WSU thanks Elm for generosity; work anniversaries, shoutouts and more

A note from WSU on the Back-to-School baskets you generously donated toward:

Just wanted to say how wonderful it is to have such support from you, allowing us to give out our welcome baskets to students. I distributed several today and wanted to share a few moments:

A young woman arrived by herself and told me that her DCF worker told her to come by. She was navigating move-in day all by herself and was so thrilled to have an opportunity to receive the welcome basket. She just kept saying, “Is this for REAL??!” Once she picked out her basket, we both realized that it was going to be too heavy for her to carry all the way back to her residence hall. At the same time, another young man, who is also in foster care, arrived for his basket. We all started talking and he offered to walk the young woman to her residence hall and carry her basket for her. It was just such a beautiful moment of giving, receiving, connection, and paying it forward.

Another young woman arrived with a foster parent. She was pretty quiet, but the foster parent shared with me that she transferred from Worcester State because she had such an awful experience and felt isolated and alone. This young woman was also surprised and so appreciative of her basket. She said, “So you do this for all of us?!” I assured her this was only part of what we did and that we were here for her as a single point of contact to her to navigate this experience. The foster parent teared up and hugged me and said, “Thank you. This will make all the difference.”

These are just two moments of the difference you make in everything that you do to help support everything we do. Thank you.

Please give a warm welcome to the following new hires at Elm’s Middletown office:

Congratulations to the following employees celebrating a work anniversary in September!

Elm shoutouts

Congrats, Seanna Arana for obtaining your 1C and 2A hoisting license! Way to go! … We see you, Brittany Samson, crushing it as the new head of Purchasing! Britt and Sydney Vallee are the dynamic duo ensuring materials get to jobsites on time and at a competitive cost! Do your part to help keep Purchasing & Payables running smoothly: Plan ahead; get your orders in early; and don’t ever pick up material without first getting a PO for the slip… A giant thank-you, Tim Williams!Y our “tireless efforts on the ESOP” did not go unnoticed. “It took hundreds of hours to pull together the financial pieces for this exciting venture and Tim was the key reason we got it all done.” Great job, Tim!

Thank You!

The Safety Department and management wish to thank everyone for the smooth transition from Hazard Assessment rev 1.5 to rev 1.6. Your continued efforts with the HA submissions and Job Box Talks are greatly appreciated. Completing and reviewing HAs daily is one way to keep an open line of communication with fellow workers and is also an important step in returning home the same way we came to work — Safe & Sound! If you have questions, comments or concerns, please reach out to the Safety Department for assistance.

Basics for Managing Your Money

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Emotional Benefits of Exercise

Research has shown that the benefits of exercise go beyond just physical well-being. Exercise helps support emotional and mental health. So, next time you’re feeling down, anxious, or stressed, try to get up and start moving! Physical activity can help:

  • Reduce feelings of depression and stress, while improving your mood and overall emotional well-being.
  • Increase your energy level.
  • Improve sleep .
  • Empower you to feel more in control.

In addition, exercise and physical activity may possibly improve or maintain some aspects of cognitive function, such as your ability to shift quickly between tasks, plan an activity, and ignore irrelevant information.

Exercise ideas to help you lift your mood:

  • Walking, bicycling, or dancing. Endurance activities increase your breathing, get your heart pumping, and also boost chemicals in your body that may improve mood.
  • Yoga. A mind and body practice that typically combines physical postures, breathing exercises, and relaxation.
  • Tai Chi. A “moving meditation” that involves shifting the body slowly, gently, and precisely, while breathing deeply.
  • Activities you enjoy . Whether it’s gardening, playing tennis, kicking around a soccer ball or something else, choose an activity you want to do, not have to do.