8/20/2019 Connections: September 24, 2015 http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/connections-september-24-2015 1/23 Day of Remembrance by Tammy Wallace Over 200 employees attended the third annual Day of Remembrance ceremony last week at Central Office to remember our fallen co-workers. During the ceremony, Interim Director Roberta Broeker, State Maintenance Engineer Becky Allmeroth and Equal Opportunity and Diversity Director Rudy Nickens offered remarks. Later, members of the Employee Advisory Council read the 131 names of our fallen by district and placed roses. The ceremony concluded with two employees from the St. Louis Ride for Remembrance group placing a wreath on the memorial. View all the photos of the ceremony here: Day of Remembrance Photos. Watch a short video of hte ceremony here: Day of Remembrance Video. Respect - Honor - Remember Above, as employees gather for the Day of Remembrance ceremony, it was obvious that orange was the color of the day. Right, State Engineer Becky Allmeroth leads the crowd in reciting the safety commitment. Above, members of the Employee Advisory Council volunteered to read the names of the fallen. Left to right: Cindy Martin, Jim Feeney, Stacey McKinley, Joe Schmidt, Amy Niederhelm, Sarah Marino, Brandon Cracraft, Karyn Veltrop and Rudy Nickens. Below (left to right), Fred Chew and Justin Wagner with the St. Louis Ride for Remembrance group place a rose and wreath on the memorial. September 24, 2015 Central Office Districts Northwest Northeast Kansas City Central St. Louis Southwest Southeast Page 1 of 5 Connections 10/6/2015 http://modot.org/connections.htm
Over 200 employees attended the third annual Day of Remembrance ceremony last week at Central Office to remember our fallenco-workers.
During the ceremony, Interim Director Roberta Broeker, State Maintenance Engineer Becky Allmeroth and Equal Opportunity andDiversity Director Rudy Nickens offered remarks. Later, members of the Employee Advisory Council read the 131 names of ourfallen by district and placed roses. The ceremony concluded with two employees from the St. Louis Ride for Remembrance group
placing a wreath on the memorial.
View all the photos of the ceremony here: Day of Remembrance Photos.Watch a short video of hte ceremony here: Day of Remembrance Video.
Respect - Honor - Remember
Above, as employees gather for the Day of Remembrance ceremony, itwas obvious that orange was the color of the day. Right, State EngineerBecky Allmeroth leads the crowd in reciting the safety commitment.
Above, members of the Employee Advisory Council volunteered to read the names of the fallen. Left to right:
Cindy Martin, Jim Feeney, Stacey McKinley, Joe Schmidt, Amy Niederhelm, Sarah Marino, Brandon Cracraft,Karyn Veltrop and Rudy Nickens. Below (left to right), Fred Chew and Justin Wagner with the St. Louis Ridefor Remembrance group place a rose and wreath on the memorial.
Stand Up for Safety DayAs plans continue for our Oct. 8 Stand Up for Safety Day, materials have been placed on SharePoint. Here, you can find guidelinesfor the days activities, links to videos, activity reports and all the information you need to help you plan your group activities.
Stand Up for Safety.
New Medical Plan Option FAQsMore Frequently Asked Questions on the New High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA) option.
Employees are encouraged to review all of FAQs and other information on the website athttp://modot.org/newsandinfo/benefits.htm and attend one of the workshops being held in the districts and central office to see ifthis new plan would be beneficial for you. You can also contact employee benefits staff at 877-863-9406.
Q. Can I enroll if I am Medicare?
A. No, the HDHP is only available to non-Medicareemployees and retirees.
Q. If I am enrolled in the HSA as a retiree andbecome Medicare primary mid-year, am I
required to switch to the traditional PPO plan?A. Yes, an employee with any Medicare member ontheir plan must be enrolled inthe PPO plan.
Q. If my spouse works for another agency and is
enrolled in the HDHP/HSA plan through
his/her employer, can I enroll in the HDHP/HSA through MoDOT/MSHP? If so, how doesthat work?
