TERRE HAUTE — Area first responders might be drying out their “soggy donuts” in tanning beds this week, as a local business ties a grand reopening to charity.
The facilities formerly known as Florida Tan at 2615 Poplar and 1501 Ft. Harrison are now named “Larry Paul Tanning Spa” after their founder, Larry Fleschner, according to his nephew Paul.
Since Fleschner’s death, the company he grew from one store to 15 has been placed into a charitable trust, and since January the group has given nearly $30,000 to nonprofit agencies, Paul Fleschner said.
Between May 16 and 24, patrons donating $5 to a local charity through the stores can get discounts on tans and products, he said.
Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett said, “I would say this is pretty unique” for businesses to partner with charities in such a way, as he cut a ribbon at the store Sunday afternoon.
One of the groups on board is The Soggy Donuts Fund, an organization established by area law enforcement to raise funds for first responders whose homes have been destroyed during natural disasters.
The purpose of the fund is to allow responders’ families to at minimum get a hotel room while they attend to floods such as the ones last June.
Ryan Adamson, one of the group’s founders, said the efforts have grown significantly since inception this winter.
While at a conference in Washington D.C., a police officer from San Francisco told him he’d heard of the effort. “It tells you the outreach we’re getting,” Adamson said. “Indiana to California.”
The group will host a golf scramble June 4, and so far, businesses such as Larry Paul Tanning Spa are jumping on board, he said.
“The community’s been a real blessing,” he said. “We have yet to take a step back”
Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.
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Tanning business uses grand reopening to help local charity
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