Closing the 2024 Year with Gratitude and Growth: Highlights from Great Lakes Insurance

Notice: Great Lakes Insurance is not Affiliated with Great Lakes Insurance SE

Posted on December 30, 2024 by Olivia Harris

We wanted to take a moment to go over just a few highlights of each month at Great Lakes Insurance – there were so many it was hard to pick. Please take a look below to see all that 2024 brought us. These highlights can also be found on our social media pages – Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn – follow us to keep up-to-date in real time!

Photos from these highlighted months will be at the bottom of the article.

2024 Year in Rewind

January: We kicked off 2024 with a New Year’s gathering that brought together employees from all 12 offices. ✨It was a fantastic opportunity for everyone to finally put faces with names, especially for those who hadn’t met each other yet!

February: In honor of Super Bowl LVIII, we turned up the heat with a Chili Cook-off! Our talented participants brought in their best homemade chili recipes for a taste-testing showdown, and we crowned 3 winners who truly brought their A-game. 🏆🌶️ It was a delicious way to kick off game day celebrations.

First: Mark Majewski
Second: Pete Zaphiris
Third: Jason Diley

March: Great Lakes Insurance proudly participated in the Erie St. Patrick’s Day Parade for the second year in a row! 🍀 It was an incredible celebration with our Erie community in the heart of downtown. This year, we had three floats with about 20 employees passing out branded basketballs (a crowd favorite!), candy, beaded necklaces, and frisbees. Adding to the fun, our personal DJ, John Zaphiris, kept the energy high with some fantastic beats! 🎶We’re already looking forward to the 2025 St. Patty’s Day Parade—see you there!

April: The Total Solar Eclipse was a once-in-a-lifetime event that we had the privilege of experiencing right here at our headquarters in Erie, PA! 🌒✨ Our team gathered safely on the rooftop to witness this incredible moment together. In April, we also proudly sponsored and helped coordinate the Pennsylvania Motor Trucking Association and Vorzik Transport’s Teen Driving Competition. 🚗💡 This impactful event allowed teens from local high schools to learn about road safety through hands-on experiences like driving courses, perception tests, and more.

May: Great Lakes Insurance proudly hosted and coordinated the PMTA Northwest Chapter Legislative Meet & Greet at our headquarters for the very first time. 🚛✨ We had the honor of welcoming State Legislators, Northwest Chapter Members, and clients to shed light on key issues affecting the trucking industry. Our very own John Zaphiris served as the moderator, leading insightful discussions to drive awareness and change.

June: Our Frewsburg office celebrated its annual Customer Appreciation Day! 🌭✨ We were thrilled to serve our customers and the community with free hot dogs, chips, beverages, and giveaways. It was a fantastic day to connect with our Frewsburg team and their wonderful community.This month, the office also hosted The Boys & Girls Club of Erie’s “Kiss-A-Pig Fundraiser.” 🐷💖 This incredible event raised over $192,000, with our very own Charlie Fessler and Alec Zaphiris proudly participating as active members of the fundraiser.

July: With many Prep and Villa alumni at our headquarters, we were thrilled to showcase our alum pride alongside our Great Lakes Insurance pride. 🏫✨ We’re honored to have been featured in Prep and Villa’s 2024 Legacy Magazine!

August: National Night Out is always a highlight for us, and we were thrilled to participate again this year! 🌭✨ Our branded food truck served hot dogs and chips at the Mercy Center for Women, bringing smiles and great food to the community. This past August, we celebrated Ann Stanton from our Hamburg, NY office, who was honored as Rock 97.9’s Employee of the Day! 🎉 Employees from our Frewsburg, NY office and Springville, NY joined the fun at Cowboy on the Lake.

September: Our headquarters celebrated one year at 1128 State St. on September 25 with a special themed lunch: “Our First Rodeo” at 1128 State! 🎉 Being in the heart of downtown Erie has brought incredible growth and success, and we’re excited to continue building memories with our community. We also marked our first National Truck Driver Appreciation Week by spotlighting exceptional truck drivers nominated by their companies. 🚛💙 We’re thrilled to make this a lasting tradition to honor the hardworking professionals who keep us all moving forward.

October: In early October, our headquarters hosted the Nuclear Verdict seminar, featuring insightful guest speakers: attorneys Lane B. and David C. from Saxton and Stump, alongside former PA State Trooper Greg S. 🚛⚖️ This event provided an excellent opportunity for attorneys and trucking companies to collaborate and address industry challenges. We also celebrated two of our amazing team members this month! Katie Johnson from our Youngsville, PA office was a finalist in Warren County’s Best of the Best, and Stephanie Cronk from our Frewsburg, NY office was a nominee for Jamestown’s Post Journal Best of the Best. 🌟👏
To top it all off, every office got into the Halloween spirit with costumes and sweet treats (no tricks, we promise).🎃🍭

November: November, the month of gratitude—and snow! ❄️ Our headquarters’ hometown of Erie was buried in a Lake Effect Snowstorm, offering a chilly but meaningful reminder to slow down and savor the closing months of 2024 and—most importantly—review your insurance policies to ensure you’re prepared for whatever Mother Nature has in store. From moments of thankfulness to embracing the winter weather, it’s been a month to remember.

December: December, the month of holiday cheer and giving back to our communities as we wrapped up an incredible 2024! 🎄✨
From decorating our office spaces to enjoying Christmas Spirit Week, each location embraced the season with separate donation drives to support local organizations:

• Erie: Winter Clothing Drive benefiting Community Shelter Services and Erie Free Store
• Warren & Youngsville: Local Food Pantry Drive
• Clymer: Donations to Sherman Central School
• Frewsburg, Salamanca, Randolph: Supporting Blue Star Mothers
• Springville: Local Donations
• West Seneca & Hamburg: Cans for Christmas to help feed families in Western New York
• Batavia: ‘Adopt Grandparents’ program at a local nursing home, fulfilling wish lists