A. Yes. You cannot be covered on each other’s plans. You could have separateHDHP’s and separate HSA’s.
Q. If both my spouse and I work for MoDOT or MSHP, can one of us enroll in the traditional
PPO plan and the other in the HDHP/HSA w/ children?
A. Yes. But no members of the family could be enrolled in both.
Golf Tournament ResultsEarlier this month, MoDOT employees held the 10th Annual Transportation Day Golf Tournament. The tournament raises money
for the 1033 Benevolent Fund. Monies raised support the fallen workers' families for state highway, law enforcement andcorrections. We hope no one will need these funds in the future, but this resource has eased the burden on families by providingimmediate financial assistance. Law enforcement and fire fighters also hold annual golf days.
Here are the results:
Championship Flight
1st Place Mike Meyers-Brad Rumfelt-Ron Barton-Zach Hines
59 (-12)
2nd Place Jeff Joens-Stephanie Bruemmer-Todd Siebeneck-Mike Tolbert
60 (-11)
A Flight
1st Place Eric Kaiser-Tim Gallatin-Scott Schneiders-Richard Foster
Closest to the Pin #16 (men) – J.P. Miller Closest to the Pin #16 (women) – Jenny Sanyec
View From the Chair - Unseen Casualties: LostCompanies, Jobs and Opportunitiesby Chairman Stephen Miller
As MoDOT readies itself for its lowest construction budget in 20 years, there are casualties which may be unknown to the public.The impact on our transportation system has been well publicized. The number of critical-condition bridges has risen to 641;fatalities are up 12 percent; our limited funds are directed to 8,000 miles of primary roads, while the other 26,000 miles ofsupplementary roads receive only the scraps ofleftover funding; the cost-share program issuspended; and expansion projects that would
provide economic development or congestionrelief are on hold. But, there is another untold
story.
The lack of funding has meant much less workfor our partners in the construction industry.While we were borrowing money throughAmendment 3 or receiving funds through thePresident’s stimulus package, competitionamong contractors reduced the cost of projects,saving hundreds of millions of dollars. From2006-2012, contractors enabled MoDOT to save$632.3 million – all of which MoDOT put backon the road as part of future projects. Missourians realized these savings because we had a large number of competent contractorscompeting for the work. Sometimes we had as many as ten contractors bidding on a single project. Funding attracted andmaximized competition. A strong industry was great for Missourians.
What a difference a few years makes. In 2009, the year I joined the Commission, we made $1.36 billion in awards. In fiscal year2015 (which ended June 30), we made $725.1 million in awards – over $600 million less. This year we expect only $596 million incontractor awards – over $760 million less and 40% of what we did a few years earlier. This past year, we had three months with no
bid lettings at all – an unprecedented occurrence.
Read More - View From the Chair .
What's Happening
Statewide EmployeesAssociation MeetingSaturday, Sept. 26 - 9:00 a.m. at the Truman Inn.
The main topic is the future of the Association. The currentStatewide President and Vice President have served their termsand are stepping down. Members are needed to take over notonly our Statewide leadership but also our local Central Chapterleadership.
The Association needs employee involvement and new ideas asto how to keep the Association active.
More Discounts for State EmployeesThe Super Group Program is for the Scottrade Center, St. LouisBlues and Peabody Opera House in St. Louis. Employees canvisit the website for discounts to family shows, sporting eventsand Blues hockey games. Visit the website for discounts -www.stlouisblues.com/offers/MOSTATE(the capitalization isimportant for your link to work). The promotion code isMOSTATE.
Current offers are available for select Blues hockey games,Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus, WWE. AllBroadway shows are also available – Elf The Musical, MillionDollar Quartet, A Night with Janis Joplin, Ragtime and BulletsOver Broadway.
Two ways to order Blue Tickets:
1. Go to www.stlouisblues.com/offers/MOSTATE, and order on-line and use the promo code MOSTATE, or2. Fill out the form on the attached flyer, and mail or fax it to Tim Thurber (details on the flyer) - Flyer .
For questions about the Super Group Program, contact Marlena Renner, Group and Client Services Coordinator at 314-622-2554.
