140 employees volunteer for United Way Day of Caring

140 employees volunteer for United Way Day of Caring

Oct 7, 2021 | Community Involvement

Our employees are always willing to offer a helping hand and look forward to participating in the United Way’s Day of Caring every year.  

It’s an opportunity for employees to roll up their sleeves and make a direct impact in the communities where we live, work, and play. This year, we had outstanding participation, with 140 PPL volunteers at the following organizations across the Lehigh Valley: 

  • Bloom
  • Casa Guadalupe 
  • Equi-Librium 
  • Friends of Johnston 
  • Greater Lehigh Valley YMCA Allentown
  • Greater Valley YMCA
  • Hispanic Center of the Lehigh Valley
  • Lehigh County Humane Society 
  • Lehigh Valley Children’s Center
  • Salvation Army Hospitality House 

Check out our clips from this year’s volunteer efforts:

Woman volunteer with puppy3 men in volunteer shirts with potted plants2 women volunteers with kitten at animal shelter Man and Woman volunteer in YMCA locker room

 

 

 

 

 

We’re grateful for our employees’ involvement and proud to support the United Way!

 

Lineworkers compete for a cause

Lineworkers compete for a cause

Jul 14, 2021 | Community Involvement

Keeping the lights on for everyone- in the heat and the cold, when it’s raining or snowing, or even on a blue sky day – is no easy task.

Working in the field requires agility, strength and focus, and commitment to safety above all else.

Earlier this summer, 10 of our lineworkers put their skills to the test in the 9th annual Lineman Rodeo, organized by the National Sisterhood United for Journeyman Linemen (NSUJL), in Hazleton. The two-day event raised money for the families of fallen or injured IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) lineworkers and other electric utility employees.

The PPL crew participated in several events that test their skills against colleagues from utilities, including Speed Climb, Hurtman Rescue, and others. Our linemen and their teams placed in six of the events.

Congratulations to all the competitors!

Reviving a popular nature area

Reviving a popular nature area

Jul 6, 2021 | Community Involvement, Environment

A popular Union County nature area enjoyed by hundreds each year is getting long planned and much needed improvements with a little help from PPL.

Koons Trail along Buffalo Creek in Mifflinburg, originally created by Mifflinburg Middle School teacher Joe Southerton and his students in 1990, is getting new kiosks, footbridges and platforms.

The trail was hit hard by the emerald ash borer, a beetle that feeds on ash trees, and was damaged by previous flooding.

Merrill W. Linn Land & Waterways Conservancy, a Lewisburg-based nonprofit, holds a conservation easement on the trail and maintains it. We granted $3,500 from the PPL Foundation to help fund the improvement project. The upgrades will help the conservancy draw the public to the site and ultimately serve its mission of getting families outside to learn about the environment.

The PPL Foundation contributes more than $3 million annually to nonprofit organizations supporting student success from cradle to career; advancing diversity, equity and inclusion; and promoting the development of vibrant and sustainable communities.

“We are sincerely grateful to PPL,” said Geoff Goodenow, the organization’s coordinator. “The funds from PPL will help to create much needed footbridges along the paths which meander within restored wetlands south of the covered bridge. Visitors to the area enjoy seeing wildflowers, various types of birds and hearing a seasonal chorus of amphibians.”

Each year, hundreds of people participate in programs held in the trail area along with the incalculable number of local residents who visit daily.

The trail is on part of a 30-acre property once owned by Mifflinburg resident and businesswoman Mary Koons. Current owners Ryan and Samantha Sabo have expanded access to the property by creating additional walkways in adjacent wetland meadows and fields. The area is private property but is open to the public from dawn to dusk for people and pets.

The Merrill Linn Conservancy is a 501c3 nonprofit. Its mission includes preservation/conservation of the natural resources and beauty of land and waterways and to engage the public in creating awareness and instilling responsible stewardship of our resources.

Safety is everyone’s responsibility, meow and furever

Safety is everyone’s responsibility, meow and furever

Jun 30, 2021 | Safety and Security

Safety is a core value for us at PPL. Because of that, we have many procedures in place to keep employees safe on the job. One particular safety procedure, referred to as “circle for safety,” requires that employees check the surroundings of their company vehicle before getting in and driving away.

Recently, one of our dedicated lineworkers, Joe Keeney Jr., prevented the loss of an animal’s life by circling his work vehicle for safety.

It all started with an unidentified noise…

Joe heard a strange sound coming from his vehicle and couldn’t figure out what it was. He saw nothing unsafe or unusual, but as he stepped back and paused, he heard the noise again. However, he was still unable to locate where the strange sound was coming from.

He enlisted the help of a coworker to see if there was something he missed. As the two examined the vehicle, they heard the noise again, but this time they identified the source.

As it turns out, Joe’s work truck had picked up a furry hitchhiker. A small kitten crawled underneath the truck and up onto the drive shaft to stay warm.

kitten in backyard

And boy was this kitten a cute one! For those wondering, Joe and his wife, Laura, adopted the kitten and named it Kilowatt.

We’re so proud of Joe for his questioning attitude, safety mindset, and vigilance, which ultimately saved Kilowatt’s life.

 

 

 

 

Improving reliability & feeding Tatu

Improving reliability & feeding Tatu

Jun 24, 2021 | Environment

Each and every year, we conduct tree trimming throughout our service territory to help maintain reliable service and prevent outages. While getting the customers the power they need is certainly our main focus, one of the unique benefits of successful tree trimming is feeding animals like Tatu, the giraffe, at the Lehigh Valley Zoo. Giraffe at the zoo eating tree branches

Instead of ending up in a chipper, the smaller branches and tree debris we collect through our vegetation management program are donated to help feed the animals. Tatu, and his other leaf-loving friends at the zoo, can enjoy this especially delicious fare that assists in keeping the animals’ digestive systems running smoothly.

Trees are the number one cause of storm-related power outages, which is why we have an established time-and-condition based maintenance program to make sure we’re trimming trees at the right time.

In 2020 alone, we reduced tree-related outages by 14 percent from the prior year. This work is essential to keeping the lights on and great for curbing Tatu’s appetite.