Local Community Outreach

Conshohocken Catholic School

ASTM International sponsored four visits from Riverbend Environmental Education Center to the 2011 summer day camp program at Conshohocken Catholic School in Conshohocken, Pa. On a visit from Mary Westlund, an environmental educator at Riverbend, children learned about aquatic life. Here, campers, along with James S. Thomas, Director, International Sales, ASTM, have a close encounter with a turtle during Westlund's presentation.

George Clay Fire Co.

ASTM International continued its support of area fire companies in 2011 with a donation of $2,030 to the George Clay Fire Co., in West Conshohocken, Pa. This donation was used by the fire company to purchase an MSA Orion detector. The meter will allow respondents to monitor air quality in confined space incidents. Shown in the photo, left to right are Dave Frankenfield, Chairman, George Clay Fire Co. Trustees; Kenneth Pearson, Senior Vice President, Operations, ASTM; and Robert Bendig, Director, General Services, ASTM.

American Heart Association

ASTM International made a donation to the local chapter of the American Heart Association in May 2011. Shown here are (from left): Jennifer Geiger, Manager, Human Resources, ASTM; Shannon Don Mennel, Business Development Director, American Heart Association; and Eileen Mullen, Director, Human Resources, ASTM International.

Conshohocken Relay for Life

ASTM International staff formed a team to participate in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life held at Sutcliffe Park in Conshohocken, Pa., on May 13, 2011. The event, which was sponsored in part by ASTM, was the first Relay in Conshohocken. ASTM's team raised $2,770, contributing to the overall total of $48,658 from the Conshohocken event.

Hoops for Kait

ASTM helped to sponsor Hoops for Kait, a free-throw basketball fundraiser on April 17, 2011. Proceeds from the event when to the Kaitlin Anzelone Foundation, which is dedicated to making life more bearable for people whose serious illnesses necessitate extended hospital visits.

Fellowship House

ASTM International has continued its support of the Fellowship House of Conshohocken with a $9,500.00 donation to support the 2011 summer camp.

ASTM's donation provides for an eight-week summer program that serves the needs of 30-40 children ages 5-12, five days a week for seven to nine hours a day. In addition, the donation supports the Fellowship House's summer basketball program that includes over 200 athletes from age six through 16. The children in the summer program are from Conshohocken, as well as from nearby Ridge Park Elementary, Plymouth Elementary and Colonial Elementary Schools, among others. In addition to the basketball program, ASTM's donation supported several field trips for the Fellowship House summer campers.

In the photo ASTM President James Thomas visits Darlene Hildebrand, Executive Director, Fellowship House of Conshohocken, and the summer campers at Fellowship House.

Conshohocken Free Library

ASTM International has made a $5,000 donation to Conshohocken Free Library. Posing with two touch screen computers purchased with last year's donation are Jane Leven, Branch Manager/Librarian, Conshohocken Free Library, John Pace, Vice President, Publications and Marketing, ASTM International, and Brian Coll, President, Conshohocken Free Library Branch Advisory Board. Children as young as one year old have been using the computer station. Also purchased with the 2010 donation:

• New computer table and chairs specifically designed for children;
• More than 100 children.s picture books.

According to Leven, this year.s donation will be used toward the following:

• iPads with educational applications for children to use in the library;
• Acquisitions in children's and young adult fiction sections;
• Stand alone access station for Internet Reservation Console; and
• Replacement of two torn chairs.

Librarian Leven, who was recently awarded the Daylin Leach 2011 Public Librarian of the Year Award, noted that ASTM's continued contributions have contributed greatly, particularly in areas in which the library's budget has been cut.

Riverbend Environmental Education Center

ASTM International continues to sponsor educational activities for local students at Riverbend Environmental Education Center in Gladwyne, Pa. The third-grade class from Whitehall Elementary School in Norristown, Pa., recently spent time at Riverbend learning about watersheds. Students learned about different bodies of water and how water moves from one body to another. They also learned how the quality of water can be determined by the macro-invertebrates living in it. Activities at Riverbend reinforce concepts learned during science classes back at school. In the photo, Jalen, Julia and Dominique, all third graders at Whitehall, pose with Teresa Cendrowska, Vice President, Global Cooperation, ASTM International.

