More than 50 Wacker Polysilicon volunteers participated in local projects for Make A Difference Day on Saturday, Oct. 25. The company partnered with United Way of Bradley County to organize a Day of Action, which became the largest corporate, first-time volunteer day for the organization to date.
The projects were completed at Charleston City Park, Charleston Elementary School, Hiwassee River Heritage Center and Tri-State Therapeutic Riding Center. Activities included a Learning Trail installation, and staining of the performance stage at Charleston City Park; landscaping, brush clearing and painting at Charleston Elementary School; and Trail of Tears national site signage installation and landscaping at Hiwassee River Heritage Center. At Tri-State Therapeutic Riding Center, volunteers assisted with equestrian therapy for physically disabled young people.
“We plan to make this a tradition, each year having a large day of volunteerism to make a difference in our community, in our back yard,” said Dr. Konrad Bachhuber, vice president and site manager at Wacker Polysilicon North America. “Our responsibility as a company extends beyond our business activities. It is part of Wacker’s culture and 100-year history to be a responsible neighbor, and this is what we are committed to do in Charleston as well.”
“United Way of Bradley County was an excellent partner for our day of volunteerism,” said Dr. Bachhuber. “They helped us to determine the areas which most needed our support, and took care to arrange all of the projects and logistics for the day. Their team helped our team to make the biggest impact possible, and the results speak for themselves. It was a great success, and we look forward to working in partnership with them in the future."
“I am very proud of our team members and the family members who joined them on Saturday,” added Dr. Bachhuber. “Although we have been and continue to be very focused on preparing our Charleston site for commissioning next year, we wanted to take the opportunity to participate in Make A Difference Day this year as a major step toward ongoing community support, involvement and partnership. It is truly amazing what we were able to accomplish together, and to know that the projects we completed will be enjoyed by local families and visitors to this area for many years to come.”
"Wacker showed their commitment to this community with the largest corporate, first-time volunteer experience in Bradley County," said Matt Ryerson, United Way of Bradley County president and CEO. "Over 50 individuals and families showed up to tackle projects around Bradley County to help organizations with over 159 hours of volunteerism, the equivalent of one full-time person working for four weeks."
"The reality is, without this incredible volunteer effort, most of what was accomplished would not have happened at all as the nonprofit community does not have the resources to commit full-time staff to these important activities."
"More importantly, what I witnessed was the spirit of this organization," Mr. Ryerson added. "Wacker, its leadership, and the employees showed us their willingness to serve our community through great personal sacrifice and effort. The attitude of this group was extraordinary as they were excited to serve and anxious to give back to the community."
"We appreciate Wacker, the leadership, and everyone that gave of their time and energy. The tone that they set for partnering with Bradley County was amazing and we are looking forward to a fantastic corporate partner for this community for many years into the future."
As part of Make A Difference Day, Wacker Polysilicon employees and members of the project team have been collecting canned food, diapers, cleaning supplies and toiletries for United Way of Bradley County. These items are being collected throughout the month of October for distribution to local nonprofit organizations.