CAPTION: Deb Turgeon (left) joins coworkers in Denver at a tree-planting event with community partner, Denver Urban Gardens. (Boeing photo)
For thousands of Boeing employees, volunteering during Earth Month meant rolling up their sleeves and embracing the power of collective action. From beach cleanups and trash pickups to tree plantings and beautification projects, Boeing employees around the world demonstrated their commitment to “digging in and doing good.”
Deb Turgeon, Security and Fire Operations senior specialist volunteered at a tree planting event in Denver.
- “This one in particular was close to my heart,” Turgeon said. “My dad, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, studied forestry. Trees were his life, and he always taught us to appreciate them.”
Corey Martovich, and her partner Cory Garcia, volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club in Oklahoma City.Corey Martovich, a systems engineering support analyst in Oklahoma City, volunteered at an event with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County because she is passionate about the environment. Employees and students worked together to plant trees and flower beds at one of the club’s locations.
- “I loved working with the kids from the Boys & Girls Club to help them learn a new skill, create memories and make a positive impact on the space they get to use,” Martovich said. “Every year I try to donate my time and money to supporting the Earth and helping ensure its longevity for future generations.”
Boeing South Carolina employees perform a beach sweep to clear debris from a crucial nesting environment for seabirds, shorebirds and loggerhead sea turtles. (Boeing photo)
By the numbers: Boeing employees around the world volunteered an impressive 48,500 hours during April and May this year.
- $604,000 donated back to Boeing’s Earth Day nonprofit partners through the company’s Volunteer Match Program, which gives additional money to nonprofits based on the number of hours Boeing employees volunteer.
- 12,000 trees donated to our nonprofit partner, One Tree Planted. Boeing committed to donate trees for participation in volunteer activities and Battle of the Buildings. According to One Tree Planted, once planted, these trees will sequester 264,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. The Environmental Protection Agency’s online tool shows this amount of carbon dioxide is similar to 41 tons of waste being recycled every year rather than dumped in a landfill.
“Giving back to communities is at the heart of Boeing,” said Rob Haynes, Boeing Global Engagement community investor for Colorado and Utah. “Through volunteering, our employees have the opportunity to not only protect the environment but also explore new parts of their community, connect with coworkers and improve the places we call home.”
Employees in Mesa planted 20 trees at a local park as part of an initiative to plant one million trees in the city by 2050. (Boeing photo)
Go deeper: Learn more about the Boeing Cares Volunteer Corps and how you can get involved in your community.
By Rachel Ayres