First graders from Bridgeport Elementary School met a turtle, a snake and other animals during their June 1 class trip to Riverbend Environmental Education Center. The trip was part of ASTM International's ongoing sponsorship of educational programs at Riverbend. Joining the class in their Riverbend lesson on reptiles and amphibians was Timothy Brooke, Vice President, Certification, Training and Proficiency Testing, ASTM International.

Later on June 1, second graders at Conshohocken Elementary School met for the last session of their afterschool nature class, which is run by Riverbend and sponsored by ASTM. The students, posing here with Lesley West, Director, Graphic Design, Digital Output and Production Services, learned about worms, composting, seeds and keeping nature healthy during their final class of the year.

Washington Fire Company No. 1

ASTM International's support of the Washington Fire Co. in Conshohocken, Pa. has continued with the donation of two portable radios. The radios, which cost $5,800, are used by firefighters to communicate with each other and with other police, fire and emergency medical services personnel during emergency situations. Shown from left are Robert Bendig, Director, General Services, ASTM; Joseph Daywalt, Firefighter, Washington Fire Co.; Michael Maxwell, Captain, Washington Fire Co.; Robert Zinni, Deputy Fire Marshal, Conshohocken borough; and Kenneth Pearson, Senior Vice President, ASTM. Daywalt and Zinni are holding the donated radios, while Maxwell is holding a thermal imaging camera, donated by ASTM last year, that assists in locating both fire and people in emergency situations.

Kelly Anne Dolan Fund

ASTM International subcommittees have made donations to the Kelly Anne Dolan Memorial Fund. Subcommittee F15.42 on Furniture Safety donated an armoire used during a meeting on standards for furniture tipover, while Subcommittee F15.11 on bed rails gave sets of bed rails used for demonstration purposes. Both subcommittees are under the jurisdiction of ASTM International Committee F15 on Consumer Products. The Dolan Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the uninsured needs of families caring for children with severe illnesses, injuries or disabilities, added the armoire to its 2011 Wine in Winter fundraising event. Shown are Leonard Morrissey (left) ASTM Staff Manager for F15, and Peggy Dolan, Executive Director, Kelly Anne Dolan Memorial Fund.

Local Third Graders Learn about the Environment

ASTM International continues to support Riverbend Environmental Education Center in its efforts to provide nature study programs to elementary school students. On Oct. 27, third-grade students from Conshohocken Elementary School presented Kathleen McClung, a Staff Manager at ASTM, with a thank you card for supporting the school.s Nature Club program. The program extends classroom instruction in an after-school setting.

The following day, the Conshohocken Elementary third-graders visited the Riverbend site in Gladwyne, Pa. The students took a moment from examining the insects, spiders and other invertebrates they had caught with sweep nets to pose with Kathie Morgan, Vice President, Technical Committee Operations, ASTM, at a solar playhouse in the meadow.

Nature Club

ASTM International helps the Riverbend Environmental Education Center in Gladwyne, Pa., bring nature to local schools. In addition to having its experts visit science classes, Riverbend runs a Nature Club afterschool program for second grade students at Conshohocken Elementary. During one Nature Club meeting, students learned about watersheds, streams and lakes, and also examined compost. In the photo above, second graders pose with Michael Wells, the ASTM graphic artist who designed the Nature Club T-shirts the children are wearing.

Riverbend Environmental Education Center

First graders from Bridgeport Elementary School learn about ponds and streams during a visit to the Riverbend Environmental Education Center. Students, seen here with Daniel Smith, assistant vice president, Technical Committee Operations, ASTM International, learned about two different types of water, calm (pond) and moving (stream), and about the life cycles of water-based animals such as frogs and toads. Subject matter covered during the visit coincided with lessons from the children’s life sciences class.

