by Connie Timpson/Sr. Instructor/The Leader’s Institute

Jet Blue likes you.  “Yes, you can have 2 free bags of cashews.”  Your suitcase?  Check it, and put away your credit card, the first one is free!  That attitude has paid off in customers and a growing footprint in the industry.  Their caring does not stop with customers.  They have a growing, caring footprint in their local community, helping those who need it the most – troubled children, and families.  This year, scrappy, happy, determined, and good-hearted Jet Blue Crewmembers, came together to learn more about themselves, how to quickly diffuse tension in a high stress industry, and how to build some beautiful new bikes for foster kids at the Forestdale Foster Care Agency.

For over 150 years, against staggering odds, Forestdale, a foster agency has rescued kids from the edge.  Their mission is to protect, nurture, and strengthen families in trauma.  Emotionally or physically injured children, find the path to their doors.  Sometimes a school for street children, a haven, an orphanage, and a place to rest, children come to Forestdale, and Jet Blue is a big part of their support system.

Jet Blue could have spent a day at the spa, a night out on the town, or dinner at a fine restaurant, to celebrate their tenth anniversary.  Those thoughts never crossed their minds.  They wanted to give back to their community.  So they partnered with The Leader’s Institute’s Build-A-Bike® Team Building Event, to learn how to be stronger team members, appreciate each other’s strengths, and build some bikes for kids who only dreamed of owning their own bikes.  420 Jet Blue Crewmembers, solved some clues, sparred with judges, laughed at themselves and built 60 brand new bikes for 60 kids in the Forestdale Foster Community.  When the folks from Forestdale accepted the bikes and talked about what the bikes will mean to their kids, you could hear a lot of sniffles,  followed by a lot of smiles.

This holiday just got 60 bikes brighter for kids who have seen, and lived through too much.  This holiday, they will know that they are cared for and loved, by their extended Jet Blue Family.

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