SSC Newsletter January 2019

SSC SERVICE SOLUTIONS Newsletter JANUARY 2019

2019 will be an exciting year for our company, our 50th Anniversary. As we go through the year we will use the newsletter and weekly updates to share the history and stories of our company, its clients and most importantly our employees. From Baxter founding the company out of his Volkswagen with a single $75 a month cleaning account to currently operating in 27 states, 10,000 employees and a full range of facility services, SSC has an interesting, fun and rich history. We also have a very bright future.

We will be inviting you to share your stories throughout the year with drawings and prizes for making submissions. The address for sharing will be Contact@sscserv. com. I truly appreciate everyone’s part in the 50 year history of our company.

I am looking forward to sharing this exciting year with all of you!

Seth Ferriell, President

Division GEM of the Year Orion Spacecraft in Texas Grounds Tips for Your Home Veterans Memorial Rewarding Partnerships

Student Reflection George H.W. Bush Season of Giving Trimming the Tree

In This Issue

Every our outstanding frontline associates with an Account GEM of the Year award at each account. From this group of outstanding associates, the Regional GEM of the Year is chosen and from this touted collection, Year Winners year SSC recognizes

the prestigious Division GEM of the Year is chosen. Please join us in congratulating this wonderful people that exemplify all we strive to be to our customers and the communities we serve.

Higher Ed West Danyel Wright,

K-12 East

Kathy Kemp,

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Higher Ed East

TAMU System

Jim Menard,

James Moore,

K-12 West

Jamie Duenas,

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For the first time in a generation, NASA is building a human spacecraft for deep-space missions to usher in a new era of space exploration and Texas A&M University at Galveston is doing their part to help it happen. TAMUG’s Vessel Operations Office has partnered with NASA to assist them in the research and development of the Splashdown at Texas A&M University at Galveston

Orion spacecraft, specifically in helping to test its module uprighting system. The system consists of five airbags on top of the capsule which inflate upon splashdown, and in the event of high winds or waves, are responsible for turning Orion right side up if the capsule turns over.

Grounds Tips for your Home: Slow time for gardening and tips, but here are a few we need to remember throughout winter into spring 1) Try not to walk or drive on lawns that have heavy frost – this will crush tissue and in the spring you will see your prints until the turf recovers. 2) Inspect trees/ shrubs for limbs that may have been broken during snow/ ice/ wind storms. Also check trees recently planted and exposed to high winds and rain to ensure they are still secure and haven’t shifted. 3) Start pruning/ shaping Crape Myrtles —see the final page for detailed instructions.

The R/V Trident, staffed by TAMUG

Happy Gardening! George Bernardon Regional VP of Grounds

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personnel, will serve as a safety standby vessel while NASA staff work onboard collecting test data. NASA arrived on campus Wednesday, November 28 and remained until Wednesday, December 5. The testing areas were restricted to authorized personnel only, but a few of our team were able to watch in the course of their normal operations. The SSC Team also played a large part in the added project work of preparing the area set as aside for the testing. Being marine and maritime-focused, the Galveston Campus endeavors to advance the research of Earth’s lands and seas, but is excited for this partnership to pursue space as well. The Galveston Campus’ vision as a university for global preeminence in the pursuit of knowledge runs parallel to NASA’s mission of the advancement of science and technology for the benefit of humanity.

About the Orion Spacecraft

Named after one of the largest constellations in the night sky, and drawing from more than 50 years of spaceflight research and development, the Orion spacecraft is designed to meet the evolving needs of our nation’s deep space exploration program for decades to come. Orion will serve as the exploration vehicle that will carry crew to space, provide emergency abort capability, sustain astronauts during their missions and provide safe re-entry

from deep space return velocities. Orion missions will launch from NASA’s modernized spaceport at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on the agency’s new, powerful heavy-lift rocket, the Space Launch System. On the first integrated mission, Exploration Mission-1, an uncrewed Orion will venture thousands of miles beyond the Moon over the course of about three weeks. The mission will pave the way for flights with astronauts beginning in the early 2020s.

