2013 News Archive
9/17/2013
KENJO MARKETS RAISES $43,000 FOR EAST TENNESSEE KIDNEY FOUNDATION
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KENJO MARKETS RAISES $43,000 FOR EAST TENNESSEE KIDNEY FOUNDATION
The East Tennessee Kidney Foundation is the recipient of a $43,000 donation, thanks to benefit coupon books purchased by KenJo Markets customers. The funds will be used to enhance the lives of East Tennesseans with, at risk for or affected by kidney disease.
“We are very appreciative of our customers and employees who helped raise the money through the KenJo coupon book campaign,” said Charles W. “Wes” Carruthers Jr., president of KenJo Markets. “The East Tennessee Kidney Foundation is a fantastic organization, and the money stays right here in the region to help patients with kidney disease.”
The East Tennessee Kidney Foundation currently serves approximately 200 low-income patients in 15 counties. The organization focuses on patient services, including helping patients with transportation to and from dialysis treatments and providing assistance and resources for dental care and also nutritional supplements. Tax-deductible donations are accepted online at http://www.etkidney.org.
“The support of KenJo Markets has been instrumental in the growth of the East Tennessee Kidney Foundation,” said Sarah Burton, board president for the East Tennessee Kidney Foundation. “On behalf of the board of directors, we sincerely appreciate this donation and the support of Wes Carruthers to further our mission of providing patient services and transportation to dialysis patients.”
About the East Tennessee Kidney Foundation
The East Tennessee Kidney Foundation is a local charitable 501(c)3 organization that provides patient services and support to East Tennesseans affected by kidney disease and also information and education on the prevention of kidney disease. It serves patients in Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Roane, Scott, Sevier and Union counties. For more information or to donate, visit http://www.etkidney.org or http://www.facebook.com/etkidney.
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8/19/2013
KenJo Markets Presents BP Fueling Communities Donation of $20,000 to Maryville Little League
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MARYVILLE, Tenn. (June 12, 2013) ― KenJo Markets, a BP Branded Marketer servicing BP stations throughout East Tennessee, presented a BP Fueling Communities donation of $20,000 to Maryville Little League, which helped pay for park improvements that were made just before the season began. The check presentation took place at the Little League Park located at 1400 Sevierville Road in Maryville.
The baseball and softball league has nearly 900 players from Blount County that range in age from 5 to 17 years old. Maryville Little League is a non-profit volunteer organization with 15 Board members and hundreds of volunteers who give their time and resources to help kids learn the values taught by playing baseball and softball. Maryville Little League is the only Little League affiliated park in Blount County.
The Little League motto encourages that “win or lose” you should always do your best. The values of teamwork, sportsmanship, hard work, and integrity are taught throughout the season.
Capital Improvements to the Facilities
The Board of Directors agreed that the park was in need of improvements and developed a plan to replace the existing light poles and fixtures with safer and more efficient ones as well as replace the existing dugouts. A campaign to raise funds for these projects began at the beginning of the season to help with these costs.
About Maryville Little League
Maryville Little League was founded in 1976, and has impacted the lives of thousands of participating kids and adults. The organization is dedicated to teaching kids life lessons through the games of baseball and softball. Many generations of families have played, coached, managed, or served on the Board of Directors at the league.
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6/18/2013
KenJo Markets donates $10,000 to Pellissippi State
Pellissippi State presented $10,000 BP Fueling Communities donation by
KenJo Markets for students with disabilities
Pellissippi State Community College has received a $10,000 BP Fueling Communities grant from KenJo Markets in support of the college’s students with disabilities.
KenJo Markets President Charles W. “Wes” Carruthers Jr. nominated the college for the grant, and he presented the check to the Pellissippi State Foundation at the Hardin Valley Campus. As a BP branded marketer, KenJo services BP stations throughout East Tennessee.
Pellissippi State began offering classes at the Strawberry Plains Campus, formerly the Philips Consumer Electronics East Tennessee headquarters, fall 2012. The donation from BP and KenJo Markets will be used at the college’s campuses for new equipment and technology to better serve students with disabilities. The institution has five campuses: Hardin Valley, Magnolia Avenue, Division Street, Blount County and Strawberry Plains.
The BP Fueling Communities funds will go toward purchase of such equipment as a high-speed color scanner to scan textbooks and other classroom items. It also will fund laptop computers to provide real-time transcription services for students who are deaf or hard of hearing and state-of-the-art dynamic FM systems to enhance speech recognition for students who are hard of hearing.
“I am proud to present this donation on behalf of KenJo Markets and BP,” said Carruthers. “This new equipment and technology will assist students with disabilities in the classroom and underscores a critical mission at Pellissippi State, which is access to education.”
As a member of the Pellissippi State Foundation’s Board of Trustees as well as an alumnus and a longtime supporter, Carruthers understands firsthand the mission of the college.
To learn how you can support Pellissippi State and its students, visit the Foundation at www.pstcc.edu/foundation or call (865) 694-6400.
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4/19/2013
Big Announcement from KenJo Markets
KENJO MARKETS ARE STILL KENJO MARKETS
MARYVILLE, Tenn. (April 18, 2013) ― KenJo Markets are still KenJo Markets! Your KenJo may have a different look on the outside, but the inside will continue to offer Frozen Mountain Dew Slushies, the 2 foot long Super Grandaddy Sandwich, hotdogs, great coffee, the Third Chance Lottery drawings, and the same friendly employees that have been there for years. KenJo Markets, and sister company Downey Oil Company, have been locally owned and operated since 1957…..and that’s not changing either.
Recently, BP Oil Company made the decision to revise its marketing strategy in the southeastern United States. Downey Oil Company and KenJo Markets took that opportunity to do the same.
“We feel like we have definitely improved our fuel offering” stated Wes Carruthers, president of KenJo Markets. “When all of our conversions are finished we will be partnered with the three strongest gasoline brands in the State of Tennessee with Shell, ExxonMobil, and Marathon.” Aside from a different look at the gas pumps, KenJo took the opportunity to create its own image for the buildings as well as update and modernize the KenJo signage and logos. It was definitely time for the KenJo Indian to become current and that’s exactly what the new logo identifier symbolizes with the new fast and friendly logo and colors.
Sister company Downey Oil Company supplies the gasoline to 56 BP sites in East Tennessee, including the 35 area KenJo Markets. According to John Lowe, Director of Operations for Downey Oil Company, most all of the current 64 BP sites they serve will be converted to either Shell, Exxon, Mobil, or Marathon by the end of 2013….resulting in very few BP stations being left in the market at the conclusion of the project. Downey Oil Company president Charlie Carruthers sums up the project like this. “We have been with Gulf/BP for 56 years, so it is definitely a big change for everyone, but it is a change we are extremely excited about and feel like our customers will really enjoy as well”.
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