In this Heartware Story we see how the Pedrotti family has been a staple for the town Benicia in California. Hear how they’ve helped support their community for over 100 years and thanked their neighbors for store support with a huge bash.

Visit HeartwareStories.com to learn more about our red vested heroes across America.

---

[Music] Foreign [Music] We've been providing Essentials for a Hundred years and 30 years here in the City of Benicia and it's you know it's Been tough work you try and you know Meet the demands of the community but They've been so fantastic [Music] We serve two communities essentially Benicia and the town of Vallejo you know We're in the pandemic and the and it hit Vallejo far worse than it hit Benicia And so it was time to maybe do something You know for our friends in Vallejo Vallejo together had been a volunteer Organization since about 2010 and in 2019 we became a non-profit and for the Last few years the biggest need we saw Was dealing with our unhoused our Unsheltered neighbors here a mutual Friend got Gene's ear and told them About the work Vallejo together was Doing in talking with her she described All of the needs that they had one of Those areas was having a paid executive Director and as I looked at this laundry List of what she had and needed and then Looked at the weight on her shoulders It's it was obvious to me what she Needed you can't grow any organization Without a solid foundation it was my Choice to make what we would find and

That was an easy Choice it's like Francis us we need to get you an Executive director you need some help Here and so that's how it started [Music] It seems like he's very generous you Know he always gives back to the Red Cross the Children's Hospital Benicia High School he has a scholarships set up We fully recognize the presence that the Store and Gene has and what he's done For the community so we it's just a Matter of giving back he's giving back To us and we give back to him by buying At the store so you know the warmth that You get from being able to help somebody Is just Indescribable it's the essence Of humanity It is so important to have people alike Gene in this store in our community [Music] The Fourth of July has always been Important to Benicia benicia's historic For having a third of July party and so This event is something the whole town Looks forward to all year long but what They're going to get tonight is Something really special the celebration Of a hundred year business in the town Is a big thing and we've been talking About it for weeks we looked forward to An event like this for the parade and Coming together and celebrating our Country but tonight is something special

It's it's very rare that you ever get to Celebrate a business that's been around For a century [Music] Thank you so the original idea came from An event that I had seen in December of 2019 in a small tourist town I talked to The producer who did this Christmas Drone show the goal was to produce Something that was you know interesting To the community you know and that would Be more than just telling our history But sharing their history with them but Honestly standing there last night Looking up at the enormity of these Images It blew me away the Drone show which Celebrated our community and celebrated The gift that Ace has been to our Community it was so much fun and in our World today finding joy and experiencing Joy is challenging and so it was a gift To our community that brought us all joy You have an opportunity for a very Intimate relationship That goes beyond you know customer Seller and I like to Foster that Relationship so what I'm seeking to Build is not just that customer retailer Paradigm but one of more friends you Trust each other and you want to enjoy Each other's company and staging these Parties is really just an excuse to have Some fun so that folks know whenever

They come in here it's going to be a Good experience [Music]