December 2014

WELCOME TO MCLINC’S DECEMBER 2014 NEWSLETTER

Employees of Materials and Chemistry Laboratory, Inc. (MCLinc) welcome you as a reader of our December 2014 newsletter. This newsletter continues the theme used for the December issue for the past two years: “MCLinc Employees Celebrate the Christmas Season by Giving – Collectively and individually.” We are utilizing this issue to bring you stories about some of our favorite charities and to share with you the joy we find in being able to give to others.

While MCLinc employees are finding time in their busy laboratory schedules to plan our annual Christmas Party at the Heritage Conference Center, we have asked them to contribute a short paragraph about their family’s experiencing the joy of giving during this holiday season. Their stories will possibly acquaint you with some new ideas about sharing with those in need. Each of us invites you to share in that joy.

Contributions to charitable causes are part of the corporate culture of McLinc. While this past year has not been as profitable for McLinc as some others, we have continued to share our resources and the articles this month highlight some of the organizations we support. We continue to be a corporate sponsor of CASA of the Tennessee Heartland. During the 26 years the agency has served this area over 3500 children have had someone to sit in court with them, to speak up for them and to advocate for a forever family for them. MCLinc salutes the volunteers and supporters of CASA who have made this possible. We are proud to be a corporate sponsor of CASA and ask you to join us in this work.

Collectively, the employee-owners of MCLinc will again this year provide gifts for Oak Ridge children who would otherwise not be able to have gifts this Christmas season. If you are not familiar with the work of the Oak Ridge Schools Resource Center, please take time to learn more about the agency’s work in this month Newsletter.

The newsletter is not long enough for us to comment on all the worthwhile organizations supported by MCLinc and our employees. A few that we will mention include: Boy Scouts; Girl Scouts; Boy and Girls Club of Oak Ridge; Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge; CASA of the Ninth Civil District; Girls Incorporated; Oak Ridge Public School Education Foundation; Roane State Foundation; United Way; Second Harvest; Rotary International; and Roane Imagination Library. We appreciate the work of these organizations and of the hundreds of volunteers who deliver the services they provide.

Finally, we express our gratitude to you – our friends and customers. Your friendship and patronage are essential to the continued success of MCLinc. Thank you and please let us know your thoughts about how we can serve you better.

We hope you enjoy the Newsletter and pass it along to anyone you think may be interested. We invite you to visit our laboratory here at the Heritage Center (ETTP) (K25) or learn more about us at our website – www.mcl-inc.com. As you make plans for 2015, please reserve some time on February 12, 2015 to enjoy our Customer Appreciation pancake breakfast at MCLinc’s Heritage Conference Center

We wish you a Merry Christmas. Enjoy the Holidays.
Barry

MCLinc Helps Emory Valley Center
with New Facility

MCLinc is proud to make a contribution to the Emory Valley Center located in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Emery Valley Center recently received approval to tear down an old facility on its property. Before the building can be torn down, samples must be analyzed to assess the levels of asbestos, PCB’s and lead present in the structure. MCLinc and Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) have teamed to provide sampling and analysis services for this project at no cost to the Emery Valley Center. This contribution makes it possible to complete this portion of the project without taking money from the Capital Campaign. MCLinc and ORAU want to be a part of the new building for Emory Valley and we encourage your support of the Capital Campaign.

The Emory Valley Center is a non-profit agency that services children and adults with disabilities. Their mission is to enhance the lives of children, adults, and families in an environment that promotes independence, dignity, and respect. The Emory Valley Center is currently located in the Daniel Arthur Rehabilitation Center building. This facility will be torn down in early 2015 due to the cost for maintenance and continued operation of the old and inefficient building. Many of the clients at the center, who have faced many obstacles and challenges in their lives, have outlived their parents and are dependent on the Emory Valley Center for their total support. Emory Valley has embarked on a major Capital Campaign to replace the building and continue their legacy that began more than 50 years ago. Emory Valley says, “We are losing our building and must turn to the community for help so that these services may continue.” If you would like to make a tax-deductible gift to the Emory Valley Capital Campaign you may do so by visiting their website donation page at http://www.emoryvalleycenter.com/, or by contacting Dottie Thompson, Emory Valley Center Campaign Committee Co-Chair by email dathompson6@comcast.net or at (865) 483-3659.

