In October, Emerald PUD kicked off Public Power Week and celebrated its upcoming 40th anniversary by giving back to the communities it serves. Throughout October and November, the utility held multiple events, from coffee giveaways to food and clothing drives, and volunteered at schools, food pantries, and community support organizations. These efforts were made not only to show our appreciation to our customer-owners and communities, but also to celebrate public power and Emerald's 40th anniversary as a working utility.
Coffee Giveaways – To celebrate 40 years, we treated the first 40 customers to delicious coffee drinks at 5 of the most popular coffee establishments in our district. We saw a great turnout, thanks to the talented baristas at Blue Valley Bistro, Gold Rush Espresso, Espresso 58, Cup of Joe, and Max Porter's who made the event a success! View photos of happy customers on our Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok pages! (Don't forget to follow us @EmeraldPUD!)
Food Drive – Employees collected and donated 425 pounds of food during its food drive! Boxes of non-perishable foods were taken to the Helping Hand food pantry that serves the Marcola community.
Coat Drive – Employees collected and purchased nearly 60 adult- and kid-sized coats, which were donated to Community Sharing in Cottage Grove.
Volunteer Work – Staff helped Junction City Local Aid with multiple projects, including yard work, replacing lighting, repacking goods, and assisting clients. At Food for Lane County, employees sorted and organized food and drink donations. A line crew also got involved by giving the food pantry at Mid Lane Cares a fresh coat of paint. At local schools, employees removed a dead tree, fixed a hole in a roof, and participated in two career fairs.
"I'm proud of the contributions staff has made to support our communities," said General Manager Kyle Roadman. "It's a wonderful feeling to give back to those who have supported Emerald all these years."