U-Haul Dealer Promotes Suicide Prevention After Family’s Loss

Jul 31, 2015

U-Haul recently welcomed Pennsylvania couple Randy and Shelly Thompson and their budding business, Centerfield Feeds, to the neighborhood dealership program.

But their story of sorrow, compassion, inspiration and action goes beyond bags of feed and truck rentals.

Centerfield Feeds at 17248 Barrens Road N. in Stewartstown, Pa., is named in honor of the Thompsons’ late son, Ryan, a baseball standout and center fielder. Ryan committed suicide in December 2012.

Now the Thompsons are on a mission to keep suicide awareness and prevention at the forefront of people’s minds, from the memory bracelets they wear to Shelly’s speaking engagements to the store’s display rack of suicide prevention brochures and the donation bucket benefiting the York County Suicide Prevention Coalition.

“It’s sad and you see it every day where people get to a point, such an ugly little place in life, thinking that’s the only way out,” Randy said.

U-Haul dealer Centerfield Feeds

U-Haul dealer Centerfield Feeds in Stewartstown, Pa.

“We’ve actually saved several lives – or at least we think we did. We have all the information that you can take with you. There are numbers to call. Call somebody. Call us. You need to talk to somebody to get through this.”

Gary Haber of the York Daily Record told the Thompsons’ story in a recent business piece. Please give it a read: ydr.com

Centerfield Feeds offers U-Haul trucks, towing equipment and support rental items. It is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday with after-hours drop-off available.

Reserve U-Haul products with the Thompsons by visiting Truck Rentals Near Stewartstown PA or calling (717) 993-3254 today.

Centerfield Feeds, which signed on with U-Haul in the spring, will hold an open house beginning at 8 a.m. local time Saturday (Aug. 1).

“We have vendors coming, we’re giving away prizes and stuff, having raffles going on and free food and drinks,” Randy said. “We’re going to show what all we have to offer as far as the sheds we sell and any kind of line of animal feed you can think of.”

Do you know someone who has benefited from suicide awareness and prevention efforts like those the Thompsons are pursuing at Centerfield Feeds? Please share in the comment box below.

More articles like this one…

What’s New

U-Haul 2025 Midyear Migration Trends

U-Haul 2025 Midyear Migration Trends

Origins of One-Way U-Haul Customers Arriving in 35 U.S. Metros with 2M+ Populations This Year Summer is moving season, and odds are you have seen a U-Haul® truck being unloaded at a home near you. Or perhaps you were the one moving. With nearly half of all residential...

U-Haul Offers the Most Reliable and Road-Ready Trucks for DIY Movers

U-Haul Offers the Most Reliable and Road-Ready Trucks for DIY Movers

Moving can be one of life’s most stressful events. For do-it-yourself movers, dependability and peace of mind are essential. At U-Haul®, we have spent nearly 80 years building a reputation for reliable moving solutions. At the center of that promise is a commitment to...

U-Haul Embraces History at Ridgefield Fourth of July Parade

U-Haul Embraces History at Ridgefield Fourth of July Parade

Ridgefield’s tree-lined streets were filled with families waving American flags and applauding the iconic company that revolutionized the modern-day moving industry in their town 80 years ago. Located 22 miles north of Portland, Ore., the charming town known for being...

H2O Hero U-Haul Helps St. Vincent de Paul with Water Drive on ABC15

H2O Hero U-Haul Helps St. Vincent de Paul with Water Drive on ABC15

As the Arizona summer brings extreme temperatures, Phoenix-based nonprofit St. Vincent de Paul is ramping up their lifesaving water distribution by providing 4,400 bottles of water a day to at-risk persons seeking hydration and relief. This year, SVdP charity partner...

U-Haul Offers Disaster Relief to Central Illinois Storm Victims

U-Haul Offers Disaster Relief to Central Illinois Storm Victims

U-Haul® is extending 30 days of free self-storage and U-Box® container usage at six centers across central Illinois and western Indiana to residents affected by severe weather that hit the region. Storms packing high winds swept through several counties in...