September Retirements
Darrell Klocke – NE – 33 yearsRonald F. Freese – NE – 42 yearsCharles R. Houchins – NE – 6 yearsSherry L. Backet – CD – 27 yearsRickey D. Smith – CD – 25 years
Albert C. Frasher – CD – 17 yearsStephen B. Jeffery – CD – 30 yearsRobert W. Follett – SL – 31 yearsJeff Barnhouse – SW – 25 years
Billy W. Adams – SW – 21 yearsDonna C. Ferkel – SE – 26 yearsJacqueline L. Biele – CO – 27 yearsDale S. Brandt – CO – 29 years
In Memoriam
Mildred Black Former D8 – August 14Shelly Van WinkleFormer D3 – August 19Curtis JacksonFormer D10 – August 19
Elgin KinkeadFormer D6 – August 19
Carl PittsFormer D7 – August 22Alvin AustinFormer D8 – August 25Harley RhynFormer D10 – August 28
Nova HolcombFormer D1 – September 1
Robert Carter Former D1 – September 5George PughFormer D1 – September 6Robert Knorr Former D1 – September 10
Jack Clevenger Former D7 – September 15
Connections
The mission of Connections is to be a source ofMissouri Department of Transportation news andfeature articles that connect employees statewide.
Communications - MoDOTP.O. Box 270, Jefferson City, MO 65102573.751.2840 / www.modot.org
Editor: Tammy Wallace
Comments & Suggestions
We would like to hear from you. Send commentsand suggestions to Tammy Wallace [email protected] .
Mission
Our mission is to provide a world-classtransportation experience that delights ourcustomers and promotes a prosperous Missouri.
To view or print other pages, click on thelinks below:
Top: Pet Parade winner - Buttercup. Middle: Truman, the onlychicken in the competition. Bottom: Buttercup and Henrychecking out the competition.
September 24, 2015
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Charitable Campaign Pet Parade
An Interview with Buttercup the Dogby Patrick Wood
On Sept. 13, the sun was high, the stage was set and thesweet smell of chili dogs and fierce competition was inthe air for the MoDOT Central Office MSECC Meet theCharity Event, the Pet Parade. Only days prior to thefirst kickoff event, Central Office employees submitted pictures of their pets for the highly coveted title of thePet Parade Champion. There were numerous
submissions of amazing animals ranging from dogs andcats to a chicken and a chinchilla. At the end of the day,only five pets could claim spots in this year’s PetParade. The votes came in, and MoDOT’s furry andfeathered finest were Truman the chicken (Jim Allison),Buttercup (Jay Wunderlich), Winston (Bill Dunn),Henry (Beth Ring) and Sophie (Mark Fretwell).
Our contenders went up for a final round as voters gavemoney to the campaign in the name of the pet deemedworthy of the title Pet Parade Champion. The winner,and their human, would get the opportunity to take allthe donations and have them given to the charity of theirchoice. The winner of this year’s competition wasButtercup (Jay Wunderlich)! Not only did we get tocelebrate this prized pup’s victory with chili dogs andcookies, but we had the chance to catch up with the tailwagging Wunderlich for an exclusive Connectionsinterview.
Patrick: I want to start by saying congratulations. Thecompetition today was nothing to wag a tail at. It was a pretty even race and you won. How do you feel?
Buttercup: Winning feels great. The other dogs were
great sports. I am happy to have met them and wish
them all the best.
What about Truman?
That was one strange looking dog, but all the best to
him I guess.
Your pal Jay sent in some other candidates for the PetParade. How do you think your brothers and sisters willtake it that you are this year’s Champion?
They are going lose their Kibbles and Bits when they
hear about this! It will be a few dog years before I
stop reminding them who the Champ is!
Well thank you so much for speaking with me today. Doyou have any closing remarks?
Like any pageant winner, I hope for world….JAY’S
GOING TO GIVE ME A HOT DOG, I GOTTA GO!
