Annual Event Benefits Pediatric Mental Health Institute at Children’s Hospital

September 13, 2021 – Aurora, Colo. – A team of Encore Electric employees climbing to the top of a mountain.

But this wasn’t another electrical project in the life of our Encore Electric team, and the top of this mountain wasn’t metaphorical. It was a group of seven Encore teammates who recently went “Climbing for Kids” in support of the Pediatric Mental Health Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

The “Climbing for Kids” event is a hike up Mount Bierstadt to “raise awareness and financial support for the care of children and families who require early prevention, ongoing therapy, and access to medical professionals, for the kids who have a much larger mountain to climb.” The volunteer effort was led by Jessica Linder, project engineer at UCHealth Tower 3.

“The Pediatric Mental Health Institute’s Climbing for Kids event caught my eye because “When one person struggles, we all struggle. When one person triumphs, we all triumph.” (Coach Carter). While Encore has weathered the pandemic relatively unscathed, many haven’t been as fortunate,” Linder said. “Many are struggling under the weight of lost jobs, distant friends and family, and ailing mental and physical health. I realized that this, along with Encore’s commitment to providing mental health resources for employees, put us in a unique position to ‘take up the torch’ for increased awareness of and access to mental health resources for Colorado’s youth.”

The hike itself took place on August 6, 2021. Members of the Encore Electric team took their own personal time off to participate in the effort. Giving back to the community is mentioned in the core values of Encore Electric, and volunteerism is just one way that teammates put others ahead of themselves.

“Nothing gives back like giving – especially when it comes to the kids. It’s the most fulfilling thing I do,” said Bill McMillan, project engineer for Technology Solutions. “I started donating my time to some different organizations several years ago, and I’m not sure how life was lived without it.”

Together the team of seven, including Linder, McMillan, Charlie Mattie, John Danelek, Cheryl Steiner, Aaron VanDegrift, and Chris Walker, raised $5,200 for the Pediatric Mental Health Institute.

“The Climbing for Kids event was full of incredibly motivated and welcoming individuals with a passion for bringing awareness to Colorado’s youth mental health crisis. They made the Encore team feel right at home as we trekked up Mt. Bierstadt,” Linder said. “A few weeks later, Bill McMillan and I took a tour of the Pediatric Mental Health Institute to see precisely how impactful our donations would be. When we found out that the PMHI offers the only inpatient mental health program for children under 12 from Seattle to the Mississippi, it truly solidified the impact of Encore’s support. I look forward to climbing again next year and hope to see you all there!”

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