In one of our holiday videos this year, we asked kids, "What is community?" Not surprisingly for a bright bunch of youngsters, they knew; "Community is a place where you live, work, and play." I couldn't agree more! In the past year, our employees have reached-out and made a positive impact on the communities they call home, and here are a few highlights.

Gulf Coast Restoration

Seth Bradley, Agaha Brass, Jerri Daniels, Rebecca Hernandez-Collazo, and Christopher Sliwinski have dedicated themselves, both personally and professionally, to restoring the coast of Louisiana. Professionally, they operate out of our New Orleans office and run many engineering efforts in one of the most susceptible FEMA regions of our nation. That professional passion overflows into their personal lives as well.

Back in November, the group volunteered with the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) to repair the Louisiana wetlands. Together they planted 300 cypress trees near the Cypress Bayou in Lacombe, Louisiana. The native trees will improve water quality, reduce flooding, create wildlife habitat and provide beautiful natural scenery.

Two Decades of Middle School Involvement

Fairfax, Virginia, is more than just the location of our corporate office, it's a home to many of us, including the schools where our children learn and grow.

2013 marked the 20th year our employees have been involved with the Expanding Visions program at Luther Jackson Middle School, located a mile from our corporate headquarters. As part of this program, our professionals spend a day with students and teachers, sharing insights about the engineering and architectural professions. By holding interactive learning activities with the students, we help them understand the positive impact engineering and architectural design work have on their community. This year, students learned about our work with a local pollution control plant and why it's so important to the health of the community.

Practice What We Preach

Early this year, we were selected to provide comprehensive planning services for the restoration of the Three Mile Creek Watershed in Mobile County, Alabama. While we will complete a Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan (WMP) aimed at restoring the watershed, we have to practice what we preach.

A dozen employees gathered from across the country in late March to participate in a cleanup event for the creek. Employees arrived in Alabama to fill more than 75 garbage bags with trash, clothes, bottles, cans, and other rubber objects. The group collected dozens of used tires, multiple bicycles, and even a jet ski!

Happy Holidays from Our Community to Yours

These activities provide a snapshot of our employee's dedication to give back to where they live, work, and play. And in this time of well-wishes, we truly wish nothing but the best to you and yours. Happy holidays!