Well there you have it folks. It was a great day here at105 W. Capitol Avenue for both pet and human alike.For pictures of the event, head over to our flickr page at:
As always with MSECC, remember to check the event calendar for upcoming events at:http://team/sites/msecc/default.aspx.
Don’t miss out on any great opportunities to interact with your coworkers and donate!
Softball Tournament Resultsby Amanda Woody
The results are in from the softball tournament. Eleven teams from around the state participated. The team names included:The Hitmen, Southern Pride, Sliding Slabs, SL Bridge Demolition, Diamond Grinders, Divas, Achievas and Believas,MoDOT Softball, Investigators, Accident Prone, KC Cartel and Tun Tuns.
It was a great day with beautiful weather. It was also a great opportunity for employees to interact with other employeesfrom around the state.
Sharon Golden threw the first pitch in the championship game between the Divas and KC Cartel. Roberta Broeker, DennisHeckman, Eileen Rackers and Brenda Morris were there also cheering on the teams!
1st Place Team: Divas, Achievas and Believas. Top row right to left: Kevin Kiesling, Kevin Arthaud, KyleGrayson, Bill Wilder, Eric Kopinski and Ryan Bernard. Middle row: Davin Greeno, Brad Roark and Doug
Hood. Bottom row: Amanda Woody and Megan Smith.
2nd Place Team: KC Cartel. Top row right to left: Blake Stephens, Josh Verdun and Brian Burger. Middlerow: Amber Burger, Billie Tucker, Mark Sommerhauser and Craig Holdeman. Bottom Row: Russ Brooksand Taylor Hill.
We have once again reached that time of year when the kids are back in school, football season is underway and the WorldSeries is quickly approaching. However, it also means we have less daylight time, and most of us will either be arriving orleaving work when the sun is not up. Although we should always be vigilant against being victimized by crime, lessdaylight means criminals have the aid of less light to carry out their criminal activity.
One of the best ways to avoid being assaulted, robbed orworse by an attacker is advanced warning. Unfortunately,
whether we realize it or not, our own habits may increase theopportunity for a criminal to commit a crime. Please readthese tips, and take them seriously - it could mean thedifference in being victimized and avoiding an attack orrobbery:
• Don’t use your electronic devices to text, read oremail while you are walking. This not only cancontribute to you tripping or slipping, it takes yourattention away from a potential attacker approachingyou.
• Avoiding danger in the dark involves more than yoursight. Carefully listening to the sound of yoursurroundings can assist you to hear approachingfootsteps a cough by an approaching person (youdon’t see) the rustling of bushes or weeds as a potential attacker begins their approach or it could alert you to thesounds of a co-worker being attacked.
• Be observant of your surroundings BEFORE you enter them. Observing your surroundings before you enter meansyou look ahead (and listen) to scan for any potential threatening person(s) or activity.
• Don’t get tunnel vision or be distracted thinking about other things. It is very difficult to be observant of yoursurroundings when you are not looking around or not even thinking about what you need to do to more safely arriveat your destination.
• Look in your vehicle before you get in. Sadly, all too often the victims of crime fail to do this and are attacked whenthey enter the vehicle.
• It does not have to be dark for a criminal to target you, but the dark does make it easier for them – so don’t make itany easier for them by your own actions (or inaction).
• Anyone, whether a man or woman, big or small, well-trained or passive, can be the victim of a crime.
Stay safe – at work, on your way to work, leaving work and away from work.
Finally, always remember that a secure workplace can be a safe workplace, but a workplace that is not secure cannot be asafe workplace.
Central Office Happenings
Flu Shot Clinics
10/06/2015 105 West Capitol AveRoom 100
8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
10/07/2015 601 West Main TrainingRoom B
8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
10/07/2015 830 MoDOT DriveBlue Room
1:30 p.m. - 4 p.m.
10/09/2015 1617 Missouri Blvd2nd Floor Conf. Room
8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Sign up by using this SharePoint link - Flu Shots
To reduce the wait time, up to 10 people will be scheduled every 15 minutes. Type your name in the location and time slotyou want. To protect your privacy, after you hit the ref resh button your name will appear as XXXXXX, so be sure to writedown your date, time and location.
