Community Relations Milestones in 1998

January - March 1998

This is the first of what will be quarterly reports to the staff of the Pacific Northwest Division about Battelle's corporate charitable contributions and participation in community events. The following are organizations and their activities to which corporate support was given:

• Partnering with the Distributions Committee in Columbus, Battelle once again supported the Dr. William R. Wiley Student Leadership Award. The award was presented at the Black Engineer of the Year Awards Conference and EEO Career Fair at which Battelle was a major corporate sponsor.
• The second of two payments was made to the Mid-Columbia Symphony for Battelle Night at the Opera. Battelle also hosted a pre-concert reception.
• At the same time, a second distribution was made to the Mid-Columbia Symphony to support a unique and exciting collaboration of Education with the Arts for the design and construction of a portable, acoustic shell for the Richland High School Auditorium.
• Battelle renewed its corporate sponsorship of the Tri-Cities Corporate Council for the Arts and, thus, once again was a standard bearer for other corporate organizations in the Tri-Cities.
• An additional amount was included as seed money toward the Art Center, an incubator facility that will support several small arts organizations.
• From another partnership with the Distributions Committee in Columbus, Dr. Madia presented a $25,000 check to the Tri-Cities Cancer Center. This distribution is the first of two -- going toward a total of $50,000.
• In support of staff who volunteer time to education, Battelle distributed a check to the Mid-Columbia Science Fair Association.
• Once again, Battelle is a Renaissance-level corporate supporter of TRIDEC.
• Printing costs of the League of Women Voters of Benton and Franklin Counties Voter Information fliers were paid.
• Joining with the Columbia Basin College Foundation, Battelle co-hosted a reception during the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival and Northwest Drama Conference in Pasco.
• Our membership in the Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce was renewed.
• Dr. Madia presented the first of two payments to The Children's Center. When complete, Battelle's distribution will total $100,000.
• Battelle became a corporate sponsor of the Tri-Cities á la Carte festival, a Year of the River activity.
• In support of the total Tri-Cities, Battelle supported the Task Force for a Safe Community which administers the "Do The Right Thing" program.
• Battelle's distribution to the Safe Harbor Crisis Nursery in the Tri-Cities joined with grants from other community organizations to establish a 24-hour crisis care nursery for children up to 8 years of age.
• Underwriting was provided to KFAE Northwest Public Radio.
• Fund raisers supported included an event benefiting Heritage College; the Tri-City Vandal Golf Classic and Dinner; the March of Dimes Golf Classic; the Tri-City Herald RiverFest, another Year of the River activity; the Second Annual Tri-City Partners Habitat for Humanity Golf Tournament; and Washington State University's scholarship/season football ticket/Cougar Classic.

