Comcast Employee Honored as Citizen-Soldier/Airman of the Year in Pierce County, WA

April 24, 2012 by

We’re proud today of one of our own: communications technician Ralph Godinez, also known as Staff Sgt. Ralph Godinez of the 728th Airlift Squadron at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Staff Sgt. Godinez was honored today as Citizen-Soldier of the Year by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce. Every year, they join with local Kiwanis Clubs to name a Howard O. Scott Citizen-Soldier of the Year. That’s the historic name of the award, though of course the sharp readers out there have already figured that out that someone based at McChord could also be called Citizen-Airman of the Year.

Staff Sgt. Godinez is on leave from Comcast as he serves in the Reserves. As you see in this profile by his one of his colleagues, Master Sgt. Jake Chapelle, Staff Sgt. Godinez is a very, very busy man with his community service.

Comcast, of course, is a big believer in military service. We film and air PSAs for Hire America’s Heroes, an organization that encourages employers to hire veterans. And just a few weeks ago, a Department of Defense agency presented us with an award for supporting another Reservist, this one in Seattle.

I was proud to attend the lunch and hear this accomplished man say these words: “Thank you to Comcast, my civilian employer, and their fantastic treatment and understanding of Reservists. Their flexibility and accommodations go well beyond the requirement of the law.”

Here are comments about Staff Sgt. Godinez and his own comments at the Tacoma chamber event on April 24, 2012.

Filed under 2012 Comcast Washington News Releases, 2012 News Releases, News Releases

Comcast Employees, Family and Friends Make a Big Difference Throughout Western Washington and Spokane on 11th Annual Comcast Cares Day

April 23, 2012 by


It’s hard to know what to say to the more than 2,200 local Comcast employees and their families and friends who volunteered Saturday, April 21, 2012, at 13 school and nonprofit sites around Western Washington and Spokane as part of Comcast Cares Day.

Comcast’s Steve Kipp was one of several people that KIRO talked to the morning of Comcast Cares Day at our volunteer site of El Centro de La Raza in Seattle. Click on the picture to see the interviews.

Of course, we do say, Thank You. But one thing we like to do is collect photographs and stories from the day, as part of this wonderful scrapbook that we all call the Internet. So if you keep an eye on this post, you will see a gradually growing list of links to photographs and stories about our volunteers’ hard work.

Here is a list of projects and reports:

Aberdeen: Habitat for Humanity of Grays Harbor.

Click on the picture to see a photograph published in the Daily World of Aberdeen, Washington

Bellingham: Whatcom Parks and Recreation Foundationat the Chuckanut Falls Trail

Bremerton: Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound’s Bremerton Olympia Avenue location

Everett: Salvation Army

Everett: Cascade High School and the Everett School District

Fife: Fife Parks Department at the Lower Hylebos Marsh


Kent: Northwest Harvest Northwest Harvest reports that our people put in $24,000 worth of donated labor. We packed 19,000 meals for the hungry.


Olympia: Rebuilding Together of Thurston County.

Redmond: Eastside Audubon Society at the Audubon BirdLoop at Marymoor Park.

Seattle: El Centro de La Raza

Seattle: Wing Luke Asian Museum

Spokane: Northeast Community Center

Tacoma: Metro Parks STAR (South Tacoma Activity and Recreation) Center  Here, Comcast volunteers worked side-by-side with partners from the Tacoma Urban League and a local Girl Scout Troop.

Here’s a video produced by the Tacoma Urban League’s youth Comcast Digital Connectors and one of their instructors, Yusaf Word:

Filed under 2012 Comcast Washington News Releases, 2012 News Releases, Community investment, News Releases Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

11th Annual Comcast Cares Day on Saturday Mobilizes More Than 2,200 Volunteers in Western Washington and Spokane

April 19, 2012 by

Click on the picture above to see KREM2 TV's report about our Comcast Cares Day project in Spokane.

As we announced in the original post about Comcast Cares Day 2012, it’s time to gear up for one of the biggest days of corporate service in the country! This is the news release we prepared for the occasion. Keep an eye out for frequent updates.  

