Back to School Roundup
The hefty price tag on a brand new backpack can be intimidating for many low-income families preparing their children for the first day of school. Add to that the cost of school supplies, shoes, a haircut, and immunizations, and it’s easy to understand the daunting task that these families face each new school year. The Back To School Roundup strives to ease these challenging hurdles, enabling thousands of Tarrant County children to start the school year with bright smiles and a confident outlook, knowing that they have the tools necessary to succeed.
This is the second year that Chesapeake Energy has played a significant role in presenting the Back To School Roundup, to be held August 23 at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth. As a co-presenting sponsor, Chesapeake is eager to build on last year’s success, when the needs of 8,500 children were met. This year, organizers and sponsors hope to provide 10,000 youngsters in grades Pre-K through 5th with the critical supplies and essential services needed to achieve in school.
“Far too many Tarrant County families struggle to provide basic needs for their children. This includes the supplies which they need to start a new school year better prepared to learn and feeling more a part of the school experience,” said Lylette Pharr, chair of the Back To School Roundup board. “With the higher cost of food and gasoline, families are having an even greater struggle. Meeting such great need requires collaboration and support from a variety of partners,” she said. “Chesapeake is a valued corporate partner, and their community involvement through the Back To School Roundup is very much needed and appreciated.”
Mindia Whittier, who also serves on the Back To School Roundup board, agrees that the sponsors of this program are making a substantial impact in the Tarrant County area. “There is a tremendous need in this community for the Back to School Roundup,” Whittier said. “In Tarrant County alone, more than 65,000 elementary-aged students qualify for the reduced-cost lunch program. And 1,500 youngsters are living in shelters. Education is one of the best tools we can provide these low-income kids to help them end the cycle of poverty.”
Backpacks, shoes, pens, pencils and paper — these are just symbols of something much larger at work. By making an investment in these kids’ present reality, the supporters of Back To School Roundup are helping to ensure a stronger community in the future.
“Children who can’t afford the basic school supplies don’t just enter the classroom unequipped to learn, they are often burdened with a sense of being somehow different than their peers,” Whittier explained. “Children who are unprepared require more attention from their teachers and learn at a slower pace. This problem impacts every child in the classroom,” she said.
The success of these children is instrumental of the success of the entire class and ultimately the entire community.
“Thanks to our sponsors and donors, including Chesapeake Energy, the Back To School Roundup is able to provide children in need with school supplies, as well as give them access to vital social services that can support them on an ongoing basis,” Whittier said. “We don’t want to just provide a one-time handout; we want to equip them to succeed now and into the future.”
Chesapeake Provides Refreshing Relief For Thirsty Trees
In a race to save $100,000 worth of Live Oak Trees along Fort Worth’s highways, Chesapeake Energy today (Aug. 7) rolled out a tanker truck carrying 165,000 gallons of water to help keep the trees alive.
With no good rains in sight, the trees that adorn the interchange of Interstates 30 and 35 would have likely died by the end of the day, if not for Chesapeake’s assistance, said Melinda Adams, city forester for the City of Fort Worth.
“It’s going to make a big impact to keep those trees alive,” said Adams, noting that they are highly visible along the interstate corridors. “We don’t have the funds to replace them,” she said.
A broken irrigation system and a persistent drought, with no relief expected soon, are endangering between 700 and 800 trees along the interchange, with the Live Oaks being the most vulnerable at the moment. “They were getting to the point that if we hadn’t watered today, we would have lost them all,” Adams said.
The city notified Chesapeake officials of the problem and they responded. “You made that offer to help anyway you could. So we took you up on it,” Adams said.
On Thursday, a Chesapeake tanker was stopping at approximately 200 Live Oaks trees, each worth about $500, and giving each one of them 50 gallons of water. A city of Fort Worth crew was following behind with fresh mulch.
At the same time the city was attempting to fix a desperately needed irrigation system that has not been used for two to three years, Adams said.
In an arrangement with the Texas Department of Transportation, the city of Fort Worth planted the trees six to eight years ago, with the understanding that the city would provide their upkeep. But the city simply does not have enough water or equipment to keep up with the demand in the wake of triple-digit temperatures and extremely dry weather, Adams said.
