
Wills Group, the parent company of Dash In convenience stores and Splash In car washes, has officially partnered with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay as part of its new corporate community engagement initiative, Advancing Waterways and Watersheds. This collaboration was announced during the eighth annual Blackie Wills Golf Classic, where Wills Group initiated the partnership with a generous $50,000 grant to support the Alliance’s “Project Clean Stream.”
At this year’s event, Wills Group raised over $427,000, further solidifying its commitment to community engagement. The donation will bolster efforts across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. #BWGC2024
The Advancing Waterways and Watersheds initiative aims to enhance the health and sustainability of vital water resources throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. This program joins Wills Group’s existing community engagement efforts, which include Nourishing Families and Children and Reimagining Outdoor Spaces. Since 2006, Wills Group has contributed more than $6.5 million to nonprofit organizations and partners across Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.
Wills Group’s announcement highlighted that the Blackie Wills Golf Classic has raised over $3 million for nonprofit organizations since its inception in 2017, supporting local food banks, pantries, and parks.
“We are excited to expand our community engagement efforts with the launch of our Advancing Waterways and Watersheds program,” stated Wills Group President and CEO Julian B. (Blackie) Wills. “For nearly 100 years, Wills Group has been part of Southern Maryland, and the Chesapeake Bay is a crucial natural resource for the Mid-Atlantic region, serving as a habitat for wildlife and a source of recreation. This initiative is a natural extension of our commitment to enhancing outdoor spaces and ensuring the health of our waterways and watersheds.”
The partnership with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay will specifically support “Project Clean Stream,” the largest trash cleanup initiative within the watershed. In November, Wills Group will kick off its first Advancing Waterways and Watersheds employee volunteer day, where employees from Wills Group, Dash In, Splash In, and the Alliance will collaborate to clean up a local stream in Columbia, Maryland, which leads into the Chesapeake Bay.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Wills Group on this vital project,” said Kate Fritz, CEO of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. “This collaboration exemplifies how local businesses and organizations can work together to drive meaningful change. Through Project Clean Stream, we aim to make significant progress toward restoring the Chesapeake Bay watershed and its ecosystems.”
This new initiative aligns seamlessly with Splash In’s commitment to water conservation through efficient car wash practices that utilize chemical filtration and water reclamation. Splash In car washes use as much as three times less water compared to traditional home car washes.
For nearly a century, Wills Group has demonstrated its dedication to community engagement, guided by its purpose—Lives in Motion—which embodies the company’s mission to help people advance toward their goals and dreams. Wills Group collaborates with local communities, leveraging the expertise of community organizations to address immediate needs related to hunger and recreation, two critical areas that contribute to community vitality.
For more information on Wills Group’s community engagement initiatives and its mission to keep Lives in Motion, visit willsgroup.com/community.
About Wills Group, Inc.
Headquartered in La Plata, Maryland, Wills Group is Great Place to Work Certified™ and operates nearly 300 retail locations across the Mid-Atlantic region, including Dash In, Splash In ECO Car Wash, and SMO Motor Fuels. Founded in 1926 as a family-owned company, Wills Group specializes in convenience retailing, fuels marketing, and commercial real estate, focusing on keeping customers’, employees’, and communities’ Lives in Motion. For more details about Wills Group, visit willsgroup.com.
About the Blackie Wills Community Leadership Fund
All proceeds from the Blackie Wills Golf Classic support the Blackie Wills Community Leadership Fund, established in 2016 to honor the commitment of Wills Group President Julian Blacklock “Blackie” Wills, Sr. to giving back to local communities. The Fund reinvests in the community to create opportunities for individuals to pursue their goals and dreams, fostering connections between teams and their communities to maintain Lives in Motion. The Fund operates under Chesapeake Charities, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.