LYNNWOOD, WA – April 19, 2012– On Saturday, April 21, more than 2,200 local Comcast employees and their families and friends will volunteer to improve 13 school and nonprofit sites around Western Washington and Spokane as part of Comcast Cares Day.

Throughout the country, more than 67,000 Comcast volunteers will participate in this annual day of service.  Since its inception in 2001, Comcast Cares Day has become one of the largest single days of corporate volunteering in the country.

During the day of service, Comcast employees in Washington will take part in a variety of volunteer efforts ranging from finishing the landscaping at a new community center to installing improvements at a house so a 100-year-old lady can continue to live there independently.

Over the previous 10 Comcast Cares Days, Comcast volunteers have dedicated more than 2.1 million hours of service. The Company has also contributed more than $10.5 million in grants to organizations nationwide. Comcast Cares Day is one way that Comcast helps to power dreams and demonstrate a year-round commitment to making a difference in the communities it serves.

“Since Comcast Cares Day began, more than 360,000 employees, their families and friends have contributed their time to improving the communities where we live and work,” said Len Rozek, senior vice president of Comcast’s Washington market, who will be volunteering at El Centro de La Raza in Seattle. “Today, we will surpass 2.5 million total hours of service. I’m grateful to the volunteers here in Washington who will be donating their time to help make such a big difference in the lives of others.”

This is a list of the communities where the projects will take place, and our community partners:

Aberdeen: Habitat for Humanity of Grays Harbor. (Radio station KBKW had a report about the event here)

Bellingham: Whatcom Parks and Recreation Foundation at the Chuckanut Falls Trail.

Bremerton: Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound’s Bremerton Olympia Avenue location

Everett: Salvation Army

Everett: Cascade High School and the Everett School District

Fife: Fife Parks Department at the Lower Hylebos Marsh. (You can see a nice article in the Fife Free Press here about Comcast Cares Day there)

Kent: Northwest Harvest (The Kent Reporter’s account is here)

Olympia: Rebuilding Together of Thurston County. (ThurstonTalk.com has a really nice story summarizing all that Rebuilding Together does)

Redmond: Eastside Audubon Society at the Audubon BirdLoop at Marymoor Park.

Seattle: El Centro de La Raza

Seattle: Wing Luke Asian Museum

Spokane: Northeast Community Center (KREM 2′s story done in advance of the work is here)

Tacoma: Metro Parks STAR (South Tacoma Activity and Recreation) Center  Here, Comcast volunteers will be working side-by-side with partners from the Tacoma Urban League and a local Girl Scout Troop.

The Comcast Foundation will provide grants to local community partner organizations across the country on behalf of each employee and family member who volunteers on Comcast Cares Day. The grants will help Comcast’s community partners continue their mission of serving the community throughout the year.

For more information on Comcast’s volunteer and community investment initiatives, visit
http://www.comcast.com/inthecommunity
.  For more information about Comcast Cares Day in Washington, see
http://wacomcast.com/tag/comcast-cares-day/

Filed under 2012 Comcast Washington News Releases, 2012 News Releases, Community investment, News Releases Tagged with ,

Department of Defense Honors Comcast for Support of Employees Who Serve in the Washington National Guard and Reserve

April 13, 2012 by

Comcast was honored for its support of the military. From left to right, Jeff Votaw, director of technical operations, Comcast Seattle field office; Pete Stemmermann, technical operations supervisor; Specialist Mathew Ellison; Marjorie James, employee outreach coordinator for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve; and Michael Cindric, vice president, human resources, for Comcast's Washington market.

The following comes from a press release from the U.S. Department of Defense’s organization Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

The Washington Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR,) an agency of the Department of Defense, announced today that Pete Stemmermann, Technical Operations Supervisor, Comcast, was honored with a Patriot Award in recognition of extraordinary support his employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve.

