community relations
WESTFIELD VTC DRIVES BLOOD DONATIONS
The mall and its partner relied on technology to make participation in the outreach program more convenient for shoppers .
Simple thank-you ' s and light refreshments used to be what most donors could expect to get at an American Red Cross blood drive . Things have changed a little , judging by what Westfield Valencia Town Center in California had in store for benevolent shoppers who took part in its event on January 12 , not only in terms of perks but also the entire experience .
Ahead of the drive , held from 9 am til 3 pm , would-be participants visited the RedCrossBlood . org site to schedule their appointments , and entering the " westfieldvalencia " sponsor code qualified them to receive a US $ 10 Amazon gift card via e-mail . Also , completing their pre-donation reading and health history questions on the RapidPass page ended up saving them time ahead of their donation
session . Another experience enhancer : Donors could later find out where their blood was used . That required texting BLOODAPPF to a dedicated number to download the program app or calling a Red Cross representative directly .
THE FUTURE IS ELECTRIC @ CENTRO
One of Europe ' s biggest shopping and leisure destinations is driving its Better Places 2030 sustainability agenda with green services .
With more than 250 shops , an on-site events arena , eateries galore , and a whole suite of customer services , Westfield Centro in Oberhausen , Germany , is a poster child for big retail business and one of Europe ' s largest shopping and leisure destinations . That doesn ' t mean , however , that it can ' t be a catalyst for community-minded change . With its Better Places 2030 sustainability strategy as its guide , the center ' s owners and managers have made electrification a priority for both the services offered at the property and to support the lifestyles of eco-minded visitors .
Westfield Centro counts more than 30 Innogy e-vehicle charging bays where drivers can fill up their batteries and pay either online at
www . innogy . com / echarge or directly via QR code posted on-site . The bays are also available to cyclists who can charge up their e-bikes there for free . And there ' s more to the e-mobility program : A branded electric vehicle within the center ' s car-sharing scheme , thanks to a partnership with EVO and eShare . one . Shoppers can sign up through the Flinkster app or Innogy SE app to then rent the car and pay for use based on how much they drive it .
These initiatives , along with other services that include bicycle parking , have helped to raise the center ' s profile for more than its mega retailtainment offering , even at City Hall .
" Indeed , I believe that both projects point to the future and that we should continue on both paths ," said Oberhausen ' s Lord Mayor , Daniel Schranz .
More shoppers might feel that way as well after taking in the exhibition that debuted at Westfield Centro this past October and will be featured until the end of this year . The first show to be presented after a major renovation of the on-site Gasometer , " The Fragile Paradise " is an ode to nature and a testimony of the influence of humans on their environment . The center ' s event brief presents the exhibition as a highly vivid journey through the climate history of the earth . It offers a mix of still images and videos that show in which way and how much the animal and plant world has changed in the time of the Anthropocene , the current geological era that has seen Man as a major disruptor of the climate and the environment .
PAGE : 8