Learn More about the Orion Spacecraft https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/ systems/orion/index.html

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The West Texas A&M

that centers the memorial circle. Concrete walks and low masonry planter beds finished with sand stone benches and landscape completed the project. With a Budget of $500,000 and 90 days to complete the project, collaboration was crucial for the early detection of problems. SSC’s quick development and smooth implementation of solutions were

The recently completed University Veterans Memorial at West Texas A&M University features three granite monoliths bearing the names of 88 students, alumni and faculty who gave their lives in conflicts that include WorldWar I, WorldWar II, Korean, Vietnam and Iraq wars. Circling the monoliths are five black granite benches and flags to represent each branch of the armed forces which are joined with a two-tone terrazzo star

coordinated with the Veterans Committee andWTAMU.

The WTAMU Veterans Memorial successful completion is contributed to the dedication of Nicole Trevino, SSC Project Manager in collaboration with John Moya, Jason Simms and Scott Walker. This team worked tirelessly throughout the project as a great responsibility was held to honor those who sacrificed so much.

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At Marymount California University the entire SSC Team was honored as “Unsung Heros” by the school for their hard work and dedication.

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SSC in the Community SSC partnered with Weathermatic to upgrade the irrigation systems at the campuses we serve to help better manage water usage. This simple goal grew into aiding in a mission to provide clean water to at risk communities across the globe. Most recently SSC sponsored 6 students to travel to Guatemala to help dig a well in a small village called El Amatillo. Featured are reflections from the students’ experiences.

Razan Ghabin, Senior Electrical Engineering Major, Texas A&M University

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Things that stood out to me

Things that bring me happiness recalling I will never forget the children of the community who excitedly sat me down and began playing with my hair, braiding it and putting all kinds of flowers in it as they screamed “bonita”with so much excitement. Their shaking laughter as they saw their faces change with the snapchat filters on my phone. Little Ashley’s face as she practically carried me down to the river barefoot while I had mountain gear on. How the young boys saw me and took that as a chance to show off their skills by directly running into the river, climbing up the rocks, and doing back flips while Ashley signaled me to take a photo. I will never forget how eagerly they shared the bubbles we gave them. The quantity was limited for sure, yet they still shared so happily taking turns till the bottles ran out telling each other “ compartir”. I will never forget little Raphael as he tried to tickle me and run away only till I caught him and practically tickled him till his knees buckled and the only thing holding his little body was me. The look of the man’s eyes as he looked at the bottle of Gatorade with clean water.

As I prepared for my trip to Guatemala, checking the long list of things to bring, I repeated in my head: two bags of trash …check, work boots… check, Bug repellent…check, work gloves… check. I thought of the expectations I had for this trip and the one thing I was certain of is that we would have a profound impact on the people we meet. Never did I imagine that the people I will meet would impact and mark my life in more ways than I theirs. First Impression The day came and Sarah Boreen and I set out the airport. Of course, as typical Texans we stopped at Bucees because we both knew truly that no trip is complete without a stop at Bucees. We met up with the rest of the team and head out to Guatemala. Arriving in Guatemala, we immediately noticed the shocking difference of the place we arrived to in comparison to the place we called home. A lady whose face was marked with the hardships of time immediately approached us and begged us for money. We apologized and settled into the van and began our very rough drive to Antigua, mind you people who drive in Guatemala are by all means professionals. The level of precision needed to drive there is surreal. Here I was with a group of strangers named Sarah, Desiree, Sausha, Ida, Lisa, Maureen, Saif, and Marilyn. Little did I know that I’d make good trustworthy friendships and even family out of the people in that van. We began our drive to the beautiful city of Antigua and a few things immediately caught my attention: buses that are ornately decorated in popping colors of yellow, green, and red, four people riding a motorcycle all at once, a McDonalds delivery motorcycle, the lush jungle green of our surroundings, and armed men guarding what looked like regular grocery stores. Eventually we reached Antigua which can be easily described as a gem on this earth with its cobblestone roads, exotic wild flowers, archaic yet robust architecture, and of course the two volcanoes it is surrounded by.

