This annual charitable event raises funds to support critical services and research aimed at discovering a cure for multiple sclerosis.
Atlantic Sunrise team members stepped up in full force mobilizing the Frani’s Fallies team, who ended the event as the top fundraising team, raising more than $5,300 of the nearly $15,000 total during the event — that’s more than one-third!
The Williams Atlantic Sunrise team collected donations from multiple project teams including inspection, construction, project management, land and even landowners in the project area!
Spread supervisor Kelli Bell, whose daughter has progressive MS, said after the walk, “This is what the Atlantic Sunrise Team is all about! Very proud to be part of such an awesome group of people.”
The Republican Herald reports that Williams employee Tim Reed was recognized April 19 by the Pine Grove Borough Council for his response to an incident he witnessed involving a Pine Grove police officer.
The newspaper reports that while on his way to work on the pipeline in February, Reed witnessed an officer engaged in a struggle with a suspect. Reed, a former Marine, rendered assistance to the officer and remained with him as the suspect was apprehended and arrested. According to the police report, the suspect was under the influence of methamphetamine and was out of control.
Photo courtesy of the Republican Herald used with permission. Tim Reed, center, is honored by Pine Grove Mayor Will Shiffer, right, and Pine Grove Police Chief Thomas Trotter, left.
Reed told the paper, “I’m a Marine and that’s what we do. “I saw it was one-on-one and it was just instinctive to help out.”
Reed was recognized for his bravery Borough Council and received a certificate of appreciation presented by Pine Grove Mayor Will Shiffer and Police Chief Thomas Trotter.
Mayor Shiffer told the paper that it’s the first time since he’s served as mayor that a civilian has assisted a member of law enforcement in that manner.
From the Republican Herald:
“According to Shiffer, the pipeline employees have been good neighbors and have patronized local businesses too. Reed said Williams tries to assist the community and has provided donations to the Pine Grove area.
“We’re all here working and we do our jobs. We try to help out as much as we can and donate to different causes,” he said.
Williams is committed to being a good community neighbor and environmental steward. That’s why we established a grant program to benefit local communities where the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project is being constructed.
Established in 2015, the Atlantic Sunrise Community Grant Program has shared more than $2 million across the 10-county Atlantic Sunrise project area in support of noteworthy projects.
Eligible organizations can apply for grants up to $10,000 per applicant to fund projects that provide benefit to local communities or the environment. Projects funded by the Atlantic Sunrise Community Grant program include:
Emergency/first responder support
Youth or senior services
Education programs
Economic development
Enhancement of open spaces and park land for recreational enjoyment
Assistance in the enrichment of wildlife habitat
Promotion of environmental education
Purchases of property for preservation of wetlands and wildlife habitat
Purchases of property to access public lands, water resources, scenic and wildlife views, and for enhancement or development of active recreational areas
Williams was a proud sponsor at the PA Farm Show, which brought agriculture and natural gas — two of Pennsylvania’s largest industries — together. We love attending the annual Pennsylvania Farm Show, not only because it gives us the chance to eat great food and look at adorable animals but also because we get the opportunity to catch up and talk with our friends in the agricultural community. This year’s Farm Show has been notable for many reasons, but here are five that stick with us the most:
Horse hitching Williams was proud to co-sponsor the Celebrity Draft Horse Team Driving Contest, which benefits the Farm Show Scholarship Fund. The Jan. 9 event with legislators and representatives from the agricultural industry was great fun to watch.
Public Officials Day The Jan. 10 luncheon saw the announcement of a new economic impact study of agriculture, which found that the industry has a $135.7 billion annual impact in Pennsylvania. Agriculture, along with natural gas production, is one of the state’s biggest industries, and the two have a long history of working together.
New calving corner Just look at how cute these new additions to the world are.
DEP clean water exhibit The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection featured an educational exhibit of clean local water actions and activities. The importance of clean water is a value shared by Williams, which is why we’ve been proud to support efforts such as a community rain garden in Wyoming County and other environmental stewardship programs through our grant program.