Some additional things to know:• All employees can participate• Employees with our medical insurance need to bring their insurance cards with them on the day of the shot.• Coventry will be billed directly and the shot will be paid at 100% under your preventive services. If you forget your
Coventry card you will have to pay $26 and then submit a claim form for reimbursement.• Employees not covered by our medical insurance will need to pay $26 to receive the shot. Payment is due at the
time of the shot. They will accept cash or checks.• You will need to fill out a consent form before you can receive the shot (it will be available at each location).
Hand Washing GuideHealthy Habits Guide
For questions, contact Brook Luecke at 573-526-0138, Toll Free 877-863-9406 or [email protected].
Intermediate Maintenance Worker Shannon Wiley,Maintenance Worker Devin Adams and MaintenanceWorker Bryson Allen from Tarkio Maintenance took amoment to pause during their work day andremember our fallen workers.
The sun came out in time for the ceremony at thedistrict office, so many employees and retireessought the shade of trees during the solemnceremony.
District Engineer Don Wichern led the ceremony atthe district office, backed by 18 channelizers andhard hats with 18 roses on the memorial bench.
Day of Remembrance
Across the 20 counties of Northwest Missouri, MoDOT employees
held ceremonies to honor our colleagues who have given their lives
in service to the State of Missouri. Members of the NorthwestDistrict's leadership team paired up and traveled to each field office
and maintenance building for ceremonies and remembrancesthroughout the day.
A small, quiet ceremony was also held at the district office led byDistrict Engineer Don Wichern and attended by many employees
and retirees. He reminded all of us to honor those we've lost and to
recommit to safety, so we never add another name to ourmemorials.
Though it has been more than 25 years since a Northwest Districtemployee passed away in the line of duty, several retirees shared
stories of working alongside some whose names are now on a plaque hanging in the lobby of the district office.
Several certified child passenger safety technicianswere on hand during Child Passenger Safety Week tocheck car seats at the St. Joseph Health Department.
Child Passenger Safety Week
Car crashes are the leading cause of death for children one to 19 years old. Many times deaths and injuries can be prevented by the proper use of car seats, boosters and seatbelts. However, seven out of 10 children are riding in an unsafe car seat.
Children ages two to five who skip the safety seat and just use a seatbelt are four times more likely to suffer a serious headinjury in a crash. These are staggering statistics, but we are working to change them through education efforts including car
seat checks.
Child Passenger Safety Liaison and Senior General Service Technician Lana Allen joined certified technicians to hold three
car seat checks in St. Joseph as part of Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 13-19. One check was held at the St. Joseph
Health Department, one at the St. Joseph Safety and Health Council and the final one, held on National Car Seat CheckSaturday, was in the parking lot of Lowe's Home Improvement Center. In total, 16 children are riding safer because of the
efforts of the 10 certified technicians and four new seats were given to families in need.
If you need a car seat checked, or if you're interested in becoming a certified child passenger safety technician, please
MoDOT employee in memory of fallen workers that isread each year during the Day of Remembrance
ceremonies. It is etched in granite at the memorial site atthe district office in Hannibal.
Using this poem as a foundation for our ceremonies, thisyear the Northeast District modified its tribute by
creating a video featuring the poem and the fallenworkers and taking it out to the field.
Every employee on the MoDOT team in the NortheastDistrict was able to participate in his or her own work
unit on the Day of Remembrance this year.
“Because we have always had the ceremony mid-
afternoon at the district and regional offices, it has been difficult for our field employees to attend,” said Kevin James,assistant district engineer.
Members of the Northeast Leadership team went to individual buildings the morning of Sept. 17 to lead a tribute to the 17
fallen employees from the district. In addition, the video was played, names of fallen workers were read, and a table top
memorial with the names of the fallen workers was left at each building.
The video was later shared on Facebook where it received more than 1,500 views and shared 46 times.
Ceremonies were still held around 1:31 p.m. at the District Office and Macon Regional Office, and several families of
fallen workers attended and placed flowers on the memorials as their loved ones names were read.
