Employees' bike donations start journey toward helping others

Employees rolled into our West Allis Operations Center last Saturday to drop off 57 gently used bikes and one trike -- all to help others in a number of ways. 

Welcoming the arrival of the donated wheels was the staff of DreamBikes, a nonprofit organization that refurbishes bikes and re-sells them at reasonable prices, primarily to families in low-income communities. A number of the bikes donated by our employees will be donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee on behalf of We Energies. 

DreamBikes hires youth enrolled in the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee Area’s Career Launch Program, which helps teens from 14 to 18 years of age learn skills related to computer systems, bicycle repair, customer service and sales, all while under professional management in a safe environment. DreamBikes always welcomes used bikes for its inventory as well as donations of time, money and materials. Learn more at http://dream-bikes.org/.

Employees assist Wounded Warriors Project

Employees in a number of We Energies departments often decide to get involved in volunteer projects as team-building efforts or just to take action when they think it's the right thing to do. Earlier this year, Supply Chain employees felt it was right to get involved in the Wounded Warriors Project, which supports returning military service people who require hospitalization or rehabilitation due to injuries received while deployed.

“Many of our employees, friends or family members are or have been deployed to the Middle East,” explained Gail DeVeau, director – supply chain. DeVeau learned about the Wounded Warriors Project from a high school classmate during their high school reunion last summer. He told her about his involvement in the project. “Shortly after that, one of our supply chain employees was redeployed to Afghanistan. He had been seriously injured on a previous deployment,” she said.

DeVeau brought the idea back to her team. “This was a great way for us to help and to demonstrate that we care,” she said. Wounded Warriors asked the group to collect 500 bottles of Axe shower gel and 500 Gillette razors.

Employees responded enthusiastically. They exceeded the goal on both items. The shower gel and razors were stuffed into backpacks along with other donations and sent to four hospitals where wounded service people are treated.