QUINCY, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Granite Telecommunications, LLC, a provider of communications services to businesses, announced that it has raised $3.25 million for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as part of the company’s second Saving by Shaving event at the company’s Quincy, MA, headquarters. More than 550 Granite employees, as well as Granite CEO Rob Hale, Jr., Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, Quincy Mayor Tom Koch, and other local celebrities, shaved their heads or beards in support of cancer research.
The original event began in February 2014, when Hale jokingly dared an employee to shave his ZZ Top-style beard in exchange for a $10,000 donation to Dana-Farber. Weeks later, 428 Granite employees shaved their heads or beards and donated hair to Locks of Love. Granite, Rob Hale and his mother, Judy Hale, donated more than $2.2 million to Dana-Farber from that one event.
Given the success of last year’s event, Hale issued a challenge to employees to aim higher, this time with Governor Baker also shaving his head. Quincy Mayor Koch agreed to undergo the clippers as well. In addition, three members of the Boston Cannons professional lacrosse team—Kevin Buchanan, Jordan Burke and Martin Bowes—also joined the event and shaved their heads.
“It’s part of the culture at Granite to go above and beyond to help others, and the success of our Saving by Shaving event is a testament to the commitment of our employees,” Hale said. “We are very proud of the employees who volunteered for this campaign, and we’re grateful that Governor Baker and Mayor Koch could also join us in raising money for a terrific cause.”
Granite has been named repeatedly as one of the most philanthropic companies in Massachusetts. The company and the Hale family have donated more than $7.8 million to Dana-Farber over the past decade. They have also supported hundreds of other community charities in Massachusetts and elsewhere in the United States and the world through weekly charitable donations.
The event was supported by Granite customers, including Panera Bread, Starbucks and Stop & Shop, which provided free food and beverages.
Further donations to Dana-Farber can be made through the Saving by Shaving icon at www.granitenet.com.
About Granite
Granite provides voice, data and other related communications products and services to multi-location businesses and governmental agencies throughout the United States and Canada. Granite furnishes services to more than two-thirds of the Fortune 100 companies in the United States, and 1.35 million phone lines under management. Granite employs over 1,300 people at the company’s headquarters in Quincy, MA and offices in Atlanta, GA, Miami, FL, New York, NY and Providence, RI. For more information, visit www.granitenet.com.
