Employee Volunteerism

Year round, Washington Gas employees dedicate thousands of volunteer hours through company-sponsored projects that focus on health, education and the environment. From inspiring and preparing students in the District of Columbia to succeed in a global economy through Junior Achievement, to cleaning the shoreline at a historic Maryland waterfront park, to repairing the home of a less fortunate Virginia resident, we are dedicated to strengthening our community.

Some of the volunteer activities undertaken by our employees are featured below:

International Children’s Festival – Sept. 19-20, 2009; Virginia

Twenty six volunteers coordinated this year’s 39th Annual International Children’s Festival over two days at Wolf Trap National Farm Park in Vienna, Va.. The festival featured children’s performing groups from Georgia, Serbia and Spain along with more than 100 other local, regional and national performing groups.

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Golf Tournament – Aug. 31, 2009; DC, Maryland and Virginia

More than 120 Washington Gas employees, retirees, friends and company vendors came out on Aug. 31 to support the First Annual Light the Night Golf Tournament to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Volunteers raised $14,300 to help find a cure for blood cancers.

9/11 Day of Service – Sept. 11, 2009; DC

High winds and heavy rain did not stop Washington Gas’s 20 volunteers from performing their National Day of Service duties at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial on Sept. 11. The volunteers raked leaves and pulled weeds throughout the memorial, located on the western edge of the Tidal Basin.

Habitat for Humanity – Aug. 22, 2009; Virginia

More than 35 Washington Gas volunteers worked with Habitat for Humanity to help build three homes in Stevens City, Va. on Aug. 22. The team hung drywall in one of the homes and, in another home, framed the first floor and most of the second floor.

Boys and Girls’ Club of Greater Washington – Aug. 1, 2009; DC

Community service team volunteers landscaped a Boys and Girls Club in Northeast, D.C. The team came out with more than 20 volunteers and gave a facelift to the clubhouse located on Benning Road, N.E. The volunteers removed dead shrubbery, tilled the soil, mulched, landscaped and revamped the clubhouse entrance.

Simon Elementary School Supplies Drive – Aug. 2009; DC

Washington Gas employees donated money and held fundraisers to benefit Simon Elementary School in the District of Columbia.  As a result of the fundraising, volunteers delivered 3,100 school supplies and more than 250 books to more than 400 children at Simon Elementary in the District of Columbia. Each student also received a Weekly Reader subscription,and instructional materials were donated for teachers.

Clothing Drive – July 2009; DC, Maryland and Virginia

Many disadvantaged men and women will be better dressed for job interviews this summer and fall thanks to employees who donated more than 1900 suits, pants, sport coats, shirts and accessories during the clothing drive. The clothing was distributed through Dress for Success, MenzFit, Northern Virginia Family Services and Blue Ridge Hospice.

Armed Forces Retirement Home – July 24, 2009; DC

More than 30 volunteers brightened the evening for residents at the Armed Forces Retirement Home on July 24. Washington Gas hosted Casino Night for the second year for more than 100 residents who competed for prizes while playing Texas Hold ’Em, roulette and the money wheel.

YMCA Thingamajig – July 30, 2009; Maryland

Throngs of energetic children converged on the Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, Md., on July 30 to participate in the 15th Annual Thingamajig Invention Convention.  More than 75 volunteers witnessed first-hand the creativity of local youth.  Employees served as activity leaders and judges at the Invention Convention, which hosted more than 3,000 area children.

Shepherd’s Table – June 26, 2009; Maryland

Nineteen Washington Gas volunteers made sure a large, local group of low-income and homeless people ended the week with smiles. The company donated money to pay for dinners at the Shepherd’s Table on Friday, June 26, and team members served as waiters and waitresses to the 106 guests.

Gleaning Network - June 13, 2009; Maryland

Thirty-seven volunteers labored at Miller Farms in Clinton, Md., harvesting collard greens and kale on June 13. The volunteers picked more than 4,000 pounds of produce. A network of agencies and community organizations distributed the produce to help feed the hungry in this region.

National Trails Day Project – June 6, 2009; Maryland

Fifteen Washington Gas volunteers cleared nearly 15 miles of trails at Seneca Creek State Park on June 6.

National Wildlife Federation Schoolyard Habitat – May 14, 2009; Virginia

In conjunction with the National Wildlife Federation, twelve Washington Gas volunteers helped Centreville Elementary School create a schoolyard habitat on May 14. The habitat is designed to attract birds, butterflies and other harmless wildlife.