The 102nd Pennsylvania Farm Show has been amazing, and we look forward to participating again next year!
Agriculture is one of Pennsylvania’s largest industries. In fact, the state Department of Agriculture and Team Pennsylvania found that the commonwealth’s agricultural industry has a $135.7 billion annual impact, with nearly 580,000 jobs created and $27 billion in wages paid as a result of agriculture.
This impact is on full display each year at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, the nation’s largest indoor agricultural event. The 102nd Farm Show is sure to be as popular as previous ones, with hundreds of thousands of visitors flocking to the more than 1 million-square-foot complex to check out the latest and greatest in Pennsylvania agriculture while looking at adorable farm animals and eating delicious food.
The event is also a perfect example of how agriculture works in tandem with other industries, such as its close relationship with natural gas. Natural gas and other energy sources are essential to heating the massive Farm Show complex, and many of the most popular food and drink items wouldn’t be possible without natural gas. Here are five examples:
Milkshakes
For many visitors, PA Dairymen’s Association milkshakes are synonymous with the Farm Show. The milkshake stand is one of the event’s most popular food vendors, and lines are often long. Whether your favorite flavor is chocolate, vanilla or strawberry, a Farm Show milkshake will be served to you in a plastic cup, which is made from natural gas byproducts. Drink up!
Butter sculpture
Butter is for more than just for toast: It can be used to create artistic sculptures. The butter sculpture is a fixture at each Farm Show, and it is designed with a specific theme in mind. The creation is revealed with fanfare ahead of the event, and this year’s masterpiece, “Strength in Our Diversity,” highlights the career choices available in agriculture.
The sculpture is kept from melting by being continuously cooled through electricity generated in part by natural gas. Once the Farm Show is over, the half-ton butter creation will be melted in a methane digester to power a Juniata County farm, as well as homes in the area.
Potatoes
There are a multitude of ways to eat potatoes at the Farm Show. You can have them baked and topped with butter, deep fried into french fries or rolled in sugar as a potato doughnut. All of these options are available at the Pennsylvania Co-Operative Potato Growers stand. The fryers at the stand use propane to make some of your favorite potato treats.
Roasted almonds and pecans
The Pennsylvania Nut Growers Association stand has a variety of nuts for sale, and roasted almonds and pecans are among the most popular. The preferred source of energy for outdoor roasters? Propane.
Fried vegetables and chicken
Deep-fried delicacies at the Farm Show are more than likely powered by natural gas. Mouth-watering trays of fried chicken and lightly battered fried vegetables at the PennAg Industries Association stand are deep fried in fryers fueled by natural gas.
Enjoy all the food at this year’s Farm Show, and congrats to our friends in agriculture on another successful event!
What do you get when you have an Eagle Scout with a mission to create something of value, a $5,000 grant provided by the Atlantic Sunrise Community Grant Program and a wide open space outside the special education classroom at Hegins-Hubley Elementary School? You get an all-inclusive playground geared towards the special needs of these students.
A safe place to play
Micah, a senior at Tri-Valley High School and an Eagle Scout, was looking for something that would have a positive and lasting impact for his Eagle Scout Project, so he asked Kate Herb, the Life Skills teacher at Hegins-Hubley, if there was something that her students needed. Herb did not hesitate and showed Micah the open area outside the Valley View, Pennsylvania classroom that she thought would be a perfect place to create an all-inclusive playground. She explained that an all-inclusive playground would give the Life Skills class a playground they could utilize more safely than the school’s playground.
Now, with a project in mind, Micah got to work. He assembled a team of experts – the school’s special education chair, the Schuylkill County Master Gardeners and the Schuylkill Herb Society – and explained what he had in mind. All were very supportive and more than happy to help turn his vision into reality.
