Marijuana Business Magazine July 2018

sales of the year: April 20, the marijuana holiday colloquially referred to as “4/20.” “We’re actually making it a day of giving and encouraging our producers, processors, customers and our staff to participate,” Atkinson said. In all, she said, about 45 people participated in the handful of volunteer events HWY420 hosted in April. Atkinson got the idea for the give- back after a customer told her about a low-income friend with a home in need of repairs. HWY420 decided to work on the house.The company also partnered with Habitat for Humanity on a project, picked up trash in a park and cleaned the cars of Meals on Wheels drivers. Atkinson said she hoped volunteer- ing on April 20 and holding a party a couple of days later would allow her dispensaries to face less competition on the popular shopping day, drawing customers and vendors to her event for the month. “It went pretty well,” she said. “One thing we learned is I spread us a little too thin. I think do it again next year … we’ll do one big (volunteer) event.” Choosing a Recipient Cannabis companies wanting to give back should start by looking in their own backyards – rather than to a national charitable group, said Kevin Mahmalji, outreach director for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. “You’re a dime a dozen at the national level when you’re engaged with these larger organizations. It may get you a good press hit, but it’s not anything that will serve your organization long term,” Mahmalji said of contributions. Investing at the state or local levels could help companies connect with their neighbors and address their con- cerns, show regulators they are making a positive difference and forge long-term partnerships, he said. One of the projects HWY420 took on as part of its April 20 community service day was cleaning Evergreen Rotary Park in Bremerton, Washington.  Photo courtesy of HWY420 Annex HWY420 closed its dispensaries in Washington on April 20. Instead of participating in the major cannabis sales day, employees and volunteers cleaned Evergreen Rotary Park and worked on other community projects. Photo courtesy of HWY420 Annex 44 • Marijuana Business Magazine • July 2018