April 29, 2022
Press Release Source: Country Fair Website

Country Fair annually gives to a variety of local charities. The Country Fair Cares (CFC) program was created in 2019 to assist 501 c-3 non-profit organizations with a pooled funding formula. In three campaigns, CFC has raised $423,857. Last year CFC raised $147,377 on behalf of five local non-profits. The Mental Health Association of NWPA, Erie Humane Society, Autism Society of NWPA, Presque Isle Partnership, and Asbury Woods each received $29,475. The program has increased each year.

Country Fair’s leadership selected five non-profit organizations to become CFC partners in 2022. These partners include The Erie City Mission, ANNA Shelter, Grady’s Decision, Women’s Care Center of Erie, and Multicultural Community Resource Center. Country Fair is committing a pooled fund with a minimum of $50,000, with each CFC partner receiving a minimum of $10,000.  These funds will be tracked through the Country Fair “Charity Pumps.”

All Erie County Country Fair locations will have at least one pump designated as the “CFC Charity Pump.” Customers will recognize these pumps as they will be decorated much differently than the other pumps. From May 1 to October 31, 2022, two cents per gallon from the charity pumps will be allocated to the CFC program. “This is an exciting program that Country Fair has grown over the past three years to give back to our community partners. Our community and customers have been so good to us over the past 57 years that we wanted to give back even more to them,” said Paul Rankin, Vice President of Country Fair.

“There are so many deserving local non-profits in Erie County that the ANNA Shelter is proud to be a 2022 partner,” said Ruth Thompson, Executive Director.

For Immediate Release
Media Contact – Stacy Kline
Phone: 814-898-1111 x293
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About Country Fair

Country Fair, Inc. is a chain of 72 convenience stores that are integral parts of the communities that they service throughout Northwestern Pennsylvania, Western New York, and Eastern Ohio.  Country Fair employs over 1,300 associates and was ranked 16^th largest employer in Erie, PA in 2019. It was named one of America’s Best In-State Employers in 2021 by Forbes.

By Heather Cass / For www.GoErie.com
Posted Jul 1, 2020 at 6:00 AM
Updated Jul 1, 2020 at 9:08 AM

Bryson Galloway raised more than $3,800 for Grady’s Decision, and he set a new 5K PR.

Bryson Galloway, 12, of North East, lost a lot when the COVID-19 pandemic forced Pennsylvanians into their homes for several months this spring. First, he lost the end of his fifth-grade school year, then he missed out on the end of wrestling season and, as summer approached, it became clear his baseball season was in jeopardy and he wouldn’t be having much of a birthday celebration either as social distancing and group gathering restrictions were still in place.

But rather than dwell on his own situation, he and his parents, Chris and Mandy, brainstormed ideas to make Bryson’s June 16 birthday special while giving back to the world in some way.

“I didn’t want a drive-by party or anything like that,” said Bryson, who turned 12 on June 16.

They decided on a physical feat that would challenge even veteran runners — a 5K a day for two weeks with Sundays off from June 1 to June 16 (Bryson’s birthday) — and a fundraising goal of $500 in donations for Grady’s Decision, a nonprofit organization that had assisted the Galloways when Bryson’s younger brother Dylan, 6, was born 10 weeks premature.

Bryson’s father created a Facebook page and encouraged people to donate (per mile or a flat donation).

“I have been doing 5Ks since I was about 8 years old and I have been running for a few months with no purpose other than to stay in shape for sports, so I figured why not run for a good cause,” Bryson said. “I wanted to do something selfless while the world was in crisis and I thought by turning my running into something positive I could help make someone else happy.”

If you’re thinking he sounds like one of those kids who is naturally good at any sport he plays, you’re probably right, but there’s more. He also has a rock-solid work ethic and competitive nature that became apparent when I asked him why he sometimes did two-a-days.

“Well, usually because I didn’t like the time I got when I did the first 5K,” he said.

He was aiming to keep his runs under 30 minutes and if he finished over that time goal, he’d go out and do it again. Let that sink in for a minute. If he got what he considered to be a lousy 5K time, he’d go do it again — in the same day. (Ah....youth, amiright?)

Once friends and community members who are runners got wind of what Bryson was up to, they joined in and started doing their own 5K challenges and posting on Bryson’s fundraiser page, which caught the attention of Ryan Smith, founder and president of Grady’s Decision who pledged a per-mile donation for Bryson and added in an additional donation for every runner who joined him.

In the end, Bryson raised more than $3,800 for Grady’s Decision, and he set a new 5K PR of less than 27 minutes.

It wasn’t easy. Remember that string of very hot and humid days in June? Bryson sure does.

“Man, those days were horrible; it was so hot,” he said.

But like any good runner, he just “embraced the suck” and persevered.

“Bryson has always had a good head and a kind heart,” Chris Galloway said. “At a young age he was always up for a challenge even when his mother and I would doubt him. He is a smart responsible young man and even at 11 years old, I trusted he would follow through and blow this thing out of the water. He has proved us right.”

Grady’s Decision hosts several fundraisers each year, one of which is a 5K run/walk, which has gone virtual for 2020. For more info on that, visit the organization’s Facebook page and scroll down to a video (posted June 19) in which Amy Smith explains how it will work and gives links to sign up.

Heather Cass is an Erie-area freelance writer, runner, and active member of the Erie Runners Club for 20-plus years. She is immersed in the local fitness culture, and she’s taking your questions at zipdang22 at aol.com.

Amy Smith of Falls Creek has volunteered with Grady’s Decision for eight years and has also served as an area coordinator in the DuBois area. Now she is ready to take on a new role — executive director — with the non-profit organization that blesses babies and their families throughout their Neonatal Intensive Care Unit journey.

“We are excited to have Amy in a position to lead our organization,” said founder and President Ryan Smith. “She brings the skills, the leadership, and the passion to take our organization and create new opportunities to bless even more families.”

In her new position, which was effective Sept. 17, Amy will be thoroughly committed to Grady’s Decision and will act as the management leader. She will oversee the organization’s mission and strategic plans. Her administrative responsibilities will include “blessing families, public relations, fundraising, corporate donations and grant writing,” according to Amy.

“I am excited to take Grady’s Decision to the next level,” said Amy, who is also a hairstylist at Marnie’s Styling Salon at Treasure Lake. While serving as the area coordinator, she enjoyed fundraising and meeting with families supported by Grady’s Decision emotionally, spiritually and financially.

“I have found God’s purpose for me, through Grady’s Decision,” Amy said. “I will continue growing this mission, so we can bless families one miracle at a time.”

Grady’s Decision was started in 2008 by Katrina and Ryan Smith of Erie, formerly of DuBois, to honor their son, Graden Vincent, who died less than three days after being born premature in July 2008 and weighed only 2 pounds, 5 ounces. His twin sister, Gianna Kayleen, who was born one minute earlier and weighed 2 pounds, remained for 71 days in the NICU of Saint Vincent Health System in Erie and is now a healthy 10-year-old.

Recommended Video Over the past 10 years, Grady’s Decision has raised $1.4 million. It has helped more than 1,500 local families, and is connected with six local NICU’s in Western Pennsylvania. Grady’s helps approximately 200 families a year. There are three Fortune 500 companies that give to the mission of Grady’s. And 93 percent of the money raised goes directly to families.

Amy, who is also the aunt of Gianna and Grady, has participated in many fundraising activities since Grady’s Decision’s inception. In 2011, she became the chairperson of the DuBois Dinner Dance to benefit Grady’s Decision and has done that for the past six years.

“We’ve raised a minimum of $20,000 each time. And, to date, it is our largest fundraiser that Grady’s Decision holds,” said Amy, noting that the dinner-dance will not be held in 2019.

“We’ve decided to take a year off from the dance and are thinking of another fundraiser for next year,” said Amy.

The organization has grown so much over the last 10 years that it is time to take it to the next level, she said.