MCLinc Employees Sponsor Zambian Children

MCLinc employee Kassie Perkins traveled to Zambia, Africa this summer to attend Camp LIFE with fifty American volunteers and five hundred orphan children. This camp specifically works to address the needs of the orphaned and vulnerable children of this country. Zambia is home to more than one million orphans, giving it the highest per capita orphan rate in the world. Through Family Legacy Fathers Heart sponsorship the children who attend Camp LIFE are given the opportunity to attend school and receive food and medical care through the Family Legacy organization and the sponsorship of Americans. Kassie and MCLinc employee Diann Hall sponsor two children, Mary and Joanna. These children are in stable housing and are receiving an education thanks to their sponsorships. If you would like to make a life changing sponsorship to a child in Zambia that desperately needs your help you can do so by following this link, http://familylegacy.com/, or by giving the Family Legacy organization a call at 972-620-2020. Also feel free to contact Kassie Perkins about her experience at Camp LIFE or about sponsoring a child at (423) 223-5273.

MCLinc Employees and Families Celebrate Christmas

MCLinc hosted its annual employee Christmas Party on Saturday December 13th. It was a great time for employees to meet coworker’s family members and share in wonderful food catered by Gloria Jean’s. There was a surprise visit from Santa, who brought gifts for the children in attendance. It was a wonderful time to celebrate the closing of the MCLinc business year and the friendships that exist between MCLinc employees.

MCLinc’s Perkins Named Miss Food City

Congratulations to MCLinc employee, Kassie Perkins, who was crowned Miss Food City in early September. Kassie received one thousand dollars in cash, a thousand dollar scholarship, and will represent Food City at the Food City 500 NASCAR race in Bristol, Tennessee. So far, Kassie has signed autographs alongside racing legend Richard Petty and has been a part of a $100,000 check donation to the Paralyzed Veterans of America Association. Kassie is very excited to partner with Food City this year and is anxious to see what new events are in store along this journey.

MCLinc Employees Sponsor Oak Ridge Family Resource Center Angel Tree

Employees of Materials and Chemistry Laboratory, Inc. are helping to sponsor the Oak Ridge Schools Family Resource Center (FRC) Angel Tree project for the third consecutive year. This program is directed by Jo Bruce who is assisted by Jessica Bivens. By utilizing over 25 corporate sponsors and many caring individuals the FRC will be able to provide over 700 children with the magic that comes in believing in Christmas. If you would like to partner with the Family Resource Center, please call Jo Bruce at 425-3205 or Jessica Bivens at 425-9401. You may also reach Ms. Bruce through email atjbruce@ortn.edu.

Some of the MCLinc staff wrapping the gifts and getting them ready for their sponsored children to open on Christmas morning.

Mark Your Calendars
for the Pancake Breakfast

Save the date! MCLinc will be hosting its annual Pancake Breakfast on February 12, 2015 from 6:30 to 9:30 am. Stop by to meet the friendly MCLinc staff and have a heart shaped pancakes on us! ORUD will be selling Valentines gifts again this year. All proceeds support the “Have a Heart, Heat a Home” campaign which makes it possible for needy families to keep their heat on during the winter months.

The employees of MCLinc enjoy meeting and visiting with our customers and friends. Please drop by sometime between 6:30 and 9:30 for breakfast.

Book Orders to Raise Money for Imagination Library

At the Stephenson Pig Roast, the Imagination Library was featured alongside the children’s book written by Kassie Perkins, Miss Tennessee International 2014. MCLinc pledged to donate two dollars to the Imagination Library for every book sold. Kassie’s children’s book, “Where there is a Will, there is a Way,” would make a great gift for any child. The cost is $10, including shipping, and all books come with an autographed photo from Miss Tennessee and the book signed and personalized with the child’s name. If you would like to place an order, you may do so by following this link, http://misstnint.com/book, or by placing your order with Kassie at (423) 223-5273.