April - June 1998

• Battelle helped the Mid-Columbia Regional Ballet when a budget shortfall, caused by the withdrawal of other corporate sponsors, occurred. As a result, the Ballet was able to hold planned performances.
• The second of three distributions to The Nature Conservancy enabled the Partnership for Arid Lands Stewardship (PALS) to continue. PALS provided eight weeks of hands-on field research on the arid lands around the Tri-Cities to area school teachers. Partnering with Battelle are local school districts, the Arid Lands Field Institute, Columbia Basin College, the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society, the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Battelle's membership in The Nature Conservancy was renewed at the same time.
• The fourth of five payments toward the Battelle Distinguished Professorship in Microbiology and Bioprocessing was presented to Washington State University.
• Battelle assisted when increased student participation caused the Mid Columbia Regional Science Fair Association to experience a budget shortfall.
• In Seattle, the Wedgwood Elementary School received corporate sponsorship for its Science and Invention Programs. The highlight was an egg drop from a helicopter.
• Also in Seattle, the Increasing Your Horizons through Mathematics and Science conference at Shoreline Community College was supported.
• Battelle's leadership in community health and human services continued with financial support to the Safe Harbor Crisis Nursery, an organization that provides 24-hour care for as long as 72 hours for infants and children up to 8 years old, who are at risk for abuse and/or neglect.
• It's the season for fund raisers and Battelle supported the Lourdes Foundation Classic that benefits the Lourdes Medical Center, as well as The Links, Inc. which provides scholarships to African American scholars in the Tri-Cities.
• Enhancing the role of community economic partnerships, Battelle renewed its membership in the Economic Development Council of Seattle & King County and the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce.
• Partnering with other research institutions (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, the University of Washington, and Washington State University) Battelle was a corporate sponsor of Technology Alliance's "Washington: the State of Technology" event in Seattle.
• The Academy of Children's Theatre lost its lease but a distribution from Battelle enabled them to commit to a new lease in another facility.
• Washington legislators were the guests at receptions co-hosted by Battelle. They included the Tri-Cities Legislative Council reception (a working group sponsored by the Chambers, the Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau and TRIDEC) as well as the Port of Benton reception.
• A video, produced by the Mid Columbia Education Alliance, was funded (through a distribution to the Educational Service District 123 in Pasco) that will explain systemic education reform in the state of Washington to viewers. A secondary benefit is that the video was produced by the Tri-City Area Vocational Skills Center in Kennewick, thus providing hands-on production experience to students.
• The Washington State University Foundation and the Herbert M. Parker Foundation benefited from a $9,000 distribution. This is a one-time distribution provided the last funding needed to establish a graduate scholarship in radiological sciences and/or related fields.
• Battelle sponsored the Richland Rotary Foundation's encore production of the Hanford Coloring Book that will be donated to third grade students in the Greater Tri-City Area.
• Battelle supported the Tri-City River of Fire Fourth of July celebration, a Year Of The River event organized by the Kennewick Chamber of Commerce. This was a family celebration that began in the morning with a multitude of events throughout the day. The grand finale was the fireworks display on the river.
• In response to Richland Chamber of Commerce activities, Battelle once again was a corporate sponsor of the Commerce Day Awards dinner and 1998 Student Business Day.
• A corporate table for Education staff is the result of Battelle support of the Pacific Science Center's Festival of the Fountains fundraiser in Seattle. The table celebrated many years of science education collaboration. Currently, Education staff are working with the Pacific Science Center on a National Science Foundation proposal called Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform (LASER) which is a national K-8 education reform project.
• A truly creative project of the Battelle Woodworkers Club resulted in a playhouse that will be raffled, with proceeds going to the Habitat for Humanity in the Tri-Cities
• The second and final Distribution, which completes our commitment towards a science laboratory, went to Tri-Cities Prep at the end of June. This is timely because the first-ever classes begin in the Fall.

Staff Spotlight

Battelle staff involved in PALS are: Royace Aikin, Larry Cadwell, Dennis Dauble, Janelle Downs, Jeff Estes, Kathy Feaster, Duane Horton, Eric Leber, Georganne O'Connor, Ted Poston, Steve Reidel, Bill Rickard (retiree), Mary Ann Simmons, Brett Tiller, Karen Wieda and Mona Wright.

Battelle staff involved in the Herbert M. Parker Foundation are Tom Baranouskas, Judy Blevins, John Johnson, Jim Sall, Alan Rither, Tom Tenforde, and Ron Walters. Battelle retirees including Bill Bair, Jack Corley, Ron Kathren, Jack Selby, and Bill Templeton also support the Foundation.

The Battelle Woodworkers Club includes Carl Enderlin, Christopher Smith, Derek Hopkins, Edmond Julkowski, James Huckaby, John Burke, John Mucha, Kenneth Erickson, Larry Seid, Nathan Thomock, Norman Anbeier, Robert Loveall and Spyridon Tzemos.

Thanks also go to Honorary Members Tina and Dan Foley, Sharon Johnson and Linda Davis who wielded the paint brushes; Derek Hopkins, Dave Millard, and Bev Jennings' son, Chris Jennings, who served as apprentice carpenters; Eriphili Tzemos, who was a design consultant, procurement expert and seamstress; Diane Anderson and Kerry Cullterton for ticket design and coordination of the raffle; and Bev Jennings who organized and arranged public relations and shared her enthusiasm and energy.

