Richard Willich

For the past five years, during the fall/winter harvest season, students and faculty at PVPV/Rawlings have enjoyed a delicious, healthy addition to their school lunches. The school’s orange grove, part of a unique Healthy Initiative, annually yields nearly 3,500 oranges. Now, thanks to the donation of thirty new orange trees by Ponte Vedra-based MDI Holdings, that yield of ripe, juicy golden fruit has more than doubled.

On December 14, in the peak of the orange grove’s harvest season, MDI employees and school staff planted the thirty adult fruit-bearing Satsuma Orange trees, and on December 17, Principal Kathleen Furness and three of her students delivered a bulging bag heavy with sweet, fresh Satsuma Oranges to Richard Willich, CEO of MDI Holdings.

“How do I know these came from the school orange grove?” Willich joked with Adam Snowden as scent of succulent oranges wafted through the air. “We picked them!” was Adam’s reply. Principal Furness then informed Willich that Adam is the school’s 2009 Spelling Bee Champion. “How do you spell Mississippi?” asked Willich, grinning broadly as Adam responded instantly with the correct answer.

Fifth grader and Safety Patrol Captain Mallory Suppa presented Willich with a letter of thanks from the students and faculty of PVPV/Rawlings, and 2^nd grader, Emma Merlini, gave him a basket containing a large frosted Santa Cookie … “Because you’re our special Santa, Mr. Willich,” she recited prettily. “Emma earned 125 reading points,” announced Furness. “She is Principal of the Day.”

Promptly taking Emma’s hand, Willich led her behind his desk, inviting her to sit in his chair and take charge of MDI during her visit. Beaming and looking quite confident, the young Principal of the Day settled comfortably into the big chair, very much like a queen surrounded by her court.

And, just as it seemed the visit could get no better, Tony Boselli [former offensive tackle with the Jacksonville Jaguars football team] entered the office, personally greeting each visitor and later posing with Emma and her court for a holiday photo.

From Left to Right:  Back row — Tony Boselli, Kathleen Furness and Richard Willich, Front row — Adam Snowden and Mallory Suppa, Seated — Emma Merlini

The donation of trees and labor, equating to about $10,000, is the first MDI donation to PVPV/Rawlings, although several other St. Johns County public schools and community organizations have benefitted from Willich’s generosity.

“We are glad to partner with PVPV Elementary in this Healthy Initiative,” said Willich. “Look at these wonderful children. Our future depends on their robust physical, mental and emotional health. I grew up in public schools and I’m grateful to be able to help kids in our local public schools and community.”

With a plethora of oranges available at no cost to students and faculty for school lunches, the additional yield from the new trees may give the school a new revenue stream in the future.

“Our students love these Satsuma Oranges,” said Furness.  “This is a holiday gift that will keep on giving for generations to come.”

Donation of trees, labor expands unique grove as part of the school’s Healthy Initiative

PONTE VEDRA, Fla., December 14, 2009 – MDI Holdings, one of the nation’s leading healthcare technology companies, has made a healthful donation to Ponte Vedra/Palm Valley Rawlings Elementary School just in time for the holidays. MDI, based in Nocatee, Florida, donated the labor, materials and trees to double the school’s orange grove to 60 adult trees.

“We are glad to become partners with PVPV Elementary,” said Richard Willich, MDI CEO. “This project is another example of our commitment to our kids in our local community and our public schools.”

PVPV Elementary planted an orange grove five years ago to both educate and feed the students. The orange trees yield between 3,000 and 3,500 oranges a year and are picked to feed the students and faculty as part of the school’s Healthy Initiative, which includes the promotion of diet, exercise and healthy habits.

“This donation from MDI will allow us to sustain and expand our program,” said Principal Kathleen Furness. “The new trees are already bearing delicious Satsumas.”

The newly-planted trees will help the school double its available oranges during harvest and perhaps meet another goal of expanding the harvest to a surplus that could then become a revenue source for the school. Peak harvest is during the fall and winter months before the holiday break. During that time, all the oranges picked are available to students at no cost.

“That helps us provide healthy options and also defray the cost of providing those options to our students,” continued Furness, who said the orange tree project is one of the only of its kind in our area.

MDI and elementary school employees performed the physical labor needed to plant the new trees. This included planning for the trees, digging all the holes and installing these large trees on the campus. The donation equated to about $10,000.

MDI Holdings, based in Nocatee, owns three companies: MDI Healthcare Solutions, MDI Government Healthcare Solutions and United Teleplex. MDI’s mission is to market their advanced technologies to provide affordable healthcare information to reduce unnecessary costs. For more information visit www.mdint.com.

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