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AWB Honors 25 Companies for Contributions to Their Communities |
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Written On: May 29, 2003 |
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Written By: Richard Davis |
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SPOKANE – The Association of Washington Business has honored 25 companies throughout Washington for contributions to their communities.
The annual AWB Community Service Awards were presented during the association’s Spring Board meeting in Spokane.
In addition to the companies selected, AWB also honored Gerri Coleman, owner of the Walla Walla Express Personnel Services, with the Bruce Briggs Award. The Briggs award recognizes an individual’s efforts on behalf of his or her community.
Coleman was honored for a long history of service to Washington. Presently, Coleman is one of only three employers to serve on the state’s Workforce Education and Coordinating Board. She has served as president of the Washington State Job Service Employers Committee from 1993 to 1995, and represented the state at the National Employers Conference in Washington, D.C. in 1996. Coleman has also served on the board of the Children’s Home Society of Washington for eight years.
“These companies realize the importance of being good neighbors in their communities,” said AWB President Don Brunell. “All of them have invested substantial time, money and other resources to improve their corner of the state.”
Other winners include:
· American Medical Response (AMR), Seattle, for implementing an educational program to teach children the importance of booster seats. Using a child-friendly ambulance called the “Hot Shot,” AMR visited 40 schools and several children’s health fairs. In all, approximately 20,000 children were introduced to the concept of a booster seat.
· The Bon Marche, Seattle, for its Employee Volunteer Program, which recognizes volunteer efforts and encourages community involvement.
· Cairncross & Hempelmann, P.S., Seattle, for giving $4,000 to Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission and Downtown Emergency Services Center.
· Cares Tech, Inc., Covington, for providing Internet access and education to individuals, non-profits and small businesses that would normally be without such advantages.
· Cispus Learning Center, Randle, for creating mentoring initiatives and AmeriCorps volunteer programs, and supporting a teen center and a civic engagement curriculum.
· Crown Distributing Company, Inc., Arlington, for implementing programs designed to encourage safety and discourage teenage drinking and driving.
· Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP, Seattle, for providing over 21,300 hours of free legal services with a value of $3.3 million during 2002. In addition, many of the firm’s lawyers devote time to leadership and board positions in civic and non-profit organizations to help the underprivileged.
· Dick’s Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., Seattle, for sponsoring a $12,000 scholarship program for full and part-time employees. The company has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in its employees’ educations.
· Echo Bay Minerals Co. – Kettle River Operations, Republic, for its work with the Seattle School District in creating the "Step Program" which provides three months of free technical support and three months of minimal-cost technical support to local schools.
· The Everett Clinic, Everett, for its efforts to help people in need. The Everett Clinic’s Operation Outreach adopts and supports non-profit organizations for a year then continues to provide $1,000 annually to the non-profit. The Everett Clinic Foundation donates more than $160,000 each year to organizations that serve direct human needs.
· Fluor Corporation, Richland, for providing school supplies for under-privileged school-aged children, in over 25 countries. Fluor’s Richland division collected enough supplies to fill 575 backpacks. In addition, Fluor’s two Tri-City divisions, Fluor Hanford and Fluor Federal Services, contributed $10,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton and Franklin counties. This is the fourth Community Service Award for Fluor in four years.
· Gibbs & Olson, Inc., Longview, for providing extensive engineering services and time to ensure that Pope’s Kids Place, in Centralia, which serves special needs children, would have a water and sewer system that met state requirements. Gibbs & Olson’s helped saved Pope’s Kids Place more than $87,000.
· Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce, Marysville, for inspiring a 45 member volunteer corps, local staffing of the Visitor Information Center and exciting partnerships with area schools.
· Hewlett-Packard Company, Vancouver, for their efforts to interest students in science and math. Hewlett-Packard volunteers have worked to bring a chapter of MESA (Math, Engineering and Science Achievement) to Southwest Washington. The company and its volunteers have donated over $35,000 in cash and equipment to educational enrichment projects.
· Humanix Corporation, Spokane, for its encouragement of staff giving to a pre-determined local charity two Fridays a month. Total contributions to the chosen “Jeans for Charity” were in excess of $5,000 in 2002.
· Mission Ridge Ski Area, Wenatchee, for its 5th Grade Mt. Discovery Program, providing one day of gear, meals and instruction to over 1,000 students.
· Northwest Architectural Company, P.S., Spokane, for its pro bono work for non-profit organizations, fundraising for social and cultural groups and serving on the boards of civic agencies.
· Nucor Steel Seattle, Inc., Seattle, for sponsoring a “Clean Seattle” neighborhood project. The event sent volunteers into the community to collect trash and beautify the area.
· Overlake Hospital Medical Center, Bellevue, for its Women’s Health Center Community Outreach. Overlake works collaboratively with the Community Health Centers of King County and Eastgate Public Health to provide health services to low income women.
· PSC - Philip Services, Renton, for its work with the Local Emergency Planning Committee to purchase a thermal imaging camera for the Kent Fire Department. The company has also adopted Springbrook Elementary School and has committed dozens of tutors and mentors to work with students on a daily basis.
· Regence Blue Shield, Burlington, for providing $600,000 to start up the Physical Activity for Health Project to promote healthier, more active communities.
· Frank Russell Company, Tacoma, for providing $40,000 to cover 75 percent of the building costs of a Habitat for Humanity house. Russell also offers incentives for employee volunteers and supports area schools and organizations.
· Seattle Financial Group, Inc., Seattle, for its strong support of employee volunteerism. The company’s United Way Campaign matching program, Juvenile Diabetes “Beat the Bridge event and Habitat for Humanity involvement are but a few of its benefits to the community.
· Washington Dental Service, Seattle, for its commitment to improving oral health in the community at large.
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