Miracle Kid Caden named Senior Consultant of Happiness at Rite Aid
Rite Aid recently made the day of Miracle Kid Caden when they gifted him with a day he’ll never forget.
Caden’s mom, Jessica, had a meeting scheduled at Rite Aid’s corporate office to discuss the Children’s Miracle Network Advisory Board at Penn State Children’s Hospital (Hershey, Pa.) with Ashley Flower, Rite Aid’s senior manager of public relations, who suggested that she bring her son Caden along.
“Unbeknownst to me, Ashley and her coworkers had been working on a creative and thoughtful surprise for my boy,” recalls Jessica. “As we approached the entrance to the headquarters, Caden immediately spotted a welcome poster for him on the front door. He was beyond tickled and asked Mommy to take pictures.”
Once inside, the two discovered that Caden’s face had been superimposed onto all kinds of superhero images and posted throughout the building.
“Ashley then brought Caden to their TV studio where the duo filmed a Gangnam-style dance video,” Jessica continues. “Even without advance notice, Caden was ready to perform for the camera.”
After lunch, Caden visited the office of Bill Renz, Rite Aid’s senior vice president of category management, where he was interviewed and then offered the position of Senior Consultant of Happiness. Agreement letters were signed and Caden received his official name tag after which Bill showed Caden to his new office and gave him the work schedule for the day. Caden was tasked with “finding the seasons” throughout the building while spreading joy with smiles and hugs.
“He was absolutely beaming,” explains Jessica. “Using his very own work wagon, Caden was off on the hunt to complete the list of tasks on his schedule. He visited various meeting rooms, offices and cubicles to track down the seasons which consisted of seasonal bags filled with toys, games, snacks, candy and all sorts of goodies. Along the way, he did in fact hand out smiles and hugs and was definitely in his element. He owned that job of Senior Consultant of Happiness!”
When all items on his work list had been checked off, Caden returned to his office to enjoy some well-deserved ice cream. Mr. Renz joked that he would appreciate some feedback as a boss so Caden grabbed a sheet of paper and wrote, “so handsome”.
“Caden was thrilled with all the gifts he received but more than that, he was thrilled at being offered a job,” Jessica says of the experience. “He is still telling everyone he sees about his office at Rite Aid. He felt important there and a part of the team. I can’t express enough, as a mother, how that warmed my heart. They rolled out the red carpet and treated my boy like a star. It filled his cup, and mine, to overflowing. To say I was stunned throughout our visit is an understatement. The preparation, the creativity, the generosity, the personalization, the warmth, the sincere pleasure to be involved that every Rite Aid employee demonstrated—all to make a difference to one little boy—is something we will never forget. It is said that you can judge a person by the company that they keep. Conversely, if you can judge a company by the people that it keeps, then Rite Aid steals the show. Thank you, Ashley, Mr. Renz, their team and Rite Aid for such an unbelievable welcome and visit for Caden! Your Senior Consultant of Happiness says to keep smiling!”
Rite Aid has been a proud sponsor of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals since 1994. With the help of its associates, customers and supplier partners, the company has raised more $87 million for children’s hospitals in the communities it serves.