To view the Day of Remembrance video, click on the image above.
Around the District...
Families of fallen workers and northeast employeesgathered for a Day of Remembrance ceremony at the
Macon Regional Office. This ceremony was heldsimultaneously as the one at the District Office inHannibal.
Pictured are families of fallen workers that joinedemployees at the District Office in Hannibal to
A child safety seat check event was held Saturday atHannibal Medical Group in Hannibal. Technicians wereon hand to check seats, and free seats were madeavailable to those in need.
Kansas City Team Honors Fallen Workers,Recommits to Safety
Last Thursday marked our third annual Day of Remembrance ceremony. After the first one --
on the anniversary of Clifton Scott's death -- the state decided this was something we wantedto do every year, come together to remember those who are no longer with us.
This year, Kansas City changed the way we conducted this event. We wanted to make sure weheld a moment of silence with as many employees as possible, so we hosted five separate
memorial services. We picked four central locations in the field and invited as many
employees as possible to attend the event. The final ceremony began at 131 -- to honor all ofour 131fallen coworkers -- at the district office.
We are grateful that we have not added another name to this memorial since 2012, when welost Clifton . But that isn’t good enough.
We challenged employees at every event that day to make a personal commitment to do e v berthing in our power to make sure no other employee is lost.
We must focus on safety at all times, ineverything we do. And we must dedicate
ourselves – every single day – to doing
whatever it takes so we, our coworkers andour customers make it home safely.
Before we left these solemn events, we handed
out orange ribbons to everyone to wear as a
reminder of the importance of the sacrifice
these people made for our organization and as
a symbol that we will never forget them.
Check out photos from all the Day of Remembrance events around the district online. (internal link)
Maintenance Leading MoDOT Into the Future
“Leadership That Matters” was the topic of the workshop that recently brought together more than 80 Kansas City District
Maintenance supervisors, assistant supervisors, superintendents, crew leaders and other district personnel for a day oftraining. Participants learned how to find new solutions to problems, eliminate tough challenges and improve results in their
work groups.
MoDOT Communications Director Fay Fleming led the interactive workshop where she discussed topics like How Leadersare Made, the Importance of Good Leadership, How Great Leaders Lead, Personal Leadership Slogans, Key Traits of GreatLeaders and Your Leadership Commitment.
“This was a day to deposit back into our maintenance leaders,” said HR Manager Deborah Hogan. “They give so much, they
were able to get away for a day and refuel with fresh ideas and new solutions and be inspired to continue be great leaders forMoDOT.”
Interactive exercises kept the crowd engaged and by the end of the day, many commented they felt better prepared to usewhat they learned to improve themselves and help their co-workers. As learned at the workshop, some leaders are born and
some are made, but everyone has the potential to lead at some point and contribute.
"I believe it is always good when you can get superintendents, supervisors, assistant supervisors, and crew leaders togetherfor brain storming days," said Maintenance Supervisor for Striping and Signing Jeff Mays. "As leaders I think we get so busy and disconnected from those doing all the work that we need days to share ideas on how to keep things fresh and how
to stay productive. I thought Fay did an outstanding job, and making us participate allowed us to learn and laugh at one
District Observes Day of Remembrance,Breaks Ground on Fallen Worker MemorialDistrict Engineer David Silvester led a Day ofRemembrance ceremony on Sept. 17 to honor MoDOT
workers who died in service to the State of Missouri.
The ceremony included the posting of the colors by the
Lincoln University R.O.T.C.; a moment of silence
honoring all 131 fallen workers statewide; a reading of
the names of Central District fallen workers and a playing
of "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes by Roger Heard ofthe Buchanan Highlanders Pipes and Drums Fraternal
Order of Police in St. Joseph.
“The sacrifice of the workers we honor today is proof that
what we do every day can be very dangerous," said
Silvester. "Let’s commit today to doing our best to neveradd another name to our plaques and monuments. Every
day, let’s pledge to make safety our highest priority anddo everything within our power so everyone goes home
safe.”