The entire trip was beyond memorable to me. There are specific events that have found a way into my heart and have etched themselves into my memory permanently. Thinking back to my time in Guatemala, the first thing that comes to my mind is warmth and a deep sense of affection and satisfaction especially towards the people of El Amatillo ( the community we worked in). During our time in the community, we would work for hours and by the end of the day, the work left us exhausted and starving. When our meal came, you can tell they were prepared with utmost love by the people of the community and as we said our prayers in their homes and on their dinner table, a genuine feeling of gratuity would overwhelm me. Looking around at the state the community was in, feeling a chicken graze against my leg under the dinner table, I could not help but feel so grateful for what I have. Grateful for the meal in front of me, the home that waits for my return, the fresh food and water we have access to, and for the opportunity of helping others I was granted with.

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The laughter of the kids that was failed to be succumbed when the balloons popped as we prayed. How the old women blushed and hid her laugh with utmost glee. How the little children saw me look their way and took that as a chance to show off their skills hopping from tire to tire with so much speed. The eagerness in the children’s eyes when they crept near me and whispered asking “ Pelota?”(ball). The way the kids rushed to the van to spoil me with hugs when I stepped out, I will never forget Eliana’s tiny face as she looked up at me while hugging my legs. The hard, rough, yet soothing rain as it poured down on us while we were in Seniora Santos’s house with all the community. The hygiene lesson was quickly transformed to a beauty care session and coloring session for the women and the kids. The Turkey by the kitchen that gobbled as I screamed of achievement when I finally managed to get one tortilla made after my several failed attempts. The chickens and dogs that roamed so freely between your legs anywhere and everywhere. The women in the streets of the Antigua dressed in their traditional clothes a combust of colors. Things I wish I could change The poor and unbelievable state of the school. From the broken tables to the wet books, to the disorganized rooms. The state of those classrooms are unbearable. The eaten up chairs that are clearly too small for the children. Worst of all was the sight of the old bathrooms that no words can bring justice to, to the sight of the “renovated “and new bathrooms that I would happily swear a grave would be more comfortable and convenient in comparison. The fact there is a low mortality rate that when a woman is asked how many children she has , the answer almost always consisted the death of a few children. While we were at church, there was a prayer

list. I looked at the prayers and one prayer caught me off guard “Please pray for my six-year-old daughter’s survival, who is suffering from Malaria”, a disease that could have been so easily prevented where I come from. I will never forget the young ladies of the community who asked me if I had any children of my own, as I answered no. I could not help but feel a sense of complete shock at how young these women carry the responsibility of children so willingly and happily. I understand the cultural difference but I spent the rest of my days thinking that every little girl I played with would go as far as getting married at a really young age. I silently prayed for every little girl I played with to have a different life since these little girls were so smart and capable. I wished they had the opportunity of a better education and a better life. As I walked around in heavy work boots, long sleeves and pants, and a ton of bug spray, the children walked around barefoot with ripped clothes on grounds that were clearly hazardous. The people of the village showered, did their laundry, and drank from the river which was clearly contaminated. All of which are things we take for granted in our daily lives. What I learned I may not speak Spanish but nevertheless, I developed a strong connection with the people of El Amatillo. Through cheeky smiles, endless hugs, and lots of laughter . These kids communicated through drawings, hand gestures, and of course their eyes. Their eyes will haunt me for the rest of my life, each one looked at me with so much depth and emotion just recalling their faces sends a shudder down my spine. They changed my life. My experience taught me to be genuinely grateful for the life I was merely born into. It showed me that no matter what hardships life throws at us; happiness will always exist in the

smallest things surrounding us. Just like the people of the community, the smallest things we owned meant the entire world to them. As I write this in my personal room with a desk and a cozy bed facing me, clean water at the reach of my hand by a mere switch, a roof over my head in a house with electricity, central cooling, and an

actual kitchen with an oven. I can’t help but wish I can share what I have with the people of the community. My experience gave me a sense of purpose and motivated me to give back. I am currently an electrical engineering student at Texas A&M, specializing in Power by sustainable means. Whether I end up in the corporate world or in Academia, I want to give back through my degree. This experience has granted me with an open mind and a sense of responsibility and duty to make this world a better place. I hope to work in the renewable energy field in which I can use my skills to provide electricity and purified water through energy conversions from renewable resources.

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Through my education, I would like to go to developing countries such as Venezuela, Philippines, Nepal, Uganda, Ethiopia, Syria, and