Encore Electric Team Members Volunteer on Front Range and Eagle County
October 22, 2020 – Lakewood, CO — Encore Electric volunteers donated time and expertise to two separate efforts for the Third Annual Encore Gives! Day, which took place on three different days.
Tiny Homes Community, Denver, CO
On August 22, 16 Encore Electric volunteers helped build eight tiny houses that will become part of the new Tiny Homes Beloved Community Village for Denver area women experiencing homelessness. This project is a collaboration between general contractor Whiting-Turner and other organizations that donated time and resources, including the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus (CCIC).
Encore Electric volunteers completed the initial rough-in phase on August 22 and another group of 13 volunteers returned to trim out the homes on October 17.
The Tiny Homes Beloved Community Village near 44th Avenue and Pearl Street in Denver will include 14, 96-square-foot homes, and each home will have electricity, heating, and cooling. These homes are designed to accommodate one person. To be selected to live in a Tiny Home, residents must apply and show that they are motivated to improve their current life situation. The community will have a common building for restrooms, kitchen facilities, and space to engage with others in the community.
Scott Larson, Denver Business Unit Leader for Encore Electric, was humbled to be in the position to give back to the community during unprecedented times. “I am proud of our Encore Team for volunteering their personal time to fulfill this goal,” Larson said. “Encore Electric and those of us in the construction fields have been blessed to be considered essential businesses.”
John Gellings, Senior Project Manager on the project for Whiting-Turner, praised the Encore Electric volunteers who helped make this project a reality. “Whiting-Turner has been engaged in the Tiny Home project for many years, and we cannot thank Encore Electric enough for their support in this important endeavor,” he said. “Encore has been an integral partner in every phase of the project. I was so thankful when Scott Larson invited me to help your crew rough in eight units a few weeks ago. In typical Encore fashion, we planned an eight-hour shift, and the work was done in four hours! Thank you for the support, and for continuing to have a positive impact in our community.”
Prior to Encore Gives! Day, Encore Electric worked closely with the Cherry Creek Innovation District on this project. At the beginning of the school year, students in the Infrastructure Engineering Pathway at the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus (CCIC) learned that they would be building tiny homes to be donated to the Colorado Village Collaborative to combat homelessness. Encore Electric Superintendent Bob Friedel partnered with students and teachers at CCIC to educate and help them trim out and pre-inspect another set of Tiny Homes.
“I’m passionate about helping schools. Construction is a great career and you don’t have to take on debt as you do for other career paths,” said Friedel. “That’s why I got involved with the Associated General Contractors schools program and eventually the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus (CCIC).”
Thank you to all the volunteers who participated in the Tiny Homes Community project, including Jonathan Emmons, Bob Friedel, Randy Funk, Chad Lee, Noah Welshans, Scott Larson, Brenden Larson, Dale Cole, Chris Cole, Jeff Muhlrad, Jessica Linder, John Clouse, Cole Edmondson, Ariel Johnson, Giovanny Jimenez, Austin Newton, Meg VanderLaan, Patrick Marsolek, Amber Marsolek, Slade Pletcher, Garry Lawrenz, Adam Dillman, Charlie Mattie, Marlin Linder, Dean Larson, John Gellings, and Josh Parker.
Eagle River Cleanup, Eagle, CO
In early September, 11 Encore Electric volunteers participated in the Eagle River Clean Up for the fifth year in a row. The Eagle River plays an important role in the surrounding communities’ recreational activities and Encore Electric employees take pride in continuing to keep the river clean and maintained for the community to enjoy.
The Eagle River Cleanup, hosted by Vail Resorts, is a hallmark event of the Eagle River Watershed Council. At the annual Eagle River Cleanup, more than 350 volunteers from local businesses, organizations, families, and friends form teams to clean up more than 68 miles of Eagle County rivers and streams.
Encore Electric Administrative Assistant Courtney Raab participated in the Eagle Valley River Cleanup and said that volunteering sets a positive example. “We hope the actions of Encore and the many other volunteers who participate in the River Cleanup encourage others to keep our rivers clean,” she said.
Thank you to all of the volunteers, including Liz Bankert, Eric Bankert, Dylan Bankert, Tom Kapoun, Nate Netzhammer, Jesus Morales, Kerri Ast, Greg Ast, Mimi Dawson, Justin Clarke, and Courtney Raab.
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