Joining forces
The result of this combined effort was an all-inclusive playground that allows the students to exercise muscles they normally don’t get to work in the course of their everyday activities, enjoy some fresh air and play in a safe environment and have an area where they can relax and enjoy while learning.
Join Micah on a visual tour of the playground:
The project also received some local media attention. Read more about it here.
Across the country, Williams employees display their giving spirit. Whether it be toy drives, food drives, warm clothing drives, preparing care packages for our military or providing supplies for seniors, our employees are committed to making sure others in their community and those serving abroad have the happiest of holidays.
Some examples of holiday giving include:
Our teams working on the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project in Pennsylvania collected toys and gifts for kids in the communities near the project. We partnered with area organizations including the Salvation Army and Toys for Tots.
Employees at the Susquehanna Supply Hub in Tunkhannock provided gifts for the Children Service Center of Wyoming County, delivered care packages to the senior center and took a turn as bell ringers for the Salvation Army.
Employees at our Echo Springs Plant in Wamsutter, Wyoming, collected toys and Williams sponsored the 2017 Toys for Tots annual toy drive, which provided toys to over 800 children in Carbon County this year.
The ACH Child and Family Service organization in Fort Worth, Texas, was once again the happy recipient of toys, clothing and baby items donated by our ARC Park Fort Worth employees.
Ohio River Supply Hub employees in West Virginia donated Hoodies and Hams for the Holidays to students at Moundsville and Cameron Middle Schools. Other employees were busy preparing their float and stocking up on candy to share with kids lining the streets at the three local holiday parades.
Collecting much-needed items, knitting scarves and hats for a local senior center and playing some rousing games of Bingo was the focus for a group of Pittsburgh employees, while others participated in the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber’s Jinglefest raising funds for the 171st “Military Family Support Unit.”
Pittsburgh employees also collected, sorted and delivered toys to Santa’s Toy Warehouse as part of the annual Toys for Tots drive
Our Utica Supply Hub employees collected items for special holiday care packages for some very special people who are not so close to home – active duty military members who cannot be home for the holidays.
In north central Oklahoma, Williams employees continued a four-year tradition by hosting a food drive to help those in need in their community. Our Waynoka, Oklahoma, field office employees gathered food and donations and delivered the supplies to the Waynoka Food Bank. Wherever we operate, Williams employees support our communities and we’re proud to salute that volunteer spirit in Waynoka.
At our headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma, employees hosted both a Toys for Tots drive and a Salvation Army Toy Drive. Our employees not only work in these communities, but they live and raise their families in these communities, so helping make sure a happy holiday is had by all is very dear to their hearts.
To our readers – we wish you the happiest of holidays and a prosperous new year.
Community involvement is important, especially during the holiday season, and we’re thrilled when our contractors help give to the communities Williams is proud to serve.
Welded Construction, an Atlantic Sunrise contractor, recently held two benefit drives for those in need. The company collected canned and boxed foods, diapers, baby food items, drinks, toiletries and more to give needy families in Lebanon and Schuylkill counties.
Welded Construction employees deliver food items to Schuylkill Community Action.
The contractor gave 2,716 pounds of boxed and canned food items to Lebanon County Christian Ministries (LCCM), and more than 3,000 pounds of food items to Schuylkill Community Action (SCA).
“[Welded Construction has] demonstrated what it means to be community-minded, and we are working to build lasting relationships with their surrounding neighbors,” LCCM Development Manager Dan Landes said. “Welded Construction has gone above and beyond the call to help support the fight against hunger. The best part is that they have expressed various upcoming plans to continue their charitable efforts, and we applaud their earnest intentions.”
The Williams team applauds all those at Welded who made these donations possible.
They planted, painted, repaired and inspired. Scores of Williams employees volunteered in their communities across the nation during recent Day of Caring events to benefit United Way chapters and their partner agencies.
In Salt Lake City, 65 employees worked alongside students to complete a variety of projects at Kearns High School.