A ground-breaking ceremony for the planned district
Fallen Workers Memorial was also held as part of theobservance. Families of district fallen workers were
recognized and participated in the ceremony. Thememorial was funded by employee donations and made
possible by the Transportation Employees Association of
Missouri and members of the Central District ActivitiesCommittee.
The memorial was designed by a committee that solicited
input from district employees. Ideas from the input wereincorporated into the design. The goal is to complete
construction of the memorial by Dec. 1.
“We are pleased to put the ball in motion to more formally recognize the fallen workers from the district,” said
Silvester. “It’s great for us to be able to move ahead today with this fitting tribute. We thank everyone who has
participated in the process of making the vision of this project a reality."
More photos from the ceremony are below. High resolution photos of the ceremony can be found on the district's
Flickr page at the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/modot_central_district/albums/72157656677118093
SoutheastSL district employees and some family members line upat the TMC in the St. Louis district to depart in the Ridefor Remembrance to Jefferson City for the statewide Dayof Remembrance ceremony on Sept. 17.
Joan Wieda (in blue) is honored with roses from thedistrict at the Day of Remembrance Ceremony. Wieda isthe widow of MoDOT Maintenance SuperintendentWilliam Wieda, who lost his life in the line of duty in1996.
Day of Remembrance
Tom Blair, assistant district engineer, kicks off the Day ofRemembrance ceremony in front of the SL district officeat 1:31 p.m.
Family members of fallen workers gathered withemployees honor their loved ones at the ceremony.
St. Louis Community Benefitsfrom Safety Fairby Shaunda White
More than 100 children are now riding safer after their families participated in the annual Show Me Safety Fair this pastSaturday. The fair, held at Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Center on Delmar Blvd., was hosted by the Missouri Coalition
for Roadway Safety and its community partners to raise safety and health awareness in the St. Louis city community.
Steve Lockett, (in blue) helps fair goers experience theseat belt convincer. The convincer gives riders thesensation of being in a 5 mph car accident.
MoDOT employees assist children with correctly adjustingbike helmets. The bike helmets, along with other safetyitems, were free to children who attended the safety fair.
The SL District CDT team reclaims the Softball TournamentChampions title this year at Deer Creek park in Maplewood,MO on Sept. 13. The softball tournament, organized by theVoice of SL, raised nearly $1700. The proceeds will gotowards the districts charitable champaign.
During the fair, technicians provided on-site car seat checks and education to adult drivers. Car seats that were outdated oron recall were replaced with new and updated car seats.
“Children are our most precious cargo. We have a responsibility to the community to get recalled or unsafe car seats off theroad so that our children can get to their destinations safely,” said Shirlyn Myles, Show Me Safety Fair facilitator.
This fair is part of the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety’s initiative to reduce the number of roadway fatalities in
Missouri using education and outreach. It is also part of a continued effort to increase the percentage of child safety seatusage in households through demonstration and care seat checks.
Other topics the fair focused on included:
• Importance of seat belt usage• Hazards of distracted driving and driving under the influence of alcohol
• Motorcycle safety
• Health and vision screenings
Additional sponsors for the event included Kohl’s 4 Kids, Safe Kids, Cardinal Glennon, Missouri Care, Snapple and
SL District employees get the chance to learn more aboutMSECC organizations at the Charity Campaign Kick Off eventon Sept. 14. A MSECC pancake breakfast during the kickoffraised more than $100 towards the districts' campaign.
Southwest District Engineer Becky Baltz leads districtemployees and family members of fallen workersduring the Day of Remembrance ceremony at theDistrict Office in Springfield.
Springfield Maintenance Crew Leader Ben Arnall(center) accompanies John and Monica Slatten, theparents of Joshua Slatten, as they place his nameplacard during the Day of Remembrance ceremony.Slatten was killed on the job in 2008.
Springfield Assistant Maintenance Supervisor StanJovich places a name placard at the district’smemorial for fallen workers during the Day ofRemembrance ceremony.
Southwest District employees, Highway PatrolTroopers and family members gather outside theDistrict Office in Springfield to honor fallen workersduring the Day of Remembrance ceremony.
