Gypsum Management and Supply Inc. (GMS), a North American distributor of gypsum wallboard, acoustical ceiling products and other specialty building materials, raised $200,000 for breast cancer research. The donation was made through an auction for an articulating boom loader (commonly referred to as a “boom truck”) at the 2015 Intex Expo in Long Beach, Calif.
“There are several folks in our company who have been affected by breast cancer and many other forms of cancer,” says Steve McCune, fleet and equipment manager, Gypsum Management and Supply. “Our decision was easy: This is a good cause and we need to get behind it and jump on it.”
The organization receiving the funds, the Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation located in Marshfield, Wis., is a private medical research institute that conducts studies across a wide range of categories. The net profit of GMS’ winning bid of $500,000 will go towards the organization’s research efforts in finding a cure for breast cancer.
“We are thrilled to have this truck added to our fleet at GMS,” says Mike Callahan, president and CEO, Gypsum Management and Supply. “We’re even more ecstatic that the funds are going to the worthy cause of breast cancer research at the Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation. With this truck, we’ll be able to continue raising awareness about the disease within our industry.”
In keeping with the imagery associated with breast cancer awareness, the boom truck is outfitted in pink and features the iconic pink ribbon. The boom truck is an exclusive design of at V&H Inc-Heavy Trucks, a Western Star 4700SB with a Fassi 360SE.24 wallboard crane, and is valued at more than $300,000.
GMS will add the truck to its existing fleet—keeping the pink color scheme with adorned special graphics in further efforts to raise awareness and find a cure.