According to Marjorie James, ESGR Employer Outreach Coordinator, “The Patriot Award was created by ESGR to publicly recognize individuals who provide outstanding patriotic support to their employees who have answered the nation’s call to serve. ESGR presents a Patriot Award on behalf of an employee who requests that this honor be awarded to his or her manager or supervisor. Supportive employers are critical to maintaining the strength and readiness of the nation’s National Guard and Reserve units.”

Mr. Stemmermann was nominated for the Patriot Award by his employee, Specialist Mathew G. Ellison, a member of the US Army Reserves. Specialist Ellison said of his employer, “My supervisor, Mr. Stemmermann, is flexible with my work schedule, allowing me time to prepare for my deployment. My company, Comcast, continues my employee benefits throughout my deployment.”

As the 1.3 million members of the National Guard and Reserve continue to perform an increasing number of unique missions within America’s borders and beyond, ESGR will continue to be a primary resource for their employers. ESGR provides education, consultation, and if necessary mediation for employers who have concerns about USERRA (the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994.) USERRA protects the employment rights of Guard and Reserve forces nationwide. For more information about ESGR Employer Outreach Programs and volunteer opportunities, please visit www.esgr.mil or call the State office at 877-306-1971.

We chatted with both Spec. Ellison and Pete after the plaque presentation; here’s what they had to say about military service and employer support:

Filed under 2012 Comcast Washington News Releases, 2012 News Releases, News Releases Tagged with , ,

Comcast Honors Leaders and Achievers Scholars at Alliance for Education Breakfast

April 3, 2012 by

Scholarship winners

Comcast Leaders and Achievers who attend Seattle Public Schools were honored at the Alliance for Education breakfast: from left to right, Steve Kipp, VP of Communications for Comcast; Lisa Field; Demetra Zenos; Vy Chuong; Desiree Gross; Emily Proulx and Seattle Schools Superintendent Susan Enfield.

A powerful video shown at last week’s Alliance for Education breakfast asks the question: what if our students had a strong and supportive community behind them?

As the person representing Comcast at the event, I’m happy to report that we’ve tried to answer that question in part with our longtime support of the Alliance and our Comcast Leaders and Achievers scholarship program.

And best of all, I had the opportunity to stand on stage before more than 900 people at the Alliance’s 10th annual breakfast and recognize some pretty amazing students.

But first, a little background. The Alliance for Education is an independent non-profit which supports Seattle Public Schools through fundraising, advocacy and community engagement. Comcast has supported the Alliance for the last several years, most notably as the presenting sponsor of its annual fundraising breakfast.

The Comcast Leaders and Achievers program is a nationwide scholarship program that has awarded more than $15.4 million to thousands of students since 2001. This year, Comcast named 90 Leaders and Achievers scholarship winners in Washington state, awarding each a $1,000 scholarship.

While the program honors the best and the brightest, it also singles out young people who are active in their schools and in their communities. Comcast Leaders and Achievers isn’t just about good grades, it is about making a difference too.

Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to stand on stage with Seattle Schools Superintendent Susan Enfield and recognize the Comcast Leaders and Achievers winners who attend Seattle public schools, handing them a sweatshirt from the school they plan to attend next year.

Like all the scholarship winners, the five women I recognized last week not only are great students but clearly care about their schools and their community. Lisa Field, who is a senior at Nathan Hale High School, helps children with disabilities at Northwest’s Child. Demetra Zenos, who attends Ballard High School, already has received her Associate’s degree, and is the President of her school’s DECA chapter. DECA is an international student marketing organization.

Desiree Gross, who attends Chief Sealth High School, has devoted hours of her time to The Service Board, an organization that combines outdoor recreation, mentoring and civic education. Vy Chuong of Ingrahm High School volunteered at the Wilderness Inner City Leadership Development Program and Emily Proulx of Garfield High School volunteered at the Garfield High School POST, which is an outdoor education program for students.

Congratulations to all the winners.

PS – in case you know any of the youth and wonder about the sweatshirts they are holding: We present the youth with sweatshirts reflecting colleges they have shown an interest in; but some may end up deciding to attend another school.

Filed under Community investment Tagged with , , ,

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