Members of the Springfield Central High School KiltieDrum & Bugle Corps play "Amazing Grace" onbagpipes during the Day of Remembrance ceremonyat the Southwest District office in Springfield.
Senior Communications Specialist Angela Eden(right) works with Southwest District employeesparticipating in the Day of Remembrance ceremonyon how they will place name placards during theceremony.
The Southwest District remembersits 22 fallen workers with thismemorial.
Click the above image to view a video of the SouthwestDistrict's Day of Remembrance observance.
by David Mitchell
The Southwest District joined the rest of the state to remember and honor
MoDOT's 131 fallen workers during Day of Remembrance ceremonies on
Sept.17.
As part of the Day of Remembrance observance, members of the
District’s management team fanned out across the district to lead services
at each of the maintenance shops and field offices in the morning,followed by a district wide ceremony held outside the District Office in
Springfield in the afternoon.
District Engineer Becky Baltz led employees and family members offallen workers through the commemoration which also featured the playing of the hymn “Amazing Grace” on bagpipes by members of the
Springfield Central High School Kiltie Drum & Bugle Corps.
Since 1932, the first year the name of a
Southwest District worker killed on the job isrecorded, 22 employees have died in the line of
duty.
During the ceremony, the name of each fallenworker was read and a current employee and/or
family members placed a placard in front of a
memorial.
Monett Maintenance Supervisor Bryan Ozbunalso led a prayer for the fallen workers.
This is the third year for the Day ofRemembrance observance.
To conclude the SE District’s Day of Remembrance ceremonies, amoment of silence was held for MoDOT’s fallen workers followedby a balloon release. The release 16 balloons represented theSoutheast’s 16 workers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Day of RemembranceHonoring Our Fallen Coworkers
Whether it’s a long term lane closure, a movingoperation, or shoulder work, working on Missouri’s
roadway can be a dangerous job. Sadly, 16 Southeast
District employees have lost their lives in the line ofduty.
During MoDOT’s Day of Remembrance held Sept. 17,
SE employees honored their memories and sacrifices
with two ceremonies held at the Sikeston District Officeand Willow Springs Regional Office.
Maintenance Superintendents Rick Russell and LonnieChambers gathered employees at the memorial gardens
for a brief speech and read the names of the SE fallenworkers. A moment of silence was held prior to the
balloon release.
Photos from the events are available at:
www.flickr.com/photos/modot_se.
The following SE fallen workers were honored duringthe ceremonies:
• Johnny Hays• Bob Eftink
• Gerald T. Lizotte• Dennis R. Hayes
• Garry L. Farrenburg
• George "Bud" Whited
• Dennis C. Evans• Homer L. Bratton
• Hurshel Tanner • Curtis J. Mullins
• Ellis Suggs• James R. Brannock
• Irvin C. Cudworth
• Silas Underwood
• Archie Goode• Perry Barks
Southeast District Helps Save LivesThe Southeast District recently hosted two blood drives for theAmerican Red Cross.
The first blood drive was held in Willow Springs at the RegionalOffice on Sept. 1, and featured a “Rock N’ Roll Up Your Sleeves”
theme. Donators were encouraged to dress as a rock star as theyhelped in this life saving effort.
The following door prizes were awarded: Jody Mills (1st Place) –The Best of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Chris Rutledge (2nd Place) –
Heart’s Greatest Hits and Jeremy Crudgington (3rd Place) – TheBest of Aerosmith. The American Red Cross collected 20 units
during this event.
On Sept. 3, a second blood drive was held in Sikeston at the
District Office. Twenty-six donors presented with 23 units
collected.
With a total of 43 units collected, these donations could save up to
129 lives.
Thanks to Senior Administrative Technician Lisa Cook and Senior
Customer Service Representative Barbara Conner for their effortsto coordinate the events, as well as all of the participating donors!
Photo (left)-Senior Customer Service Representative Barb Conner,or Janis Joplin as she was known at the Willow Springs BloodDrive, helped motivate employees to participate in this important,lifesaving event!