So far this year, the area has received 16.35 inches of rain, down more than 5 inches from what is normal. And while some possible rain is forecast in coming days, it will not be enough to make things greener, said Jesse Moore, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth.
“We’re probably not going to see much of a relief where the drought is concerned,” said Moore.
First Tee Drives Home Nine Core Values for
Fort Worth Youngsters
Although the occasional weekend golfer rarely thinks about the centuries of tradition and principles that are involved in guiding that little white ball around an 18-hole course, several core values are a part of every single game that is played. It is the exciting task ahead for The First Tee of Fort Worth to instill those values into the hearts of a new generation of young golfers, and Chesapeake Energy is proud to be a significant partner in this endeavor.
The First Tee of Fort Worth is part of a nationwide program that seeks to impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf. In Fort Worth, a state-of-the-art learning center and practice facility will be built at the historic Rockwood Golf Course, complete with a three-hole golf course which Chesapeake is underwriting.
“This is indeed a milestone, a major accomplishment, not just for North Fort Worth but for all of Fort Worth,” Fort Worth City Councilman Sal Espino said enthusiastically at the program’s kickoff event July 16. “To see so many young people here today that will benefit from this facility is really a testament to our community, as we move forward in providing recreational opportunities and life lessons to our young people.” Reflecting on the nine core values promoted by The First Tee — honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy, and judgment — Espino emphasized that instilling life’s lessons and values to a new generation of golfers is what the First Tee does so well.
Not only is Chesapeake’s direct contribution making this multi-phase project a success; indirectly, the revenue coming from leasing bonuses is helping, too. Fort Worth Golf, according to Espino, has “done an outstanding job on the next phase of a master plan [from which] we benefited in partnership with Chesapeake through lease bonuses. You’re going to see a state-of-the-art golf course,” Espino added. “You’re going to see enhanced baseball fields — all in the heart of our city. And we’re very, very excited about it.”
In a letter of thanks, First Tee Executive Director Kevin Long expressed his gratitude to Chesapeake for its contribution to the program. “On behalf of The First Tee of Fort Worth, please accept our thanks for the generous support you provide our program and the children in our community,” Long said. “Our mission … is to make golf and the many life-enhancing values inherent in the game, accessible and affordable to all children!”
Julie Wilson, Vice President of Corporate Development for Chesapeake Energy, joins Fort Worth City Councilman Sal Espino (center) and Chesapeake Public Affairs Coordinator Norman Herrera at the July 16 celebratory kickoff for The First Tee of Fort Worth program at Rockwood Golf Course.
Chesapeake invests in art, education, cultural, environmental and non-profit organizations that provide much-needed services and benefits to residents. Our involvement and support of charitable organizations such as these benefit everyone in the Barnett Shale, not just mineral owners. The upcoming events and activities listed below are just a few that Chesapeake is proud to support:
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Despite performing at exceptional achievement levels in high school, hard-working minority students from socially disadvantaged backgrounds are often left behind when it comes to the chance of receiving a higher education. Sometimes the only obstacle preventing a high school valedictorian from becoming a college graduate is the financial means to attend a university. The Chesapeake Scholarship Fund provides an opportunity for a few such dedicated students to enter college without the fear of wondering how they will pay for tuition, books, or room and board.
Committed to sharing the benefits of the Barnett Shale with the communities in which it operates, Chesapeake Energy introduced the $1.25 million scholarship fund in 2007. The idea came about after working with DFW Airport and the many minority partners who share ownership with Chesapeake in the airport’s natural gas lease. Recognizing a need, Chesapeake took on the challenge to provide educational opportunities for minority and socially disadvantaged youth in Fort Worth and Dallas, awarding each community $625,000 to be administered by Community Foundation of North Texas and The Dallas Foundation respectively.
But when the inaugural announcement was made, an exciting new component was made public. Chesapeake challenged Fort Worth and Dallas to increase the impact of this program by raising an additional $1.25 million during the next year, which Chesapeake would then match. If successful, a total of $3.75 million will be invested in the future education of DFW youth for the duration of the 10-year program. Now, close to a year after the challenge was extended, Chesapeake will announce the outcome at a June 5 press conference at the DFW International Airport Board offices, with Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief and Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert in attendance. The first-ever recipients of the Chesapeake Scholarship Fund will also be announced and introduced at the press conference.
