Enmark Stations Inc. and Kum & Go LC have been selected as the recipients of the 2014 Spirit Awards for Community Outreach from Convenience Store News. Now in its sixth year, the Spirit Awards program recognizes convenience retailers that are immersed in community service projects intended to aid the lives of their community members.

Savannah, Ga.-based Enmark Stations is the winner of the 2014 Spirit Award in the Small Chain category. Enmark operates a total of 64 stations in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

Champions are judged by: the scope of giving; the personal engagement of the association’s administration; the degree to which clientele are encouraged to participate; the innovation and creativity of the program(s); and the effect of the program(s).

In the past year, along with its parent company Colonial Group Inc., Enmark Stations has supported a number of local charitable organizations, including America’s Second Harvest Food Bank, Salvation Army, Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy, United Way, the YMCA and more.

During the month of May, Enmark Stations raised $76,097 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society by selling paper balloon icons in all of its retail stores and holding two “Full-Service Fridays” locally in Savannah. Full-Service Fridays allowed customers to pull into an Enmark store, where members of the Enmark Stations management team pumped gas, washed windows and handed out car wash coupons in exchange for donations.

Enmark Stations also presented the 2014 Encourage Health Educational Series, which took place on the last Tuesday of the months of February, April, June, August and October. This series featured presentations from area experts sharing insights on nutrition, fitness and general tips for healthy living. By matching the proceeds from these lectures, Enmark Stations raised funds for Savannah-area nonprofit organizations that are focused on wellness. The first four lectures resulted in donations of $2,000 to West Broad Street YMCA, $1,000 to the Savannah Bicycle Campaign, $2,000 to Girls on the Run of Coastal Georgia, and $1,000 to Performance Initiatives. The company has already signed on to present the series in 2015.

Vice President of Enmark Stations, Houstoun Demere said, “We are so honored to be recognized nationally for our outreach efforts. Enmark has always had an interest in giving back and contributing to the overall health and wellness of the communities in which we operate, but this award would not have been possible without the support and involvement of our customers.”

West Des Moines, Iowa-based Kum & Go is the winner of the 2014 Grand Spirit Award. Kum & Go shares 10 percent of its profits with charitable causes every year. In the past year, Kum & Go became the first convenience retailer to partner nationally with Habitat for Humanity through fundraising and volunteering efforts. Kum & Go has also supported some of its communities who were hit by natural disasters such as tornadoes and wildfires.

The 2014 Spirit Awards winners will be recognized in the December issue of Convenience Store News. For more information, visit http://www.csnews.com/industry-news-and-trends/corporate-responsibility/csnews-2014-grand-spirit-award-goes-kum-go