Our recent cross-country COLORFUL COMMUNITIES® project in France, in partnership with AFM-Téléthon, was special for many reasons. For the 4th consecutive year, we beautified the environments of hundreds of medical staff and caregivers, and this year we were working across six different facilities. But mainly, it was the first time our Réunion colleagues, led by Pascal Ledoux, PPG sales manager, joined in the fun!
Pascal Ledoux Brings Stimulating Téléthon to Réunion
Our Colleagues Get Colorful on Réunion
PPG Réunion is a subsidiary located on the island of Réunion, a French Overseas department which is part of FOS (French Overseas, Suriname). For the past 30 years, our colleagues there have specialized in the manufacturing and distribution of paints and trade products to the region. A total of 40 employees work in the sales, logistics, administration, factory and EHS departments. Our 20-strong sales team on the island includes sales assistants, technical sales associates, store managers and counter salespeople, all managed by the sales manager, Pascal Ledoux.
While our French colleagues have been working closely with AFM-Téléthon, a non-profit organization that supports research to fight muscular dystrophy and other diseases, on similar projects since 2018, this was the first time the Réunion site has been involved with a Colorful Communities project.
A-Z Management and Mobilization
Pascal was our Réunion site project’s key local coordinator with AFM-Téléthon. He was involved in everything from selecting the CHU (University Hospital) La Réunion site, to technical diagnostics of the work, consultations with local professionals, the realization of color simulations, inspiring and coordinating volunteers, providing their meals and tools, and ensuring green waste management.
“Managing is part of my daily work but managing work from A to Z (while respecting hospital protocols and the very strict schedules of medical staff) was very trying, but at the same time stimulating!”
In his day-to-day work, Pascal is responsible for developing the subsidiary’s commercial strategy, monitoring sales, managing and steering the sales team, and studying industry market developments and trends.
“I enjoy field support, visits to sites, being close with customers, and spending time with my team. This made me the perfect candidate to lead the first Colorful Communities project in Réunion!”
The Means, Time and Support to Make It Possible
Pascal is #PPGProud to have been able to mobilize an entire team in successfully achieving the project’s goal. He took to the task like a duck to water and, in just one month, had succeeded in bringing all the right people, partners and paints together for the event.
“Projects like this make it possible to beautify the daily lives of patients and caregivers by offering them a relaxing, pleasant and, above all, clean and welcoming place for consultation and healing.”
To tie the mural painted at CHU La Réunion to the local surroundings, its theme centered around the area’s nature and flora. Using these marvelous and beautiful aspects helped emphasize the importance of its setting, especially the use of birds to represent a call to continue the very necessary fight for medical research.
Six Medical Facilities Get a Makeover
At the end of 2021, PPG Réunion was one of many sites across France that partnered with AFM-Téléthon in delivering a country-wide Colorful Communities event.
Impressively, 200 volunteers got through 800 liters of our Certified European Ecolabel SEIGNEURIE® Elyopur paint. They spent 1,400 hours over two days refurbishing and painting inspirational murals on the walls of six medical facilities in France but also in the Overseas department of La Réunion:
- Hôpital Armand-Trousseau AP-HP in Paris
- Hôpital des Enfants CHU in Toulouse
- Hôpital Roger Salengro in Lille
- CHU Grenoble Alpes
- Résidence AFM-Téléthon Yolaine-de-Kepper in Angers
- CHU La Réunion site Sud in Saint-Pierre
Murals were not painted just at CHU La Réunion. Hôpital Armand-Trousseau AP-HP’s boasts a new nature scene to welcome its young visitors and the vibrant fresco at Hôpital des Enfants CHU in Toulouse tells stories of children from different cultures.
“Our colleagues felt great pride in having taken part in this wonderful project. But it was the smiles and looks of delight on the faces of the patients that will remain forever in their hearts and minds.”