“Your employees were terrific role models for my students,” said botany teacher Robert Greider after a project to renovate a greenhouse. “Team work, planning and problem solving are skills we try to teach students at Kearns.”
The school benefits greatly from the United Way and volunteers like those from Williams, said Derrick Welling, who chairs Williams’ Salt Lake City United Way campaign.
“Although nearly half of the students live at or near the poverty level, graduation rates have increased 27 percent, the highest growth in the state of Utah.”
A Tulsa Day of Caring project.
In Tulsa, Williams employees comprised the largest number of volunteers from a single company, with 432 volunteering for 27 Day of Caring projects.
“Day of Caring goes beyond simply serving our community,” said Dustin Bohard, who helped coordinate the projects for Williams.
“It allows us to meet and interact with agencies that have such a profound impact to the Tulsa area,” he said. “We get to understand their missions, hear their stories and even meet some of the clients they serve.”
In Houston, about 100 Williams employees performed carpentry, landscaping, organizing and mural painting at West Houston Assistance Ministries (WHAM). WHAM is an outreach and support center that provides financial education and job skills training, an on-site food pantry and resale store.
“After Hurricane Harvey, the local need for WHAM services is greater than ever,” said Williams’ Day of Caring organizer Nathan Davidson.
“We had some sizable projects that were mentally and physically challenging but accomplished with tremendous skill and coordination from our team,” he said.
Pittsburgh employees had multiple Day of Caring projects over several months, including sorting food at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, updating a community center and cleaning transitional housing for veterans.
“It was a winning situation all around,” said Candyce Fly Lee, who organized the events for Williams. “Employees were able to give back to their community and work with others who they normally don’t interface with. And the Sewickley Community Center especially benefited from a skilled labor force. Projects were completed that would have taken years without our help.”
Thirty-five organizations from 10 Pennsylvania counties will benefit this fall from $292,834 in funding from Williams through the company’s semiannual Atlantic Sunrise Community Grant program.
Williams awarded up to $10,000to eligible organizations in communities where the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project will be constructed and operated.
One of the 35 recipients is the Conservation Foundation of Lancaster County, which will use an $8,000 grant to help fund its STEM Education Takes Root Outdoors Program.
“Nearly 50% of Lancaster County’s streams are impaired,” said Chris Thompson, Conservation Foundation of Lancaster County. “These grant dollars will help us connect kids with the outdoors so they will want to become citizen scientists, recognize contributing factors that impair water quality and learn about practices that improve water quality. We sincerely appreciate Williams’ support.”
Another recipient is the Milton Fire Department in Northumberland County, which will use a grant of $7,500 to purchase a new thermal imager.
“The Milton Fire Department plans to use these Atlantic Sunrise grant dollars to purchase a new thermal imager. Our current thermal imager is nearly 20 years old and largely outdated,” Deputy Chief Joseph Luposaid. “These dollars will help us implement more modern technology to keep our community safer, aiding us by speeding up searches for possible victims in burning structures. We are definitely grateful for Williams’ support.”
Today’s announcement represents the sixth grant award cycle. Williams has announced total awards to 268 organizations of more than $2 millionacross the Atlantic Sunrise project area since the program’s inception in 2015.
Two cycles of Atlantic Sunrise grant awards are announced each year (spring and fall). This cycle’s grant dollars were dispersed in the following broad categories: emergency response ($169,500), education ($59,000) and recreation or community enhancement projects ($64,334).
