ORIAN CELEBRATES 30th
ANNIVERSARY; MAKES
COMMUNITY DONATIONS
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Paul Sullivan, vice president of sales and marketing with Jeff Hughes, VP of product development. That's a rug bearing the likeness of Orian Rug principals Lieven Santens and Lucien Vanwynsberghe
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ANDERSON, SC – To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Orian Rugs, the rug manufacturer has donated 30 rugs to Anderson County School District 5 and 30 trees to Habitat for Humanity. Orian founders Lucien Vanwynsberghe and Lieven Santens flew in from Belgium to attend the event.
Betty Bagley, Anderson District 5 superintendent, Libby Winkler, director of the Anderson Habitat for Humanity, were in attendance to accept the donations.
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Betty Bagley, superintendent of Anderson School District 5 accepts 30 rugs donated by Orian Rugs. |
Bagley said the donation could not have come at a better time. “Each year, outstanding teachers and staff throughout the district are honored in our Teacher and Employee of the Year awards,†said Bagley. “Eighteen teachers, one from each school, and five employees are nominated for the awards. Typically, we give a monetary award for this honor. But this year, budget cuts have made that impossible. We plan to give each of them an Orian Rug, a gift that will last a lifetime and serve as a constant reminder of their hard work and dedication.â€
Bagley will use the other seven rugs in the future Hospitality House, a student run Bed and Breakfast at the Hanna-Westside Extension Campus, set to open during the 2009-2010 school year. Students from the interior decorating classes will go to Orian’s showroom to select rugs for use throughout the house.
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From left to right, Stefaan Duchi,president of Orian and company principals Lieven Santens and Lucien Vanwynsberghe. |
“We want to show our appreciation to the city by giving back to those who give so much,†said Wim de Pape, chief operating officer of Orian Rugs. “We are fortunate enough to live in an area with terrific schools and wonderful teachers. If our rug donation can help the district give back to these individuals, it is our honor and pleasure to make that happen.â€
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Angela Whitfield, left, with Libby Winkler, director of Habitat for Humanity. Whitfield is moving into her new home built by Habitat for Humanity and will plant the tree in her new yard. |
The 30 trees going to Habitat for Humanity will be given over time as houses are completed. “We encourage all of our new homeowners to plant shade trees in their yards not only to look beautiful, but to conserve energy and help the planet,†said Winkler. “But it can be difficult to ensure that they will follow through with that recommendation. With Orian’s donation, we will be able to provide trees for our homeowners free of charge.â€
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Bob Waldrep, an Anderson County councilman, spoke with attendees on Habitats influence in the community, safety awards and Orian's Goin' Green efforts. |
In 2008, Orian Rugs launched its Goin’ Green campaign, committing the entire 52 acre plant to reducing waste, conserving energy and educating employees about the importance of protecting the environment. That effort inspired the donation of the trees to Habitat for Humanity. “Anything we can do, large or small, to protect the environment is vital for our future,†de Pape said. “Incorporating oxygen-producing, shade-bearing trees into our lives is a small step that pays dividends for decades.â€
Orian Rugs is a fully vertically-integrated, US manufacturing company. The company's core business is manufacturing machine woven rugs which are sold primarily through ‘big box’ retailers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Orian is a division of McThree Industries, a world-wide manufacturer of woven rugs and carpets with over 750 employees in the U.S. and Belgium and with over $150 million in revenue.
05.20.09
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