KARM, Crisis Center for Women of Lenior City and The Salvation Army

MCLinc employee, Jack Hall, donates to three main charities during the Christmas season. Jack says that he has chosen to support KARM, Crisis Center for Women of Lenior City and the Salvation Army because these programs strive to help “the total person.” “These programs feed, cloth, and help individuals get back into society thus making a life changing impact.” KARM stands for Knoxville Area Rescue Ministries. This program provides rescue services of food and shelter, and then KARM offers healthy supportive relationships. KARM says their ultimate goal for the individuals they serve is restoration. Learn more about KARM and how you can get involved at http://karm.org/. The Crisis Center for Women of Lenior City helps women in need by providing a safe environment for them and their children while offering them support and counseling. This program also helped women affected by domestic violence with legal aid. The Salvation Army provides services ranging from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless, and opportunities for underprivileged children. To learn more about this organization and how to become involved visit http://www.paradisedivision.org/knoxville/.

Stephenson Supports Rotary International

Donating to Rotary International is Barry Stephenson’s preferred way to support international missions. R.I. focuses efforts in six areas: promoting peace, preventing diseases, providing access to clean water and sanitation, enhancing maternal and child health, improving basic education and literacy, and helping communities develop. All this in addition to a dedication to ending polio in our lifetimes. Volunteers in Rotary find the problem, identify the cause, and implement the solution.

The system works so well because of the worldwide distribution of Rotarians. Solutions are implemented with the help of Rotarians from local clubs. Nearly 90% of money donated to R.I. is used to directly fund project expenses. Working with fellow Rotarians on projects outside the United States gives Barry confidence that money is being applied directly to the solution of problems in a responsible way. Learn more about Rotary International at www.rotary.org or visit a local Rotary Club.

Sustainability Matching Challenge for Roane Imagination Library 

MCLinc Sponsors Sustainability Matching Challenge Grant for Roane Imagination Library
The Roane Imagination Library is an initiative that mails one free book per month to children under the age of five that are enrolled in the program. While this program was created by Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, all funds for the organization must be raised through the communities which it serves. In Tennessee, there has been a partnership established with the Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation which matches each fundraised dollar for the Imagination Libraries across the state. The goal of the Imagination Library is to create reading readiness in the children that it serves. The children enrolled in this program begin school with book handling skills and an understanding of letter and word concepts, thus, ready to learn to read. Since 2004 over 20 million books have been delivered, more than 384,000 five-year-olds have graduated from the Imagination Library and 407,813 children under the age of five have access to the Imagination Library.

Materials and Chemistry Laboratory proudly sponsored the Sustainability Matching Challenge Grant this year for the Roane Imagination Library. For this challenge, MCLinc match donations for all donors that pledged to donate for three years. At a local level Pro 2 Serve also matched donations. All together $15,837, almost 20% of the Roane Imagination Library’s annual budget, was raised. The total was then matched by the Governors Books from Birth Foundation. Thanks to Roane Imagination Library Coordinator, Jill McMaster, and her volunteer staff this program is constantly growing to encompass more children. If you would like to become a volunteer with this life changing organization or make a donation you can contact Jill McMaster at roaneimaginationlibr@gmail.com.

Sanders Supports
Missions of Hope

MCLinc Laboratory Manager, Michele Sanders, is giving to Missions of Hope this Christmas season. Missions of Hope is a ministry that extends a helping hand and strives to bring hope to those who might not have much otherwise. This ministry concentrates on families living in rural Appalachia where a lack of jobs and opportunities can cause long lasting financial hardships. Michele is donating shoes and socks to Robbins Elementary school. If you would like to learn more about Missions of Hope, or become involved in the program you can visit their website at http://missionofhope.org/.