Austal celebrates 10 years of partnership with Marine Toys for Tots program

Photo | Courtesy of Austal USA

Staff Sgt. Charles Brashear (left), Austal USA President Rusty Murdaugh and Gunnery Sgt. Jason Jokerst (right) are pictured last week as the Marines collected toys and donations from the company’s employees for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.

By Tammy Leytham

For two days every December, Marines stand at Austal’s main entry gates beginning at 4 a.m., receiving new, unwrapped toys from Austal’s shipbuilders as they arrive for work. The Marines will deliver the toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the Mobile community. 

Austal USA joined local U.S. Marines last week to collect toys from the company’s more than 3,000 employees for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. This year marks a decade Austal has partnered with the Marines’ 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company in Mobile in the effort.

“I am so proud of how our Austal family reacts when asked to contribute to the community,” Austal USA President Rusty Murdaugh said. “Toys for Tots is one of the events our team is excited to participate in every year. Working side by side with the Marines and having the opportunity to give back is so rewarding to all of our employees.”

In all, 12 tall boxes of toys, 26 bicycles and over $1,000 in monetary donations were collected over two days.

“We have had a record number of children in need this year, over double our record in this county. The amazing people of Austal should know that they have such an incredible impact on the children of Mobile,” Toys for Tots Coordinator Staff Sgt. Justin Ortiz said. “Their efforts will help us bring hope Christmas morning to our more than 14,000 children in need. Every child deserves a little Christmas, and people like Austal’s shipbuilders are the reason we are able to bring hope to the hearts of our children. From the Marines of 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company, thank you.”

Fairhope Soap Co. offers limited-release line to benefit Clean Water Alabama

In another local partnership this holiday season, Fairhope Soap Company teamed up with Clean Water Alabama (CWA) to help clean up Alabama waterways.

The local handmade soap boutique launched a limited-release line of CWA soaps with $3 from the sale of every bar benefiting the water preservation group, owner Deborah Bruijn said.

“Deborah has been an active member of CWA since its formation and we are so grateful for her support,” CWA President John Manelos said. “She is a doer in our community and a great example of a busy person using her talents and her business to help a cause she cares deeply about.”

Born in Indonesia to Italian parents, Bruijn immigrated to the U.S. as a child. She worked as a biochemist and a GMP analytical method development chemist in the pharmaceutical industry for 10 years before opening Fairhope Soap Company in 2013. 

A mom of two, Bruijn said her love of nature and her commitment to preserving the Gulf Coast’s natural resources for future generations is what prompted her to get involved with CWA.

“It’s the little steps we each take now that will contribute to the broader picture of saving our precious water resources for the next generation,” Bruijn said.

In addition to contributing proceeds from the new line of soaps, Bruijn recently donated $1,250 to CWA from her winnings in a Fairhope Sunset Rotary Squares Game competition.

“We each share the responsibility of doing something about this,” Bruijn said. “Collectively, we can make a difference in making our waterways cleaner and ensuring their preservation for generations to come.”

Enriched with shea and cocoa butter and made with a large portion of organic ingredients, the soaps come in four scents, each named for a body of water: Clean Lake, Clean Ocean, Clean River and Clean Bay. They are available for purchase at Fairhope Soap Company’s locations in downtown Fairhope and OWA in Foley, as well as online at fairhopesoapcompany.com.

BUSINESS NEWS, VIEWS & TRANSACTIONS

• Great news for Chicken Salad Chick lovers, as a new location has been announced in South Fairhope. Chicken Salad Chick will be on the north end of a new construction project, Polo Crossing on South Greeno Road, across from the Polo Club. In fact, the design of the property gives a nod to their neighbors. Kleban Properties lists three vacant spaces available between Chicken Salad Chick and PJ’s Coffee.
• SOCU Southern Kitchen and Oyster Bar made national headlines when the Chicago Tribune listed the downtown Mobile restaurant as one of seven “must-visit” eateries for experiencing superb Southern cuisine. Located at 455 Dauphin St., SOCU is planning to open a dessert and coffee shop across the street.
• An out-of-state investor purchased Foley Plaza, a 20,400-square-foot neighborhood retail center located at 2131-2167 S. McKenzie St. in Foley. The purchase price was $4.22 million. Angie McArthur, senior advisor with Stirling Properties, represented the seller.
• An out-of-state investor has acquired two commercial lots totaling 169,884 square feet of land on Highway 59 in Foley for $550,000. The site is anchored by Old Time Pottery. McArthur of Stirling Properties also handled this transaction. The buyer plans to subdivide a portion of the property for a QSR and is planning a small strip center for the remaining property.
• Handling Systems & Conveyors Inc. is leasing 3,500 square feet of distribution space at 8551 Rand Ave. in Daphne. Handling Systems & Conveyors is an industry-leading manufacturer of assembly and process material handling systems in North America. Steadman Bethea, investment advisor with Stirling Properties, represented the tenant.
• The city of Foley is leasing approximately 2,500 square feet of office space at 200 W. Laurel Ave. The newly renovated building in Foley’s downtown historic business district will house the city’s engineering staff. Amanda Goldman and Jason Scott, advisors with Stirling Properties, represented the landlord in the transaction.
• Tug and Barge Solutions in Daphne was the Bronze Award recipient for the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama and the Business Council of Alabama Small Business of the Year Award in the 11-50 employee category. Finalists from Mobile/Baldwin counties also included Bama Pest Control in Mobile and Outdoor Addition in Bay Minette, both in the 1-10 employee category.
• EquipmentShare, a national company for large construction equipment rentals, is expanding its Mobile market footprint. Currently located at 8765 Bellingrath Road in Theodore, EquipmentShare recently purchased two adjacent buildings in the I-10 Industrial Park at 5750 and 5766 I-10 Industrial Pkwy for $735,000. The buildings have a combined total of over 14,000 square feet of office/warehouse space and will be in addition to their Bellingrath Road space, according to Pete J. A. Riehm, SIOR of CRE Mobile, who handled the transaction.
• Starting Jan. 1, 2022, Waste Pro will be the new garbage service provider in the city of Saraland. Service will transition without interruption and collection days will remain the same (Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday). “Our team has seen tremendous growth in the Mobile metro area in 2021, and we’re thrilled Saraland residents will join the Waste Pro family as part of that,” Division Manager Jordan Scott said.
• The housing boom continues in Baldwin County as new property inventory and the amount sold saw double-digit increases in November compared to the year prior, according to Baldwin Realtors Multiple Listing Service stats. The Traditional Residential and Resort area had a total amount sold of $289,911,985, a 51.2 percent increase compared to $191,705,432 in November 2020. Average sales price in the Traditional Residential area was a 17.6 percent increase in the year-over-year comparison. The amount of new inventory also increased by almost 8 percent. The Resort area of Baldwin County in November 2021 saw a jump of almost 32 percent in average sales price compared to November 2020. New inventory also increased by 34.1 percent in the year-over-year comparison.