Learning about Watersheds

These are some of the third grade students from Whitehall Elementary School who visited the Woodmont Estate for a nature program focusing on watersheds, presented by the Riverbend Environmental Education Center. Some of the students took a break from exploring the ponds and streams at Woodmont to pose with Teresa Cendrowska, vice president, Global Cooperation, ASTM International.

Ecosystems

Timothy Brooke, assistant vice president, Technical Committee Operations, ASTM International, looks on as fourth grade students from Bridgeport Elementary School study a specimen held by Stacey Carr-Poole, director of education, Riverbend Environmental Education Center. These students visited Riverbend for a hands-on lesson about ecosystems supported by watersheds.

American Heart Association

Chris Garrity (left), senior director, Start! Heart Walk, American Heart Association, receives a contribution from Eileen Mullen (right), director, Human Resources, ASTM International. The donation was part of funds raised for the 2009 Philadelphia Start! Heart Walk that occurred on Nov. 14, 2009, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Start! Heart Walks throughout the country are part of the American Heart Association’s ongoing campaign to highlight the importance of exercise, such as walking, in maintaining a healthy heart.

Neighborhood Council & Fellowship House

ASTM International donated $5,000 to benefit the food pantry and emergency services programs of the Colonial Neighborhood Council in Conshohocken. In addition, ASTM arranged for the donation of 200 pairs of shoes to given to the Colonial Neighborhood Council and the Conshohocken Fellowship House for local distribution. Shown at the Fellowship House are (left to right): Dayle Malantino, a member of the Board of Managers, Conshohocken Fellowship House; Sandy Fryer, assistant executive director, Colonial Neighborhood Council; James Thomas, president, ASTM International; and Margaret Cassidy, treasurer, ASTM International, and board member for the Fellowship House and CNC.

Free Library

The Conshohocken Free Library received a donation of $3,000 from ASTM International. These funds were used to further enhance the library’s collection of materials for middle school and high school students, as well as for shelving units for collections of serial books in the children’s section. ASTM International has been a major supporter of the Conshohocken Free Library, having donated computers, reference works and other materials in recent years. Shown from left to right: Jane Leven, branch manager, Conshohocken Free Library; Brian Coll, president, Conshohocken Library Board of Directors; and John Pace, vice president, Publications and Marketing, ASTM International.

Local Summer Playground Program

ASTM International has made a $9,000 donation to the Fellowship House of Conshohocken. This donation will be used for the Summer Playground Program at the Fellowship House. The program includes a six-week summer camp for children ages 6-11, a co-ed basketball league for children ages 6-16, and other educational and recreational activities. Darlene Hildebrand (left), executive director, the Fellowship House of Conshohocken, and Ken Pearson (right), senior vice president, ASTM International, pose at the Fellowship House.

Firefighter Safety

ASTM International continued its ongoing support of Washington Fire Company No. 1 in Conshohocken, Pa., with a recent donation of more than $5,000. Lifesaving equipment purchased with the donation included 10 digital pagers and a software programming kit, 15 survivor flashlights and three bank chargers that mount in the firetruck, and seven PASS devices. PASS devices begin to beep if no motion is detected, indicating the location of a firefighter who may be missing or trapped during an incident.

Nature Programs

Through an ongoing program sponsored by ASTM International, children at area elementary schools have been learning about science and nature at the Riverbend Environmental Education Center. Experts from Riverbend visit the schools for classroom lessons, which are reinforced by class field trips to Riverbend. Visits this spring have allowed students to learn firsthand about watersheds, streams and ponds, pollution and macrobiology. With the students is Joyce Barton, director of website development, ASTM International.

Children’s Reading Room

ASTM International made a donation to the Conshohocken Free Library to enable the library to purchase new furniture for the children’s room. The furniture will include a new table and chairs for two children’s computers, adult-size chairs for parents to sit in while reading to their children and new bins to hold the library’s board book collection. Shown from left to right: Jane Leven, branch manager, Conshohocken Free Library; John Pace, vice president, Publications and Marketing, ASTM; and Brian Coll, president, Board of Trustees, Conshohocken Free Library.