Al Greco, 83, still helps operate APSCO Appliance Center in Clearwater, Florida. When he started the business 43 years ago, he helped move large appliances into customers' homes. Open six days a week, Greco gave his personal number to customers and encouraged them to call whenever they needed anything, store hours or not.
Now Greco has expanded to three stores and a service center, but a quick downward spiral of events since the financial downturn has put his family business in hot water. His daughter, Auburn alumna Laura Greco, 43, is reaching out to the Auburn Family through social media for help.
Jeremy Henderson, editor of The War Eagle Reader, has seen the rise of Auburn alumni reaching out through different social media platforms first hand. People connected to Auburn reach out to Henderson and his publication regularly to help spread the message of a cause they are promoting.
Henderson's Twitter account, @wareaglereader is punctuated with retweets and mentions of members of the Auburn Family looking to reach a wider audience.
Laura admits she is in unchartered territory when it comes to asking for help over social media. A friend of hers in the public relations field mentioned websites like Kickstarter and GoFundMe as a way of raising funds anonymously and from people you know. Laura set up an account and tweeted the link from her personal Twitter account, directing her call for help towards the people she knew she could count on; the Auburn Family.
"I think that there's definitely a stronger bond reaching out to Auburn people or the Auburn Family with social media because of the nature of it," Henderson said.
Both The War Eagle Reader and War Blogle retweeted Laura's tweet, which read, "Hey Auburn Fam., I need help ASAP 2save my parents business. Can u help me get 3,000 people 2donate $10? #shoplocal..." and included a link to the GoFundMe page.
Hey Auburn Fam., I need help ASAP 2save my parents business. Can u help me get 3,000 people 2donate $10? #shoplocal
http://t.co/iinnBZ0D2E
-- Elle Gee (@ElleGee_Tampa) September 25, 2014
Managers on a Mission
"Vested Interest."
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