We invest in our communities because when they grow stronger, we all benefit. Volunteers — whether employees, retirees, friends, or family members — are making our communities better places to work and live.
Weyerhaeuser encourages employees to volunteer in our communities and supports their volunteer efforts. In 2010, 1,102 Weyerhaeuser employees completed more than 113 projects and contributed nearly 14,127 volunteer hours through the team-based Making WAVES and individual iWAVE volunteer programs.
When is making waves a good thing? When employees, retirees, families, and friends contribute time, energy, and skills to projects in their communities through the team-based Making WAVES (Weyerhaeuser Active Volunteer Employees) program and individual iWAVE program—and earn grant money for their favorite nonprofits, municipal organizations and schools at the same time.
Weyerhaeuser invests in the communities where we operate, and we honor our employees who do the same. Making WAVES and iWAVE, administered though the Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund, is one way volunteers are making a difference across the United States and Canada.
Sustainability in Action
Dogged determination
While studies show that dogs can be trained to detect cancer, a Weyerhaeuser team recently demonstrated that any obedient mutt can help fight it.
For many years — and many miles — company volunteers in Hot Springs, Ark., have participated in the American Cancer Society's annual Relay For Life fundraising event. This year, Team Weyerhaeuser sponsored a new event, the first of its kind in their county. Called Bark For Life, this hairier version of the Relay invited dogs and their best friends to the local Magic Springs and Crystal Falls theme park for a walk to raise funds and awareness.
After hundreds of hours of volunteer coordination, tails wagged and tongues lolled March 26. The barkers included some 50 dogs of all pedigrees — including a police K-9 and Elvis, a Westminster Dog Show "Best of Breed" coonhound. An even larger number of two-legged participants included local veterinarians, business sponsors, and other community Relay For Life teams. In addition to dog walking, the four-hour event included demonstrations, contests, and edible treats for both dogs and their owners.
"When we started, we didn't realize how big it might become," says Regina Aitken, administrative assistant for iLevel in Hot Springs and one of the many volunteers who organized the event. "But we have a lot of dog lovers on our committee, and the Hot Springs Kennel Club was all over it. The whole thing took off like crazy." The weather on Bark day didn't cooperate much, but Aitken says the event went well nonetheless.
"It was incredible, and the dogs were so well behaved! If we'd had good weather, we probably would've had 150 dogs there."
Bark For Life still raised more than $3,500 for the American Cancer Society. According to Aitken, the team learned a lot and is likely to repeat the event. "It could be replicated anywhere," she adds, noting that enthusiastic dog lovers have held Bark For Life events in approximately 100 communities nationwide.
"We had too much success not to do it again," she says. "But maybe we'll do our next one in fall sunshine instead!"
