Engineering Inc - July/August 2019 - 38

RETTEW donated funds
and helped elementaryschool-age children
build their first bike.

Painting project
for United Way
Day of Caring.

One grant application that stood out for Fahnestock came
from Canine Partners for Life, an organization that trains service
and companion dogs for people with physical and cognitive disabilities. An employee with a family member who is served by
the nonprofit sponsored the application.
"We got to know that organization in a different way," Fahnestock says. "They named one of their new puppies after our
CEO, and we watched the puppy grow into a dog. That was
pretty rewarding."
An employee at RETTEW's Akron-Canton, Ohio, branch
sponsored a grant for the National Court Appointed Special
Advocate Association, a children's advocacy organization.
Employees in the office worked during their lunches to pack
duffle bags full of supplies purchased with the grant money.
"In some cases, people are giving back to organizations they
are already involved with, and the foundation allows them
to provide a little more funding or support than they can as
an individual," says Jake Wilburn, regional vice president at
RETTEW. "But also, when we are spending time together and
doing a good thing as an office, people enjoy that."

second graders at Title 1 elementary schools. But the Denver
office works with the organization every year, with or without
foundation support.
"We cannot do our work without partners like RETTEW,"
says Brad Appel, founder and executive director of Wish for
Wheels. "We are grateful that RETTEW comes back every year,
and we love them so much as a partner. It resonates as a community investment for them. By funding these bikes, they get to
see a change in the community, they see a change in the kids and
they see a change in themselves, as well. They get to know that
they are changing a child's life by giving them this opportunity."
Wilburn says his office has painted buildings at a local chapter
of the National Future Farmers of America camp, participated
in the United Way Day of Caring, raised money for youth rugby
programs and gathered donations for people in need during the
holidays.
"I live 15 minutes away from the office, so I live and work
in this community," Wilburn says. "It is important to me personally, and it is important to our staff to be engaged in our
community."
Employees at the corporate headquarters have provided gifts
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
and holiday meals to families in need, donated school supplies,
RETTEW's offices all participated in local community service
raised funds for families with terminally ill children and particiinitiatives before the formation of the foundation, and that has
pated in food drives, among other activities.
not changed-although there is now occasional overlap between
"It builds camaraderie amongst the staff," says Fahnestock. "It
the two. One year, the firm's Denver office helped obtain a $500 gives us the ability to interact with each other outside the work
foundation grant to support work with Wish for Wheels, which
environment, and that builds stronger relationships. The stronprovides a way for companies to buy and build new bikes for
ger relationships are between employees, the more successful we
are all going to be."
Lauriello echoes the
"We have always believed that when
idea that service projects
bring benefits not just
we do well, we need to give back to the
to the community, but
communities that support us."
also to RETTEW and its
employees.
MARK LAURIELLO
"It contributes to
PRESIDENT AND CEO
our brand in our local
RETTEW
regions," he says. "We are
38

ENGINEERING INC.

JULY / AUGUST 2019

Engineering Inc - July/August 2019

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