The Carolina Sanitary Supply Association (CSSA) folded its tent back in 2006 but fired their final salvo on Veteran’s Day 2011 with a donation totaling approximately $14,000 to two organizations helping  wounded U.S. military personnel  and their families.
   
The CSSA was a regional trade organization serving the janitorial supply industry in the states of North Carolina and South Carolina.  It started in the early 1980’s to combat state sponsored prison industries that were producing products competing with standard market products sold by the jan/san industry.  In its heyday, the group peaked out at about 120 members consisting of distributors, manufacturer reps, and manufacturers, according to Tom Roos of Durham, NC, former CSSA board member.  The group wound down in 2006 as buying groups grew, the Internet took over, and demand on member’s time became more pronounced,  Roos said.

Former CSSA board  members agreed to donate their remaining CSSA funds to the Wounded Warrior Project and Fisher House.  The Wounded Warrior Fund exists to honor and empower wounded warriors who incur service connected wounds, injuries, and illnesses on or after Sept. 11, 2001.  Fisher House  provides free or low cost lodging to Veterans and military families receiving treatment at military medical centers.

Each of the two organizations received a check for $6,954 from the folks at CSSA.

“The ironic twist was that the checks were mailed on Veterans Day (11.11.11)”, commented Del Chavis of Myrtle Beach, SC, past president of CSSA.