July through September 1998

• An inherited commitment was honored when the 1998-99 National Merit Scholars stipend payment was made in July.
• Tri-Cities Prep held its Fourth Annual Tri-Cities Prep Open. Battelle team members were: Walt Apley, Tom Deforest, Dick Watkins, and Peggy Williams.
• During the Labor Day weekend, the Three Rivers Folklife Society held the Tumbleweed Music Festival. A Battelle corporate contribution provided basic-level sponsorship and the Battelle Staff Association supported a discount on tickets.
• Once again we underwrote the Washington Commission for the Humanities' Inquiring Mind speaker series in the Tri-Cities.
• Inexplicably, the 1997-98 corporate contribution to United Way of Yakima County was not made at the time contributions were made in other communities where Battelle has offices. To correct the omission, a check was sent in July.
• Since that time, corporate contributions for 1998-99 were made to United Way offices in the cities where the Pacific Northwest Division has offices or a significant number of staff reside. They included corporate contributions to the United Way of Clallam County, the United Way of King County, the United Way of Yakima County, and the United Way of Benton-Franklin Counties. At the same time, a corporate contribution also was presented to the Prosser United Good Neighbors.
• A corporate contribution was made to the Bethlehem Lutheran School in Kennewick for the purchase of classroom computers.
• Corporate support was sent to Bridges, The International Repertory Theatre of Seattle in July. This corporate support will go toward a theatrical production.
• Also in Seattle, a Battelle contribution went to the Seattle Rotary for its Operation First Harvest program. The Rotary gathers and distributes fresh fruit and vegetables to the homeless and needy.
• Educational support went to the National Science Teachers Association conference in the fall. In a related contribution, support was provided to the Washington Science Teachers Association which, in turn, helped with registration costs for some science teachers from this area.
• One of the most innovative and successful education projects in 1997 was repeated in July when corporate sponsorship went to the Washington Software Foundation for the Innovation in Teaching awards.
• Fifteen metal desks were donated to Goodwill Industries of the Columbia Basin.
• The Port Townsend Marine Science Society received a contribution that will go toward its Low Tide Fest.
• The Zion Preparatory Academy's Connecting Math Concepts Program in Seattle was sponsored.
• The Seattle Audubon Society's request for corporate sponsorship of its Finding Urban Nature program (FUN) was approved. FUN is a National Science Foundation-developed curriculum for natural science education involving third- to fifth-grade students and schoolyard-based, small group "field trips" in Seattle. The first module called "Web-It" gave students and opportunity to learn about spider behavior.
• The Marysville School District No. 25 request for financial support to purchase equipment that will be used in a demonstration mathematics program was approved.
• Battelle's membership in the Washington Council on International Trade was renewed, as was the membership in the Kennewick Chamber of Commerce.
• Junior Achievement of the Greater Tri-Cities received corporate sponsorship for 1998-99.
• Battelle sponsored a table at the annual fund raiser benefiting the Sexual Assault Response Center.
• Four tickets to the Evening for the Angels fund raiser benefiting the Tri-Cities Chaplaincy were used by Battelle staff and their guests who volunteer at the Chaplaincy's Hospice House and Counseling Center.
• The second of two corporate contributions will be presented to the Tri-Cities Cancer Center in October. This completes a total commitment of $50,000.
• Thirty-second television advertisements will be the result of a corporate contribution to Columbia Industries. The spots will highlight their business center as well as mailing services that they provide.
• Battelle partnered with businesses and community professional organizations in the Adopt-a-Program to provide financial support to school districts in the greater Tri-Cities area. Education staff reviewed grant proposals that focused on mathematics and science education. Of those proposals, four districts were selected to receive financial support to go toward purchase of computer software. Those receiving contributions were the Finley, Kennewick., Kiona-Benton and Pasco School Districts.
• Two state-wide education programs, which focused on Westside participants, were supported. One of those was Washington MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement). The second involved a corporate contribution to the Pacific Science Center that benefited Westside participants in the Washington State Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform (LASER) Initiative conference to be held in the Seattle-Tacoma area.
• A corporate contribution was awarded to Sunfest to benefit the third First Night Tri-Cities celebration on New Years Eve in Pasco. Once again, Battelle will be the primary sponsor.
• Columbia Basin College and Washington State University Tri-Cities, separately submitted complementary proposals to develop university science and education programs for the Partnership for Arid Lands Stewardship (PALS). Both were each awarded a corporate contribution.
• The Seattle Conservatory of Music was the recipient of a corporate contribution that supported financial aid to gifted music students from low income families in the Seattle area.
• The second of two corporate contributions went to the Safe Harbor Crisis Nursery that can provide round-the-clock care for infants and children up to 8 years of age in crisis situations.
• A production of the play Seesaw, that addresses concerns of adolescents, will tour several schools in Seattle as a result of a corporate contribution to the West Seattle Kids Theatre.
• A corporate contribution was awarded to the Thornton Creek Alliance to develop the Little Brook Community Park in what has been billed as the "Last Open Space" in Seattle. Specifically, Battelle's contribution will go toward safe children's playground equipment. Partners with Battelle in this activity are the Rotary Club of Lake City and the Lake City Chamber, as well as Seattle Parks and Recreation.
• Last, but certainly not least, Battelle is a corporate sponsor of the 1999 Seattle Poetry Festival that strives to encourage and challenge the region's writers and to offer low-cost, quality programs to the public. The Allied Arts Foundation is the 501[c][3] organization associated with the Festival.

Staff Spotlight

Ryan Braby, a scholar who attends Linfield College during the school year, was employed in the Wiley Laboratory this summer. The other scholar is Stephen Minister, who was employed in the Energy Technology Division. Stephen attends Seattle Pacific University during the school year. His father, Andy Minister, is a Safety Staff Engineer in Facilities and Operations.