Fall 2017 Grant Award Recipients:
Clinton County
$10,000.00 to Citizen’s Hose Co. of South Renovo, for an ATV/UTV
$10,000.00 to Renovo Community Senior Center, for the Renovo Community Senior Center Project
Columbia County
$3,000.00 to Benton Area School District, for iPads for Science and Math Curriculum
$5,334.00 to Benton Avenue Cemetery Association, for Road Resurfacing Project
$10,000.00 to Bloomsburg Fire Department Inc., for a Firefighting Skid Unit
$10,000.00 to Bloomsburg Volunteer Ambulance Association, for Emergency Medical Technician Classroom Development
$3,000.00 to Columbia County Traveling Library Authority, for the Bookmobile Means Business Program
$8,100.00 to Hemlock Township, for Computer Upgrades
$5,000.00 to the Foundation of the Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce, for Workforce Development Education
$10,000.00 to Orangeville Area Police, for Equipment Upgrades
Lancaster County
$10,000.00 to Columbia Borough Fire Department, for Gas Detection Equipment
$10,000.00 to Conestoga Township, for Pool Improvements
$8,000.00 to Conservation Foundation of Lancaster County, for STEM Education Takes Root Outdoors Program
$10,000.00 to Lancaster County Public Safety Training Center Foundation, for Training Facility Projector, Tables and Chairs
$7,500.00 to Thaddeus Stevens Foundation/College of Technology, for Welding Scholarship Program
$10,000.00 to Thaddeus Stevens Foundation/College of Technology, for Welding Education Expansion
Lebanon County
$10,000.00 to Lebanon Fire Department, for a Mobile Ventilation Trailer
$10,000.00 to South Lebanon Township Fire Police, for Equipment Purchase
$10,000.00 to North Lebanon Township, for Lenni Lenape Park – Trees
$6,400.00 to North Lebanon Township Emergency Management, for EOC Upgrade
Luzerne County
$10,000.00 to Dr. David W. Kistler Elementary School, for KISTLER Gets Real with STEM
$5,000.00 to Dupont Borough, for a Garden Park
$10,000.00 to Hazleton Fire Department, for a Fit Testing Machine
Lycoming County
$10,000.00 to Pennsylvania College of Technology Foundation, for Makerspace at Pennsylvania College of Technology
Northumberland County
$4,000.00 to Shamokin Police Department, for Traffic Safety
$7,500.00 to Milton Fire Department, for Thermal Imager Replacement
Schuylkill County
$10,000.00 to Hegins Township Police Department, for the Radio Project
$9,000.00 to Northern Swatara Creek Watershed Association, for the Upper Little Swatara Creek Habitat Improvement Project Phase 3
$10,000.00 to North End Fire Company, for Updated Turnout Gear
Susquehanna County
$5,000.00 to Hop Bottom Borough, for Vehicle Radios and Portable Radios
$10,000.00 to Susquehanna Fire Department Inc., for New Ambulance Litter
Wyoming County
$8,500.00 to Factoryville Fire Company, for Communications Radio and Pager Acquisition
$7,500.00 to Keystone College, for an Energy Industry Scholarship
$10,000.00 to Keystone College, for Keystone College Trolley Trail Connections
$10,000.00 to Meshoppen Borough Police, for Police Car Equipment Upgrade
About Atlantic Sunrise
The Atlantic Sunrise project is an expansion of the existing Transco natural gas pipeline system in eastern Pennsylvania designed to transport enough natural gas to serve approximately 7 million homes. The design and construction of the project is projected to generate approximately $1.6 billion in positive economic impact, according to a study authored by researchers at Pennsylvania State University.
About Williams
Williams operates the Transco pipeline, which consists of more than 10,000 miles of pipe and provides about one-third of the natural gas consumed in Pennsylvania. Williams operates pipelines and related facilities which handle about 30% of the nation’s natural gas.
While the zip code you entered is outside the project area, the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline has an economic impact beyond the project area by providing consumers along the East Coast with access to reliable, cost-effective natural gas supply. In fact, access to reliable, cost-effective natural gas supply is powering an American manufacturing revolution while also lowering the energy costs of regular consumers who use this energy to cook meals and power their homes. This project, for instance, would provide enough natural gas to meet the daily needs of more than 7 million American homes. Estimates made by researchers at The Pennsylvania State University forecast the Atlantic Sunrise project to result in an estimated $1.6 billion increase economic activity in the project area during construction. For more information about the study, please download and read the executive summary, the market area analysis and the final report.
