GREATER COLUMBUS CONVENTION CENTER SUPPORTS SERVICE PROVIDER FERN IN COLLECTING SUPPLIES FOR HURRICANE HARVEY RELIEF

(Columbus, August 29, 2017)  — The SMG-managed Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC) is supporting Fern, the GCCC’s general services contractor, in Fern’s gathering of supplies through Friday, September 1 for Hurricane Harvey relief.

“We are honored to assist our partners at Fern by gathering humanitarian relief supplies to assist the residents of Houston devastated by the impact of Hurricane Harvey,” said GCCC General Manager John R. Page.

Supplies are being collected by GCCC staff members and Experience Columbus to add to contributions Fern receives from the general public. All Midwest and Southeast locations of Fern are collecting supplies, with the goal to send trucks to Houston by the end of the week if trucks are able to be safely dispatched to the area. Supplies will be delivered to the George R. Brown Convention Center if it is still operating as a shelter at that time, or to designated shelters and relief agencies.

Supplies needed include:

  • Baby formula
  • Diapers
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Non-perishable food
  • Sweat suits
  • Socks
  • Towels
  • Bottled water
  • Comfort kits containing soap, shampoo, toothpaste
  • Blankets
  • Pillows

Supplies can be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Fern warehouse located at 1500 Old Leonard Ave. in Columbus through September 1.

Additional Fern locations involved in the effort include Kansas City, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville, Charlotte and Atlanta.

The Columbus office, under the direction of Fern General Manager Bruce Walter, became the GCCC’s preferred general service contractor on January 1, 2017. Fern is responsible for decorating and other trade show services and has served clients of the GCCC since the facility opened in 1993.

Fern is a leading national marketing support and trade show services contractor that provides unmatched customer service, best-in-class creativity and innovative solutions for exhibitions and large-scale events. Fern is among the top three face-to-face event service providers in North America, serving more than 1,100 live events annually, including many top 100 shows and dozens of Fortune 500 companies.