News Release
Silver Star community service team spruces up Tetonia - 7/16/2009
Driggs, ID, July 16, 2009 – Employees at Silver Star Communications have teamed up to tackle community service projects throughout their serving area. One of the first Teton Valley projects took place in Tetonia, as a group of ten employees set out to improve the grounds of the Ruby Carson Memorial Park.
Team captains, Donna Woolstenhulme and Brian Pentz, reported that the team “power washed and painted the picnic tables, dugout benches and post’s surrounding the monument and landscaped two garden areas, digging up the grass around the monument, trimming the junipers, and spreading bark.” Heather Hansen, one of the team members, stated that “it was fun working with the team to accomplish a project that helped beautify the city.” While Silver Star provided the labor, the project would not have been possible without the donations of 3 yards of bark from MD Nursery, stain and paint from the City of Tetonia and paint supplies from Ace Hardware.
New this year for Silver Star, the company has allocated resources for every employee to be able to participate on a community service team. Each team is in charge of brainstorming their own projects and organizing their own events. Teams were only given a few guidelines: 1) the project must be team based, 2) the project must benefit the local community, and 3) the project must be service based.
In April of 2008 Silver Star enrolled in a sustainability program organized by the Yellowstone Business Partnership called UnCommon Sense. This two year program teaches companies how to operate in a more sustainable fashion, economically, environmentally and socially. The community service projects were created as a part of the social component of the program, as a way to enhance the company’s investment to the community. Silver Star has long donated financially to non-profits in the community and sponsors many local events and organizations, but felt that it could improve in the area of community service.
In total there will be 10 community service projects completed in 2009 between Star Valley, Swan Valley and Teton Valley – Silver Star’s primary serving area. The projects range from trail work to painting.
Allen Hoopes, CEO and President of Silver Star Communications, stated “I, along with our Board of Directors, felt strongly enough about being active in our local communities that we budgeted for each employee to dedicate 10 hours of time to these community service projects. Supporting our local community is truly of utmost importance to us. Without thriving local communities, our company would not be able to offer the services it does today. It’s great to see Silver Star’s employees active in the community, and while many are personally, we wanted projects supported by the company.”