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As a way to say “thank you” to the community for their continued support, the Shell Puget Sound Refinery sponsored a Community Appreciation Day and Open House September 21. Visitors enjoyed free food, exhibits, tours of the plant and plenty of fun. |
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| At the welcome booth guests picked up gift packets and a listing of events. They also entered drawings to win Shell gas cards and dinners at local restaurants. | The refinery hosted a picnic lunch of burgers, hot dogs and beverages, served by the Anacortes Noon Rotary and the Fidalgo Island Morning Rotary. |
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| The two Rotary Clubs raised $1800 for the next community Fourth of July celebration. | Refinery Manager Tom Smith (center), along with Rotary presidents Steve Miller and Barbara Hoenselaar appreciated the enthusiastic community response. |
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| Bus tours were quite popular, with about 850 guests—most of whom were first-time visitors. Many were surprised at how few people it actually takes to operate the plant. | The refinery rented three 47-passenger tour buses and a 20-passenger van with wheel chair capability. These vehicles were in motion all day and provided 25 tours. |
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Tour buses heading into the refinery, with Mt Baker in the background. |
The dinosaur bounce was a kid favorite, as well as, the 40 foot inflateable slide. |
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Shell employees Carolyn Whalen and Rhoda Haussler help supervise the giant inflatable slide. They were part of a volunteer team of about 90 refinery workers at Community Appreciation Day. |
Schyvanda Haslom and June Snelson help one of the children enjoy a quick trip down the slide—just one of the many activities for kids. |
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| ZigZag the Clown puts finishing touches on one of the children. | One of the busiest booths on the refinery quadrangle provided Kid Guard child i.d. cards, which include a child’s fingerprints, a photograph and other key information. The service was co-sponsored by Shell Marketing and Puget Sound Security Patrol (PSSP), the refinery’s security group. |
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| Ted Duris of Puget Sound Security Patrol (PSSP) helps a parent fill out information for their child’s Kid Guard kit. In addition to the kits, Shell Marketing supplied Shell gas cards as drawing gifts throughout the day. | Because safety was an Open House theme, refinery staff set up a demonstration area to show people how to handle a fire extinguisher. The refinery also gave away over a dozen home fire extinguishers throughout the day. |
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Shell employees took time during the day to explain refinery processes and products. |
The Open House received very favorable media attention, while print and radio media representatives (many of whom had never been inside a refinery) also went on the plant tours. Here Rod Walsh, Manager-Major Projects (MPO), explains the new expansion to reporters from local radio station KLKI. |
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Shell PSR’s own Molly Cule talked to kids all day and handed out her Molly Cule activity book. The book explains in simple terms the world of refineries, their products and people. |
The local 4-H Club set up a petting zoo with pigmy goats, calves, sheep, pigs and a horse. Many other community groups participated in the Open House, including Summit Assistance Dogs, Beachwatchers-WSU, Padilla Bay Reserve, United Way, Wolf Hollow Rehabilitation Center and the Cub Scouts. |
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| Mark Koslicki, Manager-Health, Safety and Environment, fields a few questions from KLKI Radio’s Bill Berry. In the background: the plant’s new fire truck, with its remote-control 85-foot articulating boom. | Community Appreciation Day/Open House was a time of visiting, listening to good soft jazz, refinery tours (a new experience for many), good food and relationship-building. |
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Human Resource Manager Gretchen Buchmeyer responds to questions from the radio interviewer regarding the days events. She, also, expressed to the listening audience how much Shell PSR appreciates the community’s ongoing support. And what a day! Already people were asking about the next Open House. |
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