Polaris Salutes American Heroes Campaign Winners Revealed
July 08 2020 - 11:06AM
Business Wire
Winners Recognized for Notable Community
Contributions and Dedication to Serving Others
Polaris Off Road, the world leader in powersports and off-road
innovation, today announced the winners of its Polaris Salutes
American Heroes campaign. The patriotic campaign was created to
honor Polaris’ American roots and recognize its network of owners
and dealers who are making significant contributions to better
their communities.
Launching shortly after Memorial Day, Polaris Salutes American
Heroes called upon consumers to nominate Polaris owners or
dealership employees within the U.S. that exemplify the qualities
of modern-day heroes in one of five categories. The nominations
shared stories of individuals going out of their way to help others
and positively impact their communities – from critical jobs that
often go without thanks, to volunteers that give selflessly in good
times and bad, to thoughtful colleagues at local dealerships and
other independent businesses. Culminating on the Fourth of July,
six nominees were recognized as winners, including five Polaris
owners (one for each of the five categories) and one dealership
employee.
“Polaris has always placed tremendous value on the power of
determination, tenacity and purpose,” said Steven Menneto,
president of Off Road, Polaris. “This year more than ever we’ve
seen our network of owners and dealers face challenges head-on and
find creative solutions to support their communities. The winners
of the Polaris Salutes American Heroes campaign embody the values
that our company and this country were built on and we are honored
to share their achievements and unique stories.”
The winners include:
- Protecting America: Polaris owner Nathan Lowder is an
Emergency Department nursing manager and EMS manager at Franciscan
Health Mooresville in Indiana. As the only full-service hospital in
Morgan county, Lowder has been putting in countless hours to ensure
patients are receiving the best care possible. For the past 12
years he has also volunteered as a firefighter, EMT and EMS
coordinator at the Morgantown Volunteer Fire Department. Through
his volunteer work he has used his Polaris RZR and Sportsman to
respond to calls and reach injured patients where EMS trucks are
unable to drive.
- Healing America: Karrah Lambert is an oncology nurse and
end of life doula with Ascension St. John Hospital in Detroit,
Michigan. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, visiting
restrictions in hospitals were put in place and families were
unable to spend time with their loved ones. Lambert worked hard and
fast to develop an end of life bereavement team that would spend
time with patients and help them virtually connect with family
members. This was the first team of its kind and was formed out of
necessity due to the pandemic. The team continues the thoughtful
approach when patients pass by printing out the last recorded
heartbeat and sealing it in a small glass bottle to give to the
family. Lambert continues to lead this team, along with her daily
oncology nurse duties all while continuing her education.
- Growing America: Teachers are the unsung heroes in many
lives and with the pandemic they were faced with a new challenge.
Chillicothe, Illinois based Heather Baker is a prime example of
this as she rose to the challenge and quickly adapted her teaching
style to facilitate virtual learning. She exceeded requirements
established for online learning and made sure every student in her
class of 22 still received quality, one-on-one instruction to
minimize the impact on the children’s education. To end on a high
note, Baker made plans for a socially-distanced visit with each
student at the end of the schoolyear, so she could express her
heartfelt farewell and celebrate their achievements in-person.
- Raising Up America: Roy Tuscany was an aspiring
professional skier when he sustained an injury that severed 45% of
his spinal cord. Since then, he has dedicated his life to providing
resources to others in similar situations through his non-profit
foundation in Reno, Nevada named High Fives. As a Polaris RZR
owner, Tuscany provides what he calls “throttle therapy” to those
impacted by life changing injuries. The organization gathers funds
to install hand controls in off-road vehicles and organizes outings
for disabled off-road enthusiasts to enjoy the freedom and joy of
riding. Since starting the foundation in 2009 he has helped an
estimated 300 people across 38 states.
- Sustaining America: The supply chain has never been more
critical and a crucial, but often overlooked part of that is the
supplies required to get packages across the country. Polaris RZR
and Sportsman owner Kevin Arnold lives in Louisburg, North Carolina
and is an industrial maintenance mechanic at International Paper
where he has been working tirelessly to help manufacture cardboard
boxes while demand for at-home deliveries soared. He continuously
puts others needs before his own and is a necessary asset to his
company and local community.
- Dealer Employee Winner: Doug Classen is an employee at
Country Feeds dealership in Montezuma, Kansas and a 20-year veteran
for the local volunteer EMS department. Well-known for being a
dependable employee and excellent partner for fellow volunteers,
Classen always goes above and beyond in putting others needs before
his own. When the pandemic hit, that was even more evident as he
was the first to voice concerns and suggest measures to support
colleagues that were considered high-risk and keep them out of
harm’s way – including one who was battling cancer. His nomination
summed up those values best, stating: “he would give you the shirt
off his back, if it was the last thing he owned.” Employees like
Classen are a mainstay of Polaris dealerships – all of which
operate as local independent businesses.
The five owner winners will receive a $1,000 donation made by
Polaris Foundation to a charity of their choice and a summer prize
pack worth more than $500 MSRP, including a cooler, summer gear and
other Polaris accessories. The dealer employee winner will receive
a $500 donation made by Polaris Foundation to a charity of their
choice, along with the summer prize pack.
For more information about Polaris Salutes American Heroes visit
Polaris.com/AmericanHeroes and join the conversation on Facebook,
Instagram and Twitter.
About Polaris
As the global leader in powersports, Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII)
pioneers product breakthroughs and enriching experiences and
services that have invited people to discover the joy of being
outdoors since our founding in 1954. With annual 2019 sales of $6.8
billion, Polaris’ high-quality product line-up includes the Polaris
RANGER, RZR and GENERAL side-by-side off-road vehicles; Sportsman
all-terrain off-road vehicles; Indian Motorcycle mid-size and
heavyweight motorcycles; Slingshot moto-roadsters; snowmobiles; and
deck, cruiser and pontoon boats, including industry-leading
Bennington pontoons. Polaris enhances the riding experience with
parts, garments and accessories, along with a growing aftermarket
portfolio, including TransAmerica Auto Parts. Polaris’ presence in
adjacent markets includes military and commercial off-road
vehicles, quadricycles, and electric vehicles. Proudly
headquartered in Minnesota, Polaris serves more than 100 countries
across the globe. www.polaris.com.
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Christina Rotar Phone: 949.438.1109
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