How an ECU Connection Brought Joy to ECU Health and the Ronald McDonald House in Greenville
Every Cheeriodicals event is special to our team, but the recent collaboration with the CAPTRUST Community Foundation (CCF), CAPTRUST’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of children in the communities surrounding CAPTRUST locations, held particular meaning for Cheeriodicals CEO, and proud East Carolina University alum, Gary Parisher.
How ’Bout Them Pirates!
A shared love for East Carolina University first connected ECU alumni Fielding Miller, CEO of CAPTRUST, and Gary Parisher, CEO of Cheeriodicals. “It was Gary’s idea to reach out,” Miller said. “He’s an East Carolina grad, and so we knew of each other. Gary shared this idea of how they help children in hospitals, and I said, ‘I want to know more.’ He sent me the box, I opened it, and said, ‘Oh yeah, we’re in. We’re doing this.’” ¹
That initial connection quickly turned into action. In October, 150 CAPTRUST employees at the Raleigh, NC headquarters dedicated part of their day to assembling 200 Cheeriodicals care boxes for pediatric patients and their families. Each big green box of cheer was packed with games, fidget items, art supplies, activity books, and a stuffed animal, along with a handwritten message of encouragement from the CAPTRUST team. Each box was meant to offer children hours of fun while giving their parents a few moments of peace and comfort.
“This was an incredibly meaningful event for me,” said Parisher, who launched Cheeriodicals, a philanthropic corporate team building company, 14 years ago. “Doing what I love, teaming up with a fellow ECU grad who has a heart for philanthropy, and supporting children and families right in ECU’s backyard – it doesn’t get better than that!”
The Cheeriodicals team-building event wound through CAPTRUST’s hallways and meeting rooms in a lively assembly-line setup. Employees picked up boxes and made their way down the line, adding toys and personal notecards along the way. Mackenzie Armstrong, Senior Client Management Associate with CAPTRUST, participated in the event. “Planning this event and witnessing its impact on the Greenville community was truly rewarding. Seeing all the moving parts come together seamlessly, and knowing our efforts brought joy and comfort to children and families at ECU Maynard Children’s Hospital and RMHC, was the highlight of the day. It’s a powerful reminder of why these events matter: every detail contributes to making a real difference.”
In addition to CCF volunteers, representatives from both the ECU James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern North Carolina attended the event and dove in to help with the assembly of the care boxes.
Adding to the excitement, ECU Maynard Children’s Hospital’s beloved service dog, Samus Aran, affectionately known as Sam, made a surprise appearance at the event. Calm and friendly, he patiently waited at the end of the assembly line to greet CAPTRUST employees and “thank” them for assembling gifts for “his” patients. Sam, the hospital’s first full-time service dog, joined the staff in 2023 and is specially trained to provide comfort, companionship, and support to children throughout their hospital experience.
Delivery Day: Spreading Smiles in Greenville
The following day, the CCF team traveled to Greenville, NC, to tour the hospital and personally deliver the gift boxes to the pediatric patients at ECU Maynard Children’s Hospital. “Walking through the hallways of that amazing hospital and watching the CCF team visit with the patients and their families while they opened their Cheeriodicals boxes was amazing”, said Gary Parisher.
“These boxes bring so much joy to the patients and families,” said Ali Grimes, Director, Pediatric Services at Maynard Children’s Hospital. “When we can bring in toys and activities for our patients, we get to see kids be kids and help normalize the hospital experience.”
After the children’s hospital, the CCF team headed over to the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Greenville, NC to deliver family care bags to the families. Each family care bag was filled with a warm blanket, hospital socks, activity books and convenience items to make their stay a little easier.
“In the midst of uncertainty and long days at the hospital, these cheerful surprises remind our families that they are surrounded by a community that cares deeply for them”, said Beth Ann Atkins, President and CEO, RMHC of Eastern North Carolina. “Working with the Cheeriodicals and CAPTRUST teams was an incredible experience for me and my team, and we hope this is a partnership that will continue for years to come.”
Of course, we can’t talk about an event without recognizing our incredible partnership with Two Men and a Truck, who volunteer their time and trucks across the country to transport the assembled Cheeriodicals to children’s and Veterans hospitals. For this event, the Two Men and a Truck Raleigh team generously drove 100 miles each way to ensure the Cheeriodicals boxes and bags of cheer arrived safely at their destination. As always, their support made the logistics seamless.
The Power of Partnership: Making a Real Impact
“The CAPTRUST Community Foundation exists to enrich the lives of children in the communities that CAPTRUST serve, and this event was a beautiful example of that mission in action. By partnering with Cheeriodicals and ECU Health Medical Center, we were able to bring comfort and joy to families at the James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern North Carolina. These moments remind us why we do what we do—because every child deserves to feel cared for and supported,” said Heather Shanahan, CAPTRUST Community Foundation president and senior director of endowments and foundations at CAPTRUST.
This event with the CAPTRUST Community Foundation exemplifies the incredible impact that can be achieved when corporations commit to giving back to their communities.
In just a single workday, 150 CAPTRUST team members did more than participate in a team-building exercise, they became a force for good. Their office transformed into a factory of cheer, showing that hard work and a little motivation can deliver an abundance of smiles.
Cheeriodicals is proud to partner with organizations like the CAPTRUST Community Foundation, which understand that when a company invests its time and talent into giving back, the true return is immeasurable.
Endnotes:
1 From “CAPTRUST and Cheeriodicals deliver boxes of joy to James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital,” ECU Health Press Release, (2025). https://www.ecuhealth.org/captrust-and-cheeriodicals-deliver-boxes-of-joy-to-james-and-connie-maynard-childrens-hospital/
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