Mast Store rallies support for local agency

They say, “Friends are the family you choose.” This month, the Columbia Mast General Store staff has chosen to support the Gills Creek Watershed Association for the important work it does in our community. Mast Store guests also can choose to be a friend of this organization and contribute to its mission by Rounding UP any in-store purchase to the next dollar from April 1 – 30.

Mast Store’s Round UP 4 a Cause campaigns have been successful fundraisers for a wide variety of the family- and employee-owned company’s nonprofit partners. Recent focuses of this monthly campaign include a community arts-themed Round UP to celebrate Dolly Parton’s birthday weekend in January 2025 and a November 2024 campaign, which garnered more than $25,000 for Western North Carolina-based food security agencies in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

For April’s month-long Round UP, Mast Store staff members themselves chose the local nonprofit agency whose work they will promote and encourage guests to support. The selection of an agency is especially significant as many Mast Store associates and managers play active roles in their communities. Their choice is a collective decision as well as a public acknowledgment of the agency’s track record as a difference-maker in their community.

The Gills Creek Watershed Association takes action to benefit the health of all bodies of water in its watershed through initiatives like riverbank restoration, flood mitigation, and cleanup projects.

All funds raised on the group’s behalf during Mast Store’s Round UP are attributed to the small donations of guests who agree to round their purchase to the next whole dollar. When combined, these pennies, nickels, and dimes go a long way towards making our community a healthier, safer, and more vibrant place.

For more information about the Gills Creek Watershed Association, visit gillscreekwatershed.org/. Head out to the Columbia Mast Store any time this April to learn more about this community partner and support its critical work in the Midlands.

About Mast General Store

With its Original Store located in the rural historic district of Valle Crucis, North Carolina, Mast General Store has grown its family to 11 locations in 10 towns across four states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Historic locations, a focus on customer service, and an eclectic product selection – everything from old-fashioned candies to technical outdoor gear – make every store a destination. The Mast Store is family and employee owned and is passionate about its local communities.