SOUTH OTSELIC – Gladding Braided Products employees embodied the true meaning of Christmas by giving up their holiday party – and more – to support the displaced Cox Block fire victims.

A beloved historic building in South Otselic, the Cox Block, was destroyed by a raging fire on Dec. 14 this year. The building housed 10 apartments of which five were rented. The individuals and families renting those apartments lost their homes to the flames.

“Most of the people just got out with the clothes on their backs. As far as we know, the people who lived there lost everything. There wasn't enough time to get anything substantial,” said Gladding Braided Products Vice President, Mike Radziwon.

The 198-year-old rope manufacturing business in South Otselic, Gladding Braided Products, employs four people who lived in the Cox Block apartments and were displaced by the fire. The company is a significant employer for the small town with more than 60 employees.

According to Radziwon, the company helped three of the displaced employees find permanent housing. The fourth displaced employee found permanent housing outside the company.

As a previous Town of Otselic board member and involved community leader, Manufacturing Manager Charles “BJ” Bishop was concerned for those displaced by the fire. He told Radziwon about the idea to donate the company's Christmas party money to the displaced fire victims.

“He was the first one who heard some of the ideas from employees that may be foregoing the Christmas party in light of the struggles of those displaced. It was kind of hard to think about having a party when people were going through something like that,” said Radziwon.

Gladding Braided Products's employees agreed to give up their Christmas party and donate the funds towards the displaced fire victims the day after the fire on Dec. 15. The giving did not stop there.

Employees began donating their own money, and President D.H. Sparky Christakos said he would match any donation made by the employees to the displaced fire victims. The employees, with the donations of Christakos, raised close to $2,500.

As if that was not enough, Radziwon said employees began anonymously donating the $20 Walmart gift cards and lottery scratch-off tickets the company gives to employees each year, as well as clothing and other items. He said they collected a couple carloads of donations.