425 Manufacturing loads up more than 800 toys for The Salvation Army in Rockford
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Workers at 425 Manufacturing on Friday loaded up more than 800 toys onto the back of two trucks to help the Salvation Army deliver presents to children this Christmas.
The toys are headed to the 12 Hours of Salvation drive at Lou Bachrodt Auto Mall, 7070 Cherryvale N. Blvd., in Cherry Valley. The drive runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday.
“Rockford has given a lot of us, and everybody that I’ve worked with over my years has really reached out and given to us,” said Mike Thomason, owner of 425 Manufacturing. “Now it’s our turn, we’re profitable, it’s our turn to give back to Rockford.”
425 Manufacturing, which specializes in aftermarket parts for the mining and blast hole drill industry, has been in business since 2015 and has 20 employees at its shop at 2500 Harrison Ave.
The locally owned company ran a promotion in which it donated $20 from every sale of one if its aftermarket Breakout Table Jaws toward the toy drive.
This year, the company raised $3,800 for the drive. Thomason said the company has been giving to The Salvation Army through the drive for six or seven years.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at [email protected] or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
