Painting toys and building bonds

Everyone needs breaks in their workday, even when it’s technically a work night. Working the third shift on a Cummins Inc. engine manufacturing line presents a few hurdles to quality break time. There’s no opportunity to step outdoors for a dose of sunshine, and it can be hard to contribute outside of work to charitable causes.

At the Jamestown Engine Plant (JEP), Marilyn Hoyt doesn’t let these hurdles stand in her way. This motivated Flow Coordinator and Every Employee Every Community (EEEC) Champion to seize an opportunity to help the community while providing a valuable bonding experience for Cummins employees.

The Toy Shoppe

Hoyt heard about a partnership with The Toy Shoppe of Warren, PA, just waiting for a motivated third-shift team member to step up to the plate. For this unique program, The Toy Shoppe engages retired community members with woodworking skills. Three days a week, these volunteers gather at the store for coffee, doughnuts and toy-making. Cummins provides local grants to help the organization pay for wood, machinery and even a ventilation system to manage dust.

“We help them out, and they help us out,” Hoyt explains. “Employees have the opportunity to meaningfully impact our community through The Toy Shoppe. This partnership allows us to also engage with The Toy Shoppe’s team on grants. For the each of the past eight years, since I started with the plant’s Community Involvement Team, it has received a grant of $2,500 to $5,000.”

How do JEP employees get involved?

At the plant, Hoyt has set up a room complete with paint, brushes, sanding tools and a Dremel kit – everything colleagues need to really bring the wood toys to life.

Hoyt says that work is simple enough that anyone can participate. “It’s pretty cool. Third-shift employees can’t go outside and enjoy the sun, so it’s another way to have a break. I can take people up there at two in the morning, and they can paint for a while if they want.”

More than 100 employees take advantage of the opportunity each year, and the activity confers multiple benefits. According to Spectrum Health, “research has shown that crafting, regardless of the medium you use, can bolster mood, improve self-confidence and reduce overall stress.” At JEP, it’s also a chance for employees to get to know their coworkers. Hoyt consciously pulls people from different areas of the manufacturing line, who wouldn’t otherwise interact, and gives them a chance to spend time together.

“I’ll get everybody set up and leave the room…and whenever I come back – it’s kind of cool – I hear them just talking away. It’s never silent. They’re talking about this and that, not just about Cummins. It’s team bonding.”

Once the painting is complete, the toys go back to The Toy Shoppe volunteers for any final touches and a protective clear coat to make them look their best. Some Cummins operators live near The Toy Shoppe, often helping with delivery. 

Going above and beyond

The relationship with the store doesn’t stop there, either. Plant team members have helped to repaint the shop itself and address other tasks that pose a challenge for the retirees.

After finishing, the toys go to an area children’s home or to churches and other organizations that help distribute them to kids in need. Some wooden puzzles and games get sent to assisted living facilities in the area, as well.

Hoyt points out, “These are wood toys, and you don’t see a lot of that anymore. Knowing there are still kids out there playing with these, I think it’s amazing.” She is proud of the toy-painting project and the joy it brings to her team. “They love it,” she shares.

From the employee giving gardens and toy drives raising money to donate toys to patients to community recycling days diverting tons of waste from landfills, Jamestown’s Toy Shoppe is just one of the many ways employees are bonding with their fellow colleagues and local community organizations.