Why Battelle is so Important
Team Battelle
This week we were again reminded, in a huge way, how important Battelle is to the Tri Cities. Not just because they are a big employer here, or the impact they have on research and innovation in key fundamental sciences and technology. Battelle has consistently been a good neighbor for us, funneling large amounts of money into community organizations and its encouraging its employees to give of their time to worthy community activities. This week Battelle proved again how vast a loss we would have suffered here in the Tri Cities if we’d lost them in the DOE contract fiasco of a few months ago.
Monday, senior Battelle officials announced the donation of $1.2 million to help cover the start-up and initial operating cost of our proposed Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) public high school. Indeed, this largesse practically assures us of the school being open this fall to the incoming freshman class.
Proposed STEM school logo
To many residents, this may come as somewhat of a surprise, but this is by no means a one-time gift to the community.
Since Battelle’s Pacific Northwest Labs (PNL) came to Richland in 1965, it has contributed over $19.5 million to civic and philanthropic corporate organizations in the area.
Battelle’s funds have not all been large outlays to major community organizations. For the year 2008 some of the recipients of Battelle’s funds have been:
* Academy of Children’s Theatre- $50,000
* Allied Arts- $3,000
* ACES (Support our troops) $1,000
* American Indian Science & Engineering Society- $500
* Boys and Girls Club of Benton and Franklin Counties- $1,000
* Children’s Developmental Center- $1,000
* Down’s Syndrome Association of the Mid-Columbia- $1,000
The list goes on and on. This is in addition to “Team Battelle” and their volunteer work in the community. This is a fantastic group of people that generously contributes its time to worthwhile community activities. I encourage you to click the links above to see just how wide and deep an economic impact this company has had on our community over the years.
In the past, the Management & Operations (M&O) contract for Hanford has included a stipulation that the winning bidder would commit funds and corporate expertise to the economic diversification of the Tri City area. Often, this has been paid mere lip service by these companies.
Without being directed to, Battelle has quietly and magnanimously been a caring and generous neighbor to us here. We’re incredibly blessed to have them here, and it’s important to remember this the next time DOE decides the lab contract should be opened back up for competitive bidding “for the good of the community”.
[where: Battelle Pacific Northwest National Laboratory 902 Battelle Boulevard
Richland, WA 99352]
[...] research in Battelle’s Bioproducts, Sciences and Engineering Laboratory, along with Battelle’s investment in the STEM school in Richland, the area will see a growth in the campus’ student body and [...]