Photo Story
Lyondell Volunteers Spend a Day on
the Prairie
The more than 70 Lyondell employee volunteers, family members and retirees who spent the day at Goose Lake Prairie were among an estimated 3,500 volunteers from Lyondell facilities around the world taking part in 46 different community service projects on the same day as part of Lyondell’s Seventh Annual Global Care Day.
Global Care Day began in 2000 as a one-day community service initiative developed by Lyondell to encourage employees around the globe to come together on the same day each year to make a difference in their community. Last year, more than 3,000 employee volunteers participated in 42 different community service projects in places as diverse as Australia, England, Brazil and Illinois. This year community service projects took place on five continents, eight countries and ten U.S. states.
These service projects are organized around one of the company’s three community focus areas: the environment, education, and community sustainability. Each participating Lyondell site selects a project that meets the following criteria: it addresses a community need, it is aligned with one of our three community focus areas, and it will leave behind a visible improvement because of employee involvement.
Locally, Lyondell’s Truman Hwang, Lindsay Frerichs, led the team of employees that planned the Global Care Day project in conjunction with Park Superintendent Joe Giacone and Pat Neff from Goose Lake Prairie Partners.
"We were delighted with the transformation that took place in the Park in a few hours,” said Neff. “The Lyondell team took on what otherwise would be overwhelming jobs for the handful of regular volunteers and park staff at Goose Lake Prairie, and planted, beautified, constructed and generally granted all of our wishes for Global Care Day.”
Other members of the Lyondell volunteer planning team included Terrell Martin, Jason Wicks and Mike Fritz.
The volunteers tackled projects that included replacing the screening on the butterfly barn, tree planting, mulching trees and garden areas, tending several miles of walking trails, and creating several improvements to the pioneer cabin.
“Global Care Day is but one of the ways that our employees become personally and directly involved in our community,” said Rich Purgason, Plant Manager for Lyondell’s Morris plant and one of the volunteers. “Our employees have a wealth of talent and we are gratified to see them use that talent and energy in serving our community.”
Lyondell’s Morris plant produces plastic resins used to make such products as leak-proof containers for juices, toiletries and household chemicals, packaging that protects food from spoilage and contamination, and children’s toys that are safe and durable.
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Lyondell Chemical Company, headquartered in Houston, Texas, is North America’s third-largest independent, publicly traded chemical company. Lyondell is a major global manufacturer of basic chemicals and derivatives including ethylene, propylene, titanium dioxide, styrene, polyethylene, propylene oxide and acetyls. It also is a significant producer of gasoline blending components. The company has a 58.75 percent interest in LYONDELL-CITGO Refining LP, a refiner of heavy, high-sulfur crude oil. Lyondell is a global company operating on five continents and employs approximately 10,000 people worldwide.
Prairie Partners walked the trails to see all the improvements made by the Lyondell Employees. It was exciting to see so much accomplished! Our pictures were taken the day of the Prairie Partner Walk.
Lyondell helped the Partners replace the Prairie Kids by cutting out the kids and putting on a primer coat. Two sets! How nice!
Burr Oak Tress were planted in the Picnic Grove; seven in all.
Jo Fleming, our veteran Partner, dreamed of a barn wood corner cabinet. Lyondell made her dream come true.
Gardens and trails were vastly improved, thanks to Lyondell's tender loving care.
The Lyondell employees spent a lot of time refreshing the interior of the cabin also.
The Butterfly barn not only has the new sign out front, but new plants were planted, new screens were installed over the building and chicken wire was secured around the bottom of the screen so our prairie creatures cannot get into the barn.
New prairie plants were planted in the gardens and mulch was spread. Partners admired the work in the Flag Pole Garden.