Anacostia Watershed Society: April 18, 2009; Maryland
Washington Gas volunteers helped with the Anacostia Watershed Society's Earth Day Clean-Up and Celebration on April 18. The clean-up took place at nearly 30 sites along the Anacostia Watershed in the District and Maryland. Thirty-five Washington Gas volunteers joined forces with 200 other volunteers at Bladensburg Waterfront Park and helped to remove three tons of trash, four shopping carts and 56 tires from that location. Their efforts, along with that of 1,900 other event volunteers, removed 59 tons of trash, 10,700 plastic bags and 289 tires from along the Anacostia. Washington Gas was a $5,000 co-sponsor of the event. The day concluded with a volunteer appreciation celebration with food, entertainment and educational exhibit booths. Recyclable tote bags were distributed to attendees to discourage future use of plastic products that often find their way back to the river when not discarded properly.

Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation: April 4, 2009; Virginia
On Saturday, April 4, 16 Washington Gas volunteers helped nine dogs find homes through The Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation. The foundation works to save dogs and cats from euthanasia by finding caring people to adopt them. Foundation staff members care for the animals at a 61-acre ranch in Sumerduck, Va., while they await finding a permanent home. The volunteers assisted this effort by accompanying their assigned dogs and speaking with prospective owners about the pets. The event was held at PetSmart in Fair Lakes, Va.

Junior Achievement (JA) Activities - March, 2009; DC, Maryland & Virginia

The Washington Gas Winter Community Service Team raised more than $36,000 for Junior Achievement and set a fundraising record. A chili cook-off and bake sale, raffle ticket sales, and the ever popular Bowl-A-Thon combined to raise the $36,000. Employees generated $21,510 of the total through corporate vendor and individual sponsorships. Washington Gas donated the remainder. Nearly 100 employees, family members and friends celebrated the success of these efforts at the Bowl-A-Thon on March 28.

In addition to raising money for JA, more than 55 employee volunteers shared their time, knowledge and JA principles with 510 students at Pine Spring Elementary School in Falls Church, Va., on March 27. The volunteers taught younger students basic concepts about money and savings and older students about international trade and the global economy. During recess periods, a Washington Gas field operations team performed natural gas safety demonstrations for the students.

Food & Friends - February 9, 2009; Washington, DC
Twelve Washington Gas volunteers packed meals at Food & Friends in Northeast D.C. on Feb. 9. In record time, the team assembled 540 meals that were delivered to the homes of men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-challenging illnesses.

Capital Area Food Bank Food Drive - Feb. 2-13, 2009; DC, Maryland & Virginia Washington Gas employees donated more than 3,300 pounds of food to two area food banks, which will allow 3,300 meals to be served to the region's hungry. More than 2,300 pounds of food were donated to the Capital Area Food Bank and more than 1,000 pounds were donated to the Blue Ridge Food Bank. Special thanks to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters - Local 96, and to business partner NPL of Manassas, Va.

Armed Forces Retirement Home - Jan. 24, 2009; Washington, DC

Forty-seven Washington Gas employees, family and friends visited with retirees at the Armed Forces Retirement Home to shoot pool, play cards, bowl and visit with residents.  In addition, Washington Gas presented donated a Wii system to the Armed Forces residents.

Project Weatherization - Nov. 1, 2008; Virginia
Twenty-five seniors and low-income residents of Arlington County benefited from the 3rd annual Project Weatherization event this year. Forty-two volunteers helped to weatherize resident homes ensuring a warmer winter for these families this winter. Project Weatherization was a partnership between Washington Gas and the Teamsters Local 96. The project was featured in the Arlington Sun Gazette in their "Green Living" section.   

Employee Giving Campaign - Oct. 20 - Dec. 5, 2008; Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC
During the six-week Employee Giving Campaign, employees donated more than $82,600 to a myriad of charities to help animals, abused women, children, the environment, feed the hungry, provide heating assistance and fund research to help cure a variety of illnesses.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light the Night - Oct. 18, 2008, Washington, DC
Fundraisers collected more than $30,700 to aid The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's fight against blood cancers. With the company's $10,000 corporate donation, the net total exceeds $40,000. Many employees supported this great cause by buying raffle and car wash tickets, participating in fish frys, bake sales, karaoke night, and cookouts. 

American Red Cross Blood Drives - 2008; Virginia and Washington, DC
Washington Gas has been hosting American Red Cross drives at various company locations for numerous decades. In 2008, Washington Gas held 8 drives across two different company locations. Over the course of the year, 323 life-saving pints of blood were donated and collected. At their annual awards luncheon in September of 2008, the Greater Chesapeake and Potomac Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross presented Washington Gas with "Recruitment Committee of the Year" award for the company's outstanding commitment to increasing the community blood supply by offering employees the opportunity to donate blood.