Cargill’s Julian Chase: The Fun of the Bedrace, The Impact of Bridging
Cargill is honored to be a Platinum sponsor for the 25th-annual Bedrace for Bridging. The Cargill team has been having a winter blast at the Bedrace since 2012, and this special anniversary marks their 12th year of sponsoring the event.
Julian Chase, Cargill’s leader of Business Operations and Supply Chain, is passionate about the mission of Bridging. He served on Bridging’s board of directors for six years and helped create the lasting partnership.
“I’m a massive supporter of Bridging. I was all in from the first minute I heard about Bridging,” he says. “It’s an incredible community resource that furnishes homes for nearly 5000 families each year. The whole ethos of its staff, the values of Bridging embedded in each person, makes such a difference in people’s lives.”
A global organization, Cargill is committed to enriching local communities, and for Julian and the Cargill team, that equates to active participation.
Joining in the annual Bedrace for Bridging is a top choice for community engagement and FUN!
Each year, the Cargill team enjoys this anticipated winter event, as its ten costumed teams of employees and their families and friends gather to race down the slopes of Buck Hill in friendly competition. Julian, his wife (an eight-year Bridging volunteer), and their children have also raced together several times.
“The mattresses, the music, the costumes – I think one of my favorite costumes was when we dressed like corn cobs. We’re an agricultural company,” he says. “The Bedrace is one of those things you go to that’s truly unique. It’s so Minnesotan! My bedracing team hasn’t been in the top 10 in all the years I’ve raced, but it just doesn’t matter. It’s about Bridging and the impact we can make.”
The Cargill team supports Bridging through individual volunteering, group volunteering opportunities like dresser-builds and donation drives, employee giving, event sponsorship, and participation in the annual Gala and Bedrace for Bridging, year after year. Since the start of this valued partnership, Cargill has contributed close to a half a million dollars to support Bridging.
“We keep expanding our network at Cargill and carry the message about Bridging,” he says. “Bridging is making a huge difference.”