Team Battelle staffed the Red Cross blood drive on July 22 and 23. Judy Blevins was the Project Director. Team Members included Barb Allen, Shirley Brooks, Angela Bryant, Linda Burke, Jaret Chase, Linda Davis, Robin Eldhardt, Janice Gunter, Linda Hensley, Marcia Jarrett, Bev Jennings, Roxann Jones, Monique Lettau, Laurie Liddell, Kristina Markel, Natalie Mairui, Kathy Newland, Nori Nichols, Merrilee Orcutt, Erin Pratt, Sherri Ray, Maggie Sanders, Ethel Savard, Donna Sturdevant, Farrah Trevino, Ronna Turner, Kyle Webster and Rhonda Wierman.

Bill Grinstein serves on the Board of Directors.

Volunteers included Denise Buelt, Regina Curry, Tracy Eaton, Jan Engel, Bob Gruel, Bette Higley, Roxann Jones, Marsha Larson, Moni Mariner, Karen Neill, Harriet Nelson, Sue Newby, Charlotte Peterson, Ryan Peterson, Pat Randklev, Ray Stultz, Farrah Trevino, Tonya Quackenbush and Sharon Van Erem.

Roger Anderson, who manages the Environmental Policy and Management group at Battelle Seattle, has been active in several Seattle area civic volunteer efforts. He provides advice to the emerging Bridges, The International Repertory Theatre about fund raising and networking in the Seattle business community. Previously, Roger participated in the Seattle Leadership Tomorrow program that was funded, in part, by Battelle.

Roger Dillinger, Erlan Leitz and Chris Peale, Richland, are recognized for the many times they have worked with the Corporate Contributions Committee to donate excessed furniture to non-profit organizations in the community. In Seattle, Jacquelyn Mahoney and, in Sequim, Jan Engel and Chuck Knutson perform a similar service.

Kudos go to the following employees who review and make recommendations to the Distributions Committee about requests for distributions that are received from Westside organizations. Currently on the committee are Nazli Baydar, Chris Cluett, Arlene Davin, Tom Grant, Bill Grinstein, Chris Harmon and Marina Skumanich. Until recently, Kristin Joyner also served on the committee.

Eric Leber currently sits on the Board of Junior Achievement of the Greater Tri-Cities. Prior to that, Jeff Estes was a member of the Board.

Linda Wyrick sits on the Board of SARC. Merry Valdez is a SARC volunteer; Merry's husband, George Valdez, also sits on the Board.

Lisa Brown sits on the Board of the Tri-Cities Chaplaincy. Volunteers include Rick Brouns, Donna Grant, Phyllis Kropf, Virginia LeGore, Erlan Leitz and Jan Rasberry.

Pete VanVoris sits on the Tri-Cities Cancer Center Foundation's Board of Directors.

Mike Schwenk sits on the Board of Directors of Columbia Industries.

Mindy Strong has been integrally involved with planning and, in general, making it happen.

October and November 1998

• Battelle was the Diamond Solitaire Premiere Sponsor of the Harvest Ball benefiting the Children's Hospital in Seattle.
• Richland staff, who are members of the American Chemical Society, received monetary support for the Society's booth at Family-A-Fair. The booth provided hands-on science experiments for the general public.
• In support of several Battelle staff who support the Tri-Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau as officers and board members, Battelle had a corporate table at the 1998 Annual Membership Meeting.
• Battelle will be the Presenting Sponsor of the 1999 Gourmet Gala benefiting the March of Dimes.
• During the Community Arts Appreciation Awards luncheon in November of the Tri-Cities Corporate Council for the Arts, at which Battelle sponsored a corporate table, Battelle was recognized as being a Gold Guarantor. Also, an award was presented to Battelle for its long-standing support to the arts in the Tri-Cities that resulted in, among other things, the formation of the Tri-Cities Corporate Council for the Arts.

Staff Spotlight

Wavery Brown, Paula Linnen, Linda McKinney and Teresa Zinn are volunteers for the Desert Sun Guild that organized the benefit for the Children's Hospital.

Samuel A. Bryan is the Chair of the Richland Section, American Chemical Society, and Eric J. Wyse is the Immediate Past Chair. The list of Pacific Northwest staff who are members is too long to be listed in this publication, but it is estimated that the number is probably more 200 individuals.

Mike Schwenk will be the 1999 President of the TCVCB. Tom Baranouskas sits on the Board.

Mike Kluse will represent Battelle as Celebrity Chef at the Gala.

Last Update: May 2008 | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory | Operated by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy