In the spirit of gratitude and recognition, we are thrilled to recount a remarkable celebration this past Veterans Day, orchestrated by none other than Debbie Hanson and our dedicated People Team. With a deep commitment to expressing appreciation for the unwavering dedication of our Heartland family’s heroes who have valiantly served in the armed forces, Debbie and her team took meaningful steps to ensure that every employee with a military background was honored. The culmination of their efforts resulted in the creation and distribution of specially crafted, customized jackets — a tangible token of our immense gratitude for the sacrifices and commitment that define our extraordinary Veterans.
Ensuring the jackets were not just a symbol of appreciation but also something our employees could wear at work was crucial. The design process was meticulous, taking 2-3 months to finalize colors, patches, and, most importantly, Heartland’s distinctive red. The intricacies of the jacket design reveal a profound respect for military tradition. The American flag on the right arm and the placement of the military branch and name patch on the right side are deliberate choices. Debbie’s thoughtful approach shines through as she shares, “By creating an item that our Veterans can wear while at work or while out doing whatever it is they do, we are showing them that we honor our guiding principle of ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
This project embodies the spirit of honoring our guiding principles and recognizing the valuable service our Veterans have given to our country. Debbie concludes, ” This project meant so much to me, and I honestly am so thankful and proud I get to be a part of helping Heartland Coca-Cola celebrate our own Veteran community and also those Veteran communities we live and work in.”
