Amy McCracken with Christie Chipps Peters of Richmond Animal Care and Control, the first recipient of High Five RVA.
RICHMOND, Va. — The big foam finger is getting a second life in Richmond and Richmond Animal Care and Control is one of the first recipients of the local award.
High Five RVA, an online service that delivers 19-inch bright orange high-five-ready foam hands through the mail, won $10,000 last month for being named a regional winner in Comcast Business’ Innovations 4 Entrepreneurs Contest.
Now the company, helmed by Amy McCracken, is one of 30 finalists competing nationally for public votes for the chance to win an additional $20,000 and a trip to Comcast Business’ headquarters in Philadelphia.
McCracken, 48, launched High Five RVA as a side project six months ago from her home. She’s still fully involved in her job as executive director of the Richmond Animal League.
She said she got the idea eight years ago from a desire to recognize Richmonders who are doing good deeds but may not make headlines.
“Richmond is being recognized for all sorts of amazing things,” she said. “There are a lot of people that are never going to be recognized by National Geographic.”
For now, it’s free to nominate anyone to receive a High Five RVA foam hand. McCracken said users can nominate people to receive them and that most nominations are accepted. Thus far, four High Fives have been delivered around Richmond, six nominations are pending and 50 more are planned to be delivered this year. She didn’t want to say who her foam hand supplier is.
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