By Stephanie Warsmith
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 09:22 p.m. EDT, Sep 08, 2010
Last year, Dominion East Ohio employees pulled weeds, planted grasses and trees, and built a kiosk outside the historic Howe House along the Canalway in downtown Akron.
The volunteers returned to the West Exchange Street site Wednesday to improve on their work — pulling weeds, replanting trees and painting the kiosk they built.
They also put in a three-tier, stoneamphitheater and constructed a retaining wall along the canal.
Both year's efforts were part of Dominion's ''Putting Our Energy to Work for the Environment'' program in which teams of 40 to 50 employees tackle outdoor improvement projects, with many focused on areas along the Towpath Trail.
''It makes our employees feel good,'' said Terry Bishop, Dominion's philanthropy manager. ''It's a way for us to give back.''
Dominion employees have given an estimated $350,000 worth of in-kind contributions and 200,000 hours to projects along the canal from Cleveland to New Philadelphia in the past 10 years, according to Dan Rice, president of the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition.
More than 40 Dominion employees, including office and construction workers and meter readers, helped with Wednesday's effort at the Howe House, which is the headquarters for the canalway coalition.
Sean O'Donnell of Wooster, who handles service calls for Dominion, worked up a sweat as he pulled weeds along the canal. He said he enjoys helping out, even though it's hard work.
''It's nice to be around people I don't see and to give something to the communities we work in,'' he said.
Rice and Mayor Don Plusquellic praised the Dominion volunteers during a news conference at Howe House.
''Dominion has proven its commitment to the community,'' Plusquellic said to company employees. ''We don't get the chance to thank you enough.''
After the Dominion volunteers complete their effort, Project EverGreen, a national nonprofit group, and several local landscaping companies will continue the beautification effort, putting in hundreds of donated plants and trees around the Howe House.
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com.
