VIDEO: ARS of Illinois Wins 1st Place for We are ARS Week Activities

Every year, American Residential Services sets aside a period of time to celebrate ARS through activities and events in each of the service centers throughout the country. The company calls this celebration We Are ARS Week.

During this time, the letters ARS have a different meaning:

• Acknowledge Our Employees
• Refresh Our Surroundings
• Serve Our Community

Branches around the country are encouraged to participate and submit a President’s Pick Submission Form along with pictures and videos about the unique ways their service center celebrated We Are ARS Week. Executives review the content and select We Are ARS Week Winners based on the meaningfulness and uniqueness of the activities. These branches are then recognized at the national Manager’s Meeting this year.

ARS of Illinois received 1^st place in the larger branch division. The staff took this year’s ARS Week to the next level. Below are some of the different ways the branch in Illinois acknowledged employees, refreshed their surroundings, and served their community.

Acknowledge Our Employees

• Each employee submitted an idea for an event to take place during We Are ARS Week. Four winners were selected:
  • “Employee Night Out” at local Pizza Bar & Grill.
  • Technician paintball outing.
  • One winning employee received two tickets to the Notre Dame Football game.
  • Together, the branch created “Thank you” videos and gift boxes and sent them to two other ARS employees at different branches in the country. The two co-workers were selected for always having a winning “P.R.O.S” attitude and being a pleasure to work with.

Refresh Our Surroundings

• Office, vehicle, and cubicle cleaning.
• Additional large trash bins to replace smaller bins in the service center.
• Other additions around the service center.

Serve Our Community

• The service center held a “Spread Kindness in Our Community” Challenge. Every staff member was divided into three groups. Each group was given money to make a difference in the community by spreading kindness. Groups were given 2 weeks to complete the challenge and some of the acts of kindness included:
  • Buying lunch for the local police department.
  • Making care packages for the homeless.
  • Surprising the Boys and Girls Club with a pizza party.
  • Donating blankets for hospitalized babies.
  • Supporting the Boy Scouts.
  • And many more.
• 92% of the employees in Illinois participated in these community service efforts.