Giving back
May 26, 2011 By: Pit & Quarry StaffWe often hear about aggregate companies giving back to their communities through donations, open houses and other commitments. And for each good deed we read about, hundreds more go unnoticed outside the local area. Many of these projects help not only the community, but the environment, as well.
The largest producer in the United States, Vulcan Materials, donated more than $64,000 worth of aggregates and services to construct an underwater reef in Virginia's James River. It's all part of a collaborative effort to restore the Atlantic sturgeon to the river and the Chesapeake Bay. And the reef project is only one of many community and environmental projects supported by Vulcan Materials.
The company's Grand Rivers Quarry near Paducah, Ky., made a $10,000 donation to the Livingston County Friends of the Library, and an anonymous donor is matching Vulcan's contribution. The funds will be used to buy books for the community's new library.
Lafarge North America also strives to be a good neighbor. As part of its ongoing partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Canada, the company signed its 2050 Conservation Vision, a statement reaffirming its commitment to conservation in the southern Canadian Rocky Mountains. The company said it will continue to work with WWF Canada and Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation on studies to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the needs of wildlife in the Bow Valley area. These studies will inform future conservation activities in the region.
Lafarge North America also teams with local communities across the United States on environmental projects. To mark Earth Day this year, the company held festivities and open houses in several states, with events ranging from river cleanups to tree plantings. For example, in Pearl River, La., the company's Honey Island facility, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, planted 30 oak trees as part of the site’s commitment to ecosystem rehabilitation and in support of native species.
Of course, Vulcan Materials and Lafarge North America are not the only aggregate producers who give back to their communities. There are several stories of generosity from the largest producers to the smallest. And, as with everything else in life, the paybacks of giving are manyfold. –Darren Constantino
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