home in China Grove and is excited about the area.

“I move in mid-March and will be in China Grove proper,” she said.
Mayor Pro Tem Wayne Starnes said the opportunity to build a closer relationship with Macy’s has been great.

“We are out here building community with these guys,” he said. “We are super excited for them to be in town. We want to get out here and work together to show them we are just like they are, and they are just like we are.”

Better yet, it was for a worthwhile reason.

“This is a good cause,” he said. “Kids out here playing. There is nothing like coming out to the ball field. It brings people together. We are glad Macy’s has prioritized this project.”

As for Stone, she said the feeling is mutual.

“We were welcomed with open arms,” she said. “They have been an advocate of our’s from the get, so we are happy to work side by side.”