“We as a community and as a country value education,” says Leah King, Director of Community Relations for Chesapeake, “but the costs are sometimes outside of the boundaries of what hard-working families can afford. It is gratifying to be able to help students and their families. We’re really eager to give away the additional $1.25 million, because that means even more students can benefit.”
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Main Street Art on Tour
Chesapeake Energy believes in the importance of being both a good neighbor and a responsible corporate citizen. The bounty that we are experiencing because of the Barnett Shale is a gift to the entire community and not just a select few who own minerals. Because of a true concern for our neighbors who live and work and play in the areas where we are actively doing business, Chesapeake is dedicated to giving back to the community in a variety of ways, improving the quality of life for all in the areas of community development, environment, health, education and social services.
And with Chesapeake, it’s not just about giving dollars, but about making a difference in lives of people throughout the Barnett Shale. From a new playground in the City of Dish to a truck for the Bono Volunteer Fire Department; from helping beautify public greenspaces in the City of Fort Worth, to educating our future leaders through programs like “Project Lead the Way,” local residents are benefiting from the Barnett Shale windfall, whether or not they own mineral rights.
Photo caption: Eight students from Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School visit with local artist Anna Kirklin at the MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival April 19. As participants in the “Art on Tour” program, sponsored by Chesapeake Energy, the students were able experience what it is like to be a curator, learning how to research the works of art, negotiate prices with the artists, and buy for a collection. Soon, the students will take the collection on tour throughout the Fort Worth community.
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Arbor Day
The City of Burleson took time to celebrate Arbor Day in April. The Burleson Parks and Recreation department and the Neighborhood Services department organized the event. Chesapeake Energy donated funds to the Keep Burleson Beautiful program in order to help purchase saplings and crepe myrtles that were given to residents for planting in their yards and communities. The donation is in recognition of furthering Chesapeake's clean air and energy initiatives.
Civic Leaders Thank You
Chesapeake Energy presented the Welcome Home Foundation Award to The Greater Fort Worth Area Civic Leaders Association for mental health services for soldiers returning from overseas duty. A barbeque lunch was served to all, and the history-making Tuskeegee Airmen were also in attendance, along with families, friends and local dignitaries. The event was held at the Joint Reserve Base in west Fort Worth.
Johnson County Drug Task Force
Chesapeake Energy donated a 2005 Chevrolet SUV truck from its corporate fleet to the Johnson County Drug Task Force. This much-needed vehicle will provide the task force the ability to transport an officer and his or her police dog to investigations, as well as support local community education programs. The task force is a vital part of the police work that is conducted in Johnson County and has proven to be very effective in the fight against illegal drugs. By reaching out to school-aged children and educating them about the dangers of using drugs, police officers are proactively working to prevent any future drug use in the community.
Serving Those Who Serve Us
Johnson County first responders — those men and women who serve and protect the community daily — were the honored guests at a barbeque dinner provided and served by Chesapeake Energy employees and others. Area law enforcement officers included the Texas Rangers, firefighters, corrections and communications personnel, the Johnson County Area Crisis Response Team, Search and Rescue and EMS personnel, who all enjoyed a delicious meal with all the fixin's. Careflight and Texas LifeStar5 flew in to enjoy lunch, too! The barbeque dinner was provided to show all first responders of Johnson County our appreciation for their hard work and dedication.
Project Lead the Way
The excitement of Brewer High School teacher Garen Evans could not be contained as he received a check in support of his “Project Lead the Way” program from Leah King of Chesapeake Energy on May 16. Pumping his arm into the air and exclaiming, “Wow!” the dedicated instructor accepted the surprise gift with a combination of sincere appreciation and excitement. “Project Lead the Way” is a four-year sequence of courses which introduces high school students to the scope, rigor and discipline of engineering technology. The students get hands-on experience by participating in a variety of directed engineering projects, preparing them for future success in fields such as robotics and automated manufacturing. An enthusiastic motivator who is eager to see these young people succeed, Evans challenges his students to follow in the footsteps of Gallileo, Leonardo Da Vinci and Sir Isaac Newton in order to become great thinkers and doers of their own generation. The monetary donation from Chesapeake will “go a distance” in purchasing supplies for the program, said Evans, allowing them to take on projects that previously they would not have been able to attempt due to limited funding. Chesapeake’s gift “will help our program immensely,” added Evans.
Photo caption: Brewer High School faculty member Garen Evans (left) accepts a check from Leah King of Chesapeake Energy in support of his “Project Lead the Way” program. Others present were Brewer High School career and technology director Linda Crouch, Heather Snider of Chesapeake and White Settlement ISD Assistant Superintendent David Bitters.
Delga Park Trailhead Dedication
Beaming with pride, residents of Fort Worth’s Greenway neighborhood were among the more than 100 people assembled Saturday, May 17, to celebrate the completion of the 19th trailhead of the Trinity Trails. Serenaded by the smooth tones of a jazz ensemble under blue skies, neighbors from up and down the Trinity Trails gathered to mark the dedication of the new open-air structure, complete with bench, water fountain, and nearby landscaping. Funded in part by Chesapeake Energy, the Delga Park Trailhead provides an important link from the Greenway neighborhood to the 40-plus miles of trails and greenspaces along the Trinity River. Spearheaded by Streams and Valleys, a non-profit organization entrusted with the care of the Trinity for nearly 40 years, the project’s completion is another significant step in the Trinity River Vision that will bring thousands of families together along the banks of the Trinity, strengthening community ties and nurturing an appreciation for the city’s greenways and parks. This collaborative effort by Streams and Valleys, the Tarrant Regional Water District, the City of Fort Worth and Chesapeake will benefit the residents of the Greenway neighborhood, the Trinity Trails community and the citizens of Fort Worth for many years to come.
Photo caption: Julie Wilson of Chesapeake Energy (third from right), local dignitaries and Greenway neighborhood representatives cut the ribbon at the May 17 dedication of the new Delga Park Trailhead along the banks of the Trinity River.
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Chesapeake has made donations to organizations that have a far-reaching effect on the people of Tarrant, Johnson and Dallas counties. From a truck donation to volunteer fire departments, computers for students and police officers, to $1 million gift to the United Way, Chesapeake gives back to those in the community in order to improve the quality of life for all residents. Among those organizations who have received contributions are the Fort Worth Zoo, the Museum of Science and History, and the Chesapeake Scholarship Fund for minority and socially disadvantaged youth.
Corporate Giving Guidelines for the Barnett Shale
Chesapeake Energy prides itself on the true concern for the welfare of our employees, neighbors, and a dedication to the enhancement of the quality of life in those communities where we live, work and play. Our corporate-giving goal is to share an appropriate percentage of the rewards of our Barnett Shale drilling success not only with those who are fortunate enough to live over this clean-burning natural gas reservoir, but also those who may not directly benefit through mineral ownership. Therefore, our priorities are to support those activities and programs in the neighborhoods and communities where we are actively doing business and are similarly supported by the neighborhoods themselves.
We frequently support needs of the following:
- Law enforcement, fire fighters and other first-responders who put their lives on the line to serve and to protect;
- Public education at all levels, but especially those programs that can lead to high-quality job opportunities in the energy arena;
- Neighborhood-based programs that are supported by local organizations themselves with strong local leadership;
- Youth enrichment programs in areas of Chesapeake operating activities;
- Select arts and beautification programs with widespread community support;
- Programs that increase the public awareness of the energy industry and the economic improvement developed by energy capital investment.
When submitting requests, please include the following:
- Statement of purpose and audience served
- Brief description of the organization and it's objectives
- History of success and special needs
- Amount requested and its intended specific purpose
- Contact information of person making request
- Supporting materials or website address of organization
- Tax-exempt status and number
We consider requests on a monthly basis and ask that you allow at least six weeks for response. Please submit requests to:
Leah M. King, Director – Community Relations
301 Commerce Street, Suite 600
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
817.870.5605
barnettshalecontributions@chk.com
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With support from first-ever presenting sponsor Chesapeake Energy, Mayfest 2008 celebrates record attendance of more than 225,000
Local libraries will offer North Texans a chance to "Close the Book on Hunger" July 7-21
Chesapeake announces $1.25 million scholarship challenge reached – fund now totals more than $3.75 million
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