Illini FS Participates in Tie One on for Safety Campaign

The employees of Illini FS will be “Tying One On For Safety” this holiday season by participating in the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) public awareness campaign.

“The vehicles throughout our five county area will be sporting the bright red ribbons in support and as a reminder to “Drive Safe, Sober, And Buckled Up”, said Roger Read, Illini FS general manager. “Our vehicles travel all over. We want to be sure to keep not only our own employees safe but also the people who live in the communities and rural areas we serve,” he said.

Last year, nearly 13,000 people were killed in an alcohol-related crash. The accidents cost the American public an estimated $114.3 billion and people other than the drunk driver paid $71.6 billion of that amount (Taylor, Miller and Cox, 2002).

“I can remember as a young child coming up on a hit-and-run where a man who had too much to drink was walking alongside the road,” said Illini FS Safety and Regulatory administrator Pat Titus. “It was a foggy, winter night and our family’s car was the next one on the accident scene. My father thought the driver of the car surely had been drinking too as they did not stop to help,” she said.
MADD created Tie One On For Safety. It was originally named as the “Project Red Ribbon” campaign in 1986 to heighten the awareness about drinking and driving and its deadly consequences. This campaign encourages the public to take action against drunk driving by tying a MADD ribbon to their vehicle’s antenna or side mirror.


“We are pleased to have Illini FS helping promote the Tie One on for Safety campaign to keep our roadways safer,” said Trisha Clegg, an employee of the Illinois MADD office in Springfield, IL. The campaign runs Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day—the period when road travel increases and the threat of drunk driving is most likely.








Illini FS General Manager, Roger Read, places a magnetic ribbon on his car in support of the Mothers Against Drunk Driving campaign, Tie One On For Safety. Illini FS vehicles will be supporting this campaign during the holiday season.

Bramlets Named Illinois Farm Family of the Year

This article was adapted from one written by James Henry of the Illinois AgriNews.

Joe Bramlet, director of Southern FS, Inc., and his family have been named the Illinois Farm Family of the Year. They were honored during the Salute to Agriculture Day at the University of Illinois this fall. Receiving the award with Bramlet were his father, Henry, and mother, Rita; his fiancée, Rona; and children Jarrett and Jaden.

The annual award has been presented by Burrus Hybrids and Illinois AgriNews for 10 years. It honors an outstanding Illinois family for contributions on and off the farm and is aimed at increasing awareness of the important contributions farm families make to everyone’s daily life.

“Any successful situation is not because of just one person,” Bramlet said after receiving the award onstage before more than 900 people at the recent U of I event. “It takes a group effort, a team effort — a family effort.”

The Bramlet family members are devoted to each other, as well as the day-to-day operations of running a successful farm in far southern Illinois. That includes raising about 2,000 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat, as well as a few show pigs for 4-H and selling seed.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Joe Bramlet is a board member of the Saline County Farm Bureau, the Saline County Soil and Water Conservation District, as well as Southern FS.


Pictured (from left) are: Illinois AgriNews Executive Editor James Henry, Rona Littlefield, Jaden Littlefield, Rita Bramlet, Henry Bramlet, Jarrett Littlefield, Joe Bramlet and Burrus Hybrids sales agronomist Craig Kilby. Photo courtesy of Illinois AgriNews.

Goals for Gas

Evergreen FS, Inc. is sponsoring
"Goals for Gas" at six FS FAST STOP locations in Bloomington, Danvers, and Towanda, Ill. Bloomington PrairieThunder hockey fans can present their ticket stubs to receive two cents off per gallon of gasoline for each goal scored by the PrairieThunder, regardless of whether the team wins or loses.


There is no limit on the amount of discount available; however, the discount is only good on the first ten gallons purchased within 24 hours of the game. On November 15, the PrairieThunder scored six goals, resulting in a 12-cent discount and the largest number of tickets redeemed. The promotion will continue after each home game through April 10, 2009.


Each ticket redeemed is also entered into a drawing for a $500 FS FAST STOP gift card, to be presented at the final home game of the season.

SIGMA Scholarships Awarded

The Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America (SIGMA) recently awarded 13 scholarships in varying amounts to assist in the education of marketers’ employees, their children, and dependents of employees. Five of the winners are from the GROWMARK System.

Receiving $4,000 is Amanda Carls, daughter of Mary Carls, Processor I. She attends the University of Northern Iowa. A $3,000 award was given to Sally Whaley, applications specialist, attending Lincoln College. Taylor Parks, Emily Parks, and Kailey Parks, daughters of Sid Parks, manager, precision farming, each received a $1,000 award. Taylor attends Heartland Community College and Emily and Kailey are students at Illinois State University.

The scholarship recognizes individuals who volunteer in their schools and communities and maintain a 2.5/4.0 grade point average. There were 89 total applications this year.

Waterloo, Iowa GROWMARK Tank and Truck Center Featured

The GROWMARK Tank and Truck Center (GTTC) in Waterloo, Iowa was recently chosen as the Associate Spotlight and featured in an issue of Iowa Oil Spout magazine.

The article focused on the newly acquired facility and the services it provides. GTTC's primary focus is manufacturing and rebuilding liquid fuel trucks and propane bobtail units, as well as building bulk oil delivery units in both conventional fuel tank designs or van body units which utilize oil totes. In addition, they also carry a full line of domestic LP tanks and all the proper fittings, regulators, hoses, nozzles, and repair parts.

Warren Gillett, GTTC Sales and Operations Manager, was quoted in the article saying, "We've been absolutely amazed at the customer following. Larry Treptow, our shop manager, is well-respected and totally committed to doing the right thing for the customer."