Archives
Environmental Stewardship
Falls of Ohio State Park Recognition
Our MER-Midwest team was recently recognized at the annual volunteer ceremony hosted by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources for their cleanup efforts performed by MER team members at the Falls of the Ohio State Park. This community service project aligned with MER’s commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. Congratulations!
Farm Fresh Food Delivery
Summertime is such a great time for fresh fruit and vegetables! MER encourages everyone to consider buying your fruit and vegetables from local farms and farmer’s markets. Not only is local farm fresh food important for our health and well-being, but utilizing local resources is better for the environment, and it supports local businesses in our communities. We’ve sourced the availability of local farmers in our MER communities providing delivery service to homes or offices. The links below are provided to learn more and to see where MER employees can get fresh, local fruits and vegetables. To learn more...
Community Impact
MER Virtual 2020 Graduation Congratulation
Like so many 2020 graduating classes throughout the country, the COVID-19 outbreak meant the cancellation of many long-awaited commencement ceremonies. Graduation is about more than walking across the stage to collect a diploma, though. It marks the beginning of the next phase of their lives, which is something worth celebrating even in these difficult times. MER honored and applauded the accomplishments of sixteen of our employee’s children graduating this year from high school and college. We wish they all were able to celebrate in the way these milestones are meant to be celebrated. Congratulations to these resilient young adults in their achievements.
MER Employees assist Boy Scout Troop 522 with a Service Project Benefiting Pine Castle
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MER employees, Ashley Dopf, Eddie Maylon and Amanda Kimball, recently joined more than 30 volunteers to assist Boy Scouts of America’s Scout, Sean Wheatley of FL’s Troop 522, with his Eagle Service Project at Pine Castle in Jacksonville, FL. MER has been a long-time supporter of Pine Castle and enthusiastically welcomed the opportunity to support its employees and local youth in this initiative! Pine Castle serves adults with intellectual and developmental differences.
Friendship Home Virtual Walk
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the annual Friendship Home 'Walk with Friends' walk was moved to a virtual walk on June 27th. MER teams from Randolph, MA and Jacksonville, FL got out and walked to support this great organization.
The proceeds from this walk go toward Friendship Home's Social Recreation Department engaging people with developmental disabilities a few hours a week of social interaction through different organized clubs, as well as weekend outings.
Cookies for a Cause
Every day Drummac employees help keep America’s passenger trains going. This means working during the holidays. Continuing an annual tradition, we send cookies to our crews to show appreciation of their dedication. This year, the cookies were provided by a special charity. Baking Memories 4 Kids is a non- profit organization that utilizes the money generated from cookie sales in a very special way— to make memories. From each container sold and every donation received, they provide children with life-threatening and /or terminal illnesses and their families an all-expense-paid vacation to ALL the theme parks in Orlando, Florida. MER/Drummac is proud to support Baking Memories 4 Kids and help make a difference for these children and families.
MER Midwest Team Hosts Cleanup Event at The Falls of Ohio State Park
On Saturday, October 19, the team at our Louisville, KY office held an environmental cleanup day at The Falls of Ohio State Park in Clarksville, IN. Nearly 50 tires, numerous plastic drums, and many large and small miscellaneous items were dug out and disposed of. MER provided both large and small-scale tools and equipment to safely remove, transport, and dispose of the waste collected. Local college students, volunteers from regional sustainability groups, and representative of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources participated in the effort.
The Falls of Ohio State Park, located in Clarksville, IN, and neighboring Louisville, KY, is the largest naturally exposed Devonian fossil bed in North America. The Falls were designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1866 and named a federal National Wildlife Conservation Area by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1981. In recent years, the Park has fallen victim to environmental degradation due to careless disposal of waste, empty drums, tires, glass, and countless other items.
MER Corporate Team Walks in 2019 Boston O2 Breathe Walk
On Saturday, June 1, 2019 members of the MER corporate team, the MER Commercial Dive Division, and their family and friends joined together to walk in the 2019 Boston O2 Breathe Walk. The event was organized to support a fellow employee whose family has been impacted by the disease. Through a MER corporate donation and employee and team donations, MER helped the Pulmonary Hypertension Association to exceed their goal and raised over $54,000 for the PH community and PHA programs and services.
Community Impact Grant Program
The MER Community Impact Grant program supports local initiatives. Employees at our locations around the U.S. determine what local charities are important and meaningful to the team and impactful in their communities.
Wedding Gifts that give back
MER Midwest region, Amy Wine was married on January 4th. Instead of receiving wedding gifts, she and her new husband Eric asked guests to donate to or bring items to support two local charities that are special to them, The Humane Society of Johnson County and the Johnson City Senior Service Center. Amy also submitted a MER Community Impact Grant application to support the effort, and we were happy to do so! Amy and Eric, congratulations! We are honored to be included in your 'good neighbor' efforts as part of your wedding celebration.
MER Walks for MS
MER awarded a Community Impact Grant to WRI to raise funds and support the team, Beth’s Buddies, in the Jacksonville, FL Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Walk on April 13, 2019. Beth Nichols is married to Robert Nichols, a CDL driver for WRI. Beth has suffered from MS since 2003 but was not diagnosed until 2012. In 2019 her symptoms deepen. Beth’s personal wish is to have a solution for MS before anyone else has to go through what far too many do already. Beth’s Buddies, including WRI employees, raised over $1,000 for the Walk. There were close to 700 participants in the Jacksonville walk raising over $100,000. For more information about MS and how to get involved go to www.nationalmssociety.org
WRI Employees Participate in the Blue School Grant Program at A. Phillip Randolph High School in Jacksonville, FL
Team members from WRI, Megan Bockmeyer, and Nicole Neumann were invited for the second year in a row to the A. Phillip Randolph High School in Jacksonville, FL to participate in The Blue School Grant Program. They spoke to the students about the history of water contamination and water treatment, industrial water usage, wastewater production, wastewater treatment, and water reclamation. We donated lab supplies to hold an interactive demonstration with the students on how WRI treats industrial wastewater and discussed the science behind it. The Blue School Grant Program funds education for high school students on water resource protection.
MER Charleston Team Supports HOPE Acres
Team members out of the Charleston resource center purchased and delivered supplies to Kurt Sawyer of HOPE Acres Rescue in Summerville, SC. The horse farm is located next to the property where MER Charleston’s equipment is stored during hazardous weather and emergencies. HOPE Acres Rescue’s mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and provide a safe haven for equines in need. The facility operates entirely on contributions, so the supplies MER donated will go a long way to help in the care of these horses. The funding for these supplies was from a MER Community Impact Grant submitted by Brennan Wallace. This is the true meaning for this grant’s focus area of Good Neighbor.
Hurricane Michael Responders Lead Toy Drive to Benefit Boys and Girls Club of Bay County, Panama City Beach, FL
In October 2018, tragedy struck the Florida Panhandle when Hurricane Michael delivered the first Category 4 storm in the region’s recorded history. A short time after, the Moran Emergency Management Team was activated to work with Global Diving & Salvage, as part of the USCG’s ESF-10 response effort in the Panama City area. Over the course of the months spent there, the team of responders experienced first-hand the impact of the devastation. In an effort to support the communities in which they were living and working, the MER team initiated a local toy drive to
support the Boys and Girls Clubs of Bay County. MER and Global employees around the country engaged in the toy drive effort. The goal was to support the communities devastated by the catastrophe and to bring the initiative to scale with the participation and support of our employees, clients, partners, and friends. This was achieved above and beyond. In the end, the Boys and Girls Club of Bay County and the children and families they serve received donations totaling nearly $18,000 of monetary donations, toys, clothing, sporting equipment, and more.