1851

In late August, a massive flood swept through parts of southern and eastern Louisiana. Some areas took on more than five feet of water, and upwards of 100,000 homes were damaged or destroyed&#8212;marking the beginning of a long and often exasperating road to recovery. Today, the waters have since receded, and in many neighborhoods across eastern Baton Rouge and nearby towns, both sides of the streets are lined with damaged cars and immense piles of debris and rubbish. While some of the homes are in the process of being gutted or mucked out, others continue to simmer in the September heat. The critical work of rebuilding homes and damaged businesses is now a daily slog for many Baton Rouge residents. But one group is making sure that residents are keeping cool and nourished in the scorching Louisiana heat. Roger Wilder is the owner of more than a dozen <a href="http://www.smoothiekingfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=smoothie-king-franchisee-gives-back-to-community-after-floods-sweep-through-louisiana-5961" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Smoothie King</a> locations. A franchisee since he was only 23, the brand has long been a part of Wilder&#8217;s life. From working with <a href="https://smoothieking.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=smoothie-king-franchisee-gives-back-to-community-after-floods-sweep-through-louisiana-5961" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Smoothie King&#8217;s</a> original owners, Steve and Cindy Kuhnau, to receiving Smoothie King&#8217;s Outstanding New Franchisee Award after only one year in business, Wilder wears his passion for the brand on his sleeve. But when his store in Denham Springs, Louisiana was substantially damaged from flood waters, Wilder didn&#8217;t let the devastation dampen his spirits. Instead, he turned it into an opportunity to give back to a community that had already given him so much. &#8220;It hurts to see this happen because this was the first Smoothie King I had ever built, and Denham accepted me with arms wide open from the very beginning,&#8221; Wilder said. &#8220;But instead of focusing on my own business, I realized it was more important to focus on helping the entire community rebuild.&#8221; Wilder, along with two of his Smoothie King employees, decided to keep the community cool and refreshed by offering up the one product he knows best&#8212;smoothies. With the help of Smoothie King&#8217;s home office in New Orleans and a company-branded van, Wilder headed out to his other Smoothie King locations. While there, his team whipped up hundreds of smoothies, stored them in ice chests and loaded them up on the van to hand out to local residents for free. From shelters in Livingston Parish and nearby schools, to dozens of neighborhoods in Walker, Watson and Denham Springs, Wilder&#8217;s goal was to provide a bit of relief to people who had been working hard day in and day out to restore their damaged homes. &#8220;Our community is hurting. But because we&#8217;re all one community, we&#8217;ll do whatever it takes to stick together. There&#8217;s still a lot of work to do to get our community back on its feet, but I hope that in a way, donating smoothies and showing that we&#8217;re all here to help each other is a step in the right direction,&#8221; Wilder said.

Smoothie King Franchisee Gives Back to Community After Floods Sweep Through Louisiana

1851 Franchise

Smoothie King Franchisee Roger Wilder keeps community hydrated with smoothies as the rebuild their homes and businesses.


This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

smoothie-king-franchisee-gives-back-to-community-after-floods-sweep-through-louisiana

Right at Home

Veterans, Army, Navy, Right at Home franchisees, Veterans Day

Veterans Excel as Right at Home Franchisees: Here's Why

veterans-in-franchising-right-at-home-success

The Cleaning Authority

Why This Corporate McDonald’s Rep Decided To Open His Own Franchise With The Cleaning Authority

cleaning-authority/kent-lewis-franchise-success

KidStrong Franchising, LLC

KidStrong Wraps Up Q3 With First Manhattan Location, 45 New Franchises and Record-High Attendance

kidstrong-q3-growth-2025

Woodhouse Spas

Photo of front lobby area of Woodhouse Spa

Why Woodhouse Has No True Competitor in the Spa Franchise Space

luxury-spa-franchise

Right at Home Expanding In-Home Care Services in Wausau, Wisconsin 

right-at-home-expanding-in-home-care-services-in-wausau-wisconsin

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Slim Chickens Opens R&D Center at World Headquarters To Drive Menu Innovation

slim-chickens-rd-center-fayetteville

Nearly 40% of Americans Are Eating Out Less as High Prices Redefine Dining Habits

nearly-40-of-americans-are-eating-out-less-as-high-prices-redefine-dining-habits

Authority Brands Enters Q4 with Record Momentum

Authority Brands Enters Q4 with Record Momentum, Surpassing 200 New Franchise Owners in the First 10 Months of 2025

authority-brands-enters-q4-with-record-momentum-surpassing-200-new-franchise-owners-in-the-first-10-months-of-2025

Franchises, work-life balance, millennials in franchising, millennials work-life balance

The Best Franchises for Millennials Wanting Work-Life Balance

best-franchises-millennials-work-life-balance

Photo of Papa Murphy's Take 'N' Bake Pizza franchisee Lily Wilford

Entrepreneur: This 18-Year-Old Saved Babysitting Money for College — Then Decided to Buy a Business Instead

18-year-old-franchise-owner-lily-wilford

A Practical Playbook: Who To Call First When Franchising Your Business

franchising-your-business-who-to-call-first

image  of Happinest franchise collection and all their brands that work together. 

The Happinest Advantage: A Marketing Partner Invested in Your Bottom Line

happinest-franchise-marketing-strategy

Coffee & analytics image with photo of Nick Powills

Athletes And Franchising: Why the Connection Runs Deep

athletes-in-franchising

The Shift From Founder to Franchisor: Building a Team, Culture and System That Scale

the-shift-from-founder-to-franchisor-building-a-team-culture-and-system-that-scale

image of jerome hanway from right at home Las Cruces, New Mexico 1851 franchise franchisee spotlight

Jerome Hanway Is Building His Right at Home Franchise Around His Mission To Serve

right-at-home-franchise-las-cruces-jerome-hanway

Photo of group of dogs standing together in day care facility

Top Pet Boarding and Day Care Franchise Opportunities for 2025

top-pet-boarding-daycare-franchises

NJCAR v. Ford - New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

new-jersey-franchise-practices-act-njcar-v-ford

image of michael panos and michel panos, owners of mellow mushroom in Atlanta

The Panos Family’s Role in Preserving Mellow Mushroom’s Character — and Expanding in Atlanta

mellow-mushroom-franchise-panos-restaurant-group-metro-atlanta

image of franchise deep dive from 1851 franchise on doody calls franchise authority brands

DoodyCalls Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

doodycalls-franchise-deep-dive

Smoothie King Franchisee Gives Back to Community After Floods Sweep Through Louisiana

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS