Community Involvement

Walker Machinery is proud to be active in the communities that we serve. From projects that make are community more active, beautiful, and special to helping to keep our environment clean...Walker Machinery is there.

Dec. 10, 2011

BELLE–“It’s happiness and joy when you see these kids,” Bobbi Jo Thomas said.
Thomas is Inventory Controller for the Sales Office at Walker Machinery Co. but each year, she is also Santa Claus. She and her husband Ronald and her in-laws Helen and Ron Thomas help underprivileged children under the program “Ronald’s Elves.” This is their 17th year.
Thomas’s husband Ronald initiated the program the first year. His dad worked for the board of education and helped with establishing the program through some of the schools. A school is chosen to receive Christmas gifts, shoes, gloves and coats for their underprivileged students.
“It’s a wonderful cause,” Thomas said. She remembers that inaugural year.
“Some of the people didn’t show up,” she said. “One woman, there, had four kids and she was very thankful for their gifts. The woman explained how her family was struggling and had fallen on hard times.
“She stepped out for a bit and while she was gone, my mom unwrapped gifts that people had not picked up. Every gift that was left was a size for that woman’s kids or something they wanted. Every gift pertained to her family and it was all given to them when she returned. It still sends chills up my body.”
By the end of September, Thomas contacts an elementary school. For the past two years it has been Weimer Elementary, in St. Albans. The counselor chooses which children should be included and sends letters home to the parents requesting children’s sizes, what the children would like and what they really need. This year they had over 50 children. After the paperwork is in, Thomas looks for shoppers. Some folks donate money and others shop for a child or an entire family. Some business, such as Eastern American Energy Corp. sponsor several children. Other businesses pitch in money to the coat, glove and shoe fun. Several Walker employees participate each year and do some shopping.
The shoppers bring the gifts to Thomas and she and Helen go shopping for the coats, shoes and gloves. All of the presents are loaded, including 56 boxes for each child, containing coats, shoes, gloves, candy sticks, crayons and coloring books. According to Thomas, Helen organizes everything, including the children’s party, where Santa visits, DJ Phil Chapman entertains and there is food for everyone.
“It’s a wonderful feeling to be able to help someone,” Thomas said. “I always wanted to help people but could never do it on my own. Just knowing they are getting something they need - it touches my heart. I am very thankful for all that help to make this happen. This program could not happen without the support of everyone.”
If anyone is interested in helping Ronald’s Elves, next year, please contact Bobbi Jo at extension 2205.

Bobbi Joe Thomas has taught her son Ryan to help with Ronald's Elves.

Nov. 10, 2011

Seeking Smiles this Christmas

The 18th Annual WE CAN Celebrity Waiter/Waitress Dinner and Auction took place Nov. 10, at the Earl Ray Tomblin Convention Center. Some of the guests were, from left: Abbie Hatfield, Ellen Browning’s daughter and husband Emily and Jennings, Walker mechanic from the Logan store Joseph Miller and his wife Sherri Miller, who is also Browning’s sister.

LOGAN – For Ellen Browning it is a child’s smile she is seeking.
Browning is program director for the Children’s Home Society WE CAN (Working to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect) Program, a non-profit organization that has been in business 115 years. She works in the Logan office.
This year Browning, and a few helpers, bought toys for 370 children aged pre-birth to 17. Shopping money came from the proceeds of the 18th Annual WE CAN Celebrity Waiter/Waitress Dinner and Auction that took place Nov. 10, at the Earl Ray Tomblin Convention Center. The annual event raises funds for a Christmas party and presents for children through the Child Protective Services social service unit. This is Browning’s 12th year of involvement in the program. Why is it worthwhile?
“It is the differences we make in these children’s lives and smiles on their faces when they don’t normally have them,” she said.
Through an advisory board, Browning nominates different local folks to be celebrity waiters and waitresses. Those servers encourage their friends, family and vendors to come to the dinner and sponsor tables to sit at and be served. Patriot Coal invited Walker employees to sponsor a table while Patriot’s employees were their servers. Walker Machinery has been involved for awhile, according to Browning.
“Patriot’s team was fantastic this year,” Browning said. “They had six or seven tables and they were on top of it.”
Walker Mining Manager Kevin Barnhouse appreciated Mike Day, Senior Vice President of Patriot Coal, inviting Walker to participate in this event.
“The dinner was well organized, well attended and the cause well supported by the community,” Barnhouse said. “I am proud to be part of the Coal industry and was privileged to witness, first – hand, its positive impact on the communities we work and live in once again.
WE CAN makes their money through server tips and an auction. After dinner a live auction starts while a banker is counting the tips. Browning awards a trophy to the top three companies with the highest tips.
“While it is a competition, everyone knows where the money is going,” Browning said.
In addition to the Christmas event, money goes towards a weekend program summer camp.
WE CAN directs two fundraisers annually. The second one, a Vaudeville Review Show, will take place in the spring.

For more information contact Ellen Browning at ellen.m.browning@wv.gov.

Relay For Life 2009: Walkers For A Cure Team Surpasses Fundraising Goal

Relay For Life, which took place June 12 at the West Virginia Capitol in Charleston was a record-breaker, bringing in more than $134,000 for the American Cancer Society.

The Walker Machinery Co. team, The Walkers For A Cure, raised $9,570.96, surpassing its fundraising goal of $7,000! That placed the team second out of 70!

Two of our team members each raised more than $1,000, placing them in the top five (out of 823 participants) for fundraising!

The Walkers For A Cure, (comprised of employees and friends of Walker Machinery), would like to thank the many people who contributed to this wonderful event, whether it was by making a general donation, purchasing a luminary bag, participating in the Vacation Day and NASCAR drawings, or even providing baked goods for our bake sale!

Relay For Life is the signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. ACS is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service. For more information, call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.

May 26, 2011

WALKER EMPLOYEES TAKE MISSION TRIP WITH LOCAL CHURCH

BELLE – Rhonda Cole has been busy, all day, sorting clothing and household items.
She is secretary of Highland Park Church of Christ, in Muscle Shoals, Ala. When the victims of last month’s flood finally move into a new home, they go with only the clothes on their backs, Cole said.
“They have no towels, washcloths, dishes, nothing. It just blows your mind,” she said. “I just love Alabama. The people here have really come together.”
But many folks from outside the state are helping too, such as Joe Pauley, preacher of Belle Church of Christ. He has been pastor, there, for 11 years. This is the first time the church has ventured out to help a disaster. According to Joe, it was originally a personal wish to help the flood victims, driven by his wife Misty. She knows people in Muscle Shoals.
She said, “I’m tired of sending money; I want to do something.”
Misty posted an announcement on Facebook and Joe mentioned it, in church, that night. They announced they were collecting items, such as new underwear, socks and diapers. Many people responded, including friends, co-workers and other churches. Some gave cash. Students and teachers from the second grade at Belle Elementary donated most of the diapers.
“We had to narrow it down because we knew they needed so much of so many different things,” Joe said. “We just thought of things we could take.”
The original idea was to have church members, such as Keith Briggs, parts man for field service at Walker Machinery, go to Alabama to scope out a plan. Based on their findings, they were going to take a trip later.
“Well, we were overwhelmed,” Joe said.
Initially, 24 responded to take the trip. Seventeen are actually going to Alabama, in four vehicles. A trailer, donated by Walker employee Dennis Koch will haul all of the donated items.
“It’s a brand new trailer, but he’s letting us take it,” Briggs said. “But that’s how he is.”
In addition to hauling new items to Highland Park Church, Joe and his crew will also be working through Hatton Church of Christ, in Hatton, Ala. This is where the cash donations will go, Joe said. Their specific task, for now, is to hang drywall in an elderly man’s home, who is without home insurance.
“I don’t have anything to gain by it,” Joe said. “I just know that I want to help somebody.”
“That’s what God wants us to do,” Briggs said.
In addition to working at Walker, Briggs is also the deacon of benevolence and outreach at Belle Church of Christ. Mark Dearth, mechanic in the engine shop will also be taking the trip along with some former Walker employees.
“It will be months and months of this,” Cole said. “Some of the people are beginning to move into FEMA trailers, but still people are living in tents. FEMA can’t help everyone; they are relying on churches to help out.”

Photo: from left: Joe Pauley, preacher of Belle Church of Christ and Keith Briggs, parts man for field service at Walker Machinery.

Returning students receive free lunch

MONTGOMERY – The returning students of West Virginia University Technical College and Bridgemont Community and Technical College, of Montgomery, received a warm welcome.
On August 31, the City of Montgomery, Board of Parks and Recreation, and local businesses sponsored a free lunch from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Free hotdogs, chips, candy, cookies and drinks were passed out to the tunes of a local band, Calendars and Kerosene.
Greg Ingram, Component Rebuild Center manager at Walker Machinery Co. and City Recorder of Montgomery, grilled hotdogs provided by Walker. Walker also provided the buns. According to Ingram, the event was important because so many college towns
have a separation between them, referred to as “Town and Gown.”Town and gown are two distinct communities of a university town; "town" being the non-academic population.
“It is important to welcome the students back to destroy those divisions,” he said. “We want the students to be part of Montgomery and the residents of Montgomery to be part of Tech. It’s the only way the city can be successful.”

Greg Ingram, Component Rebuild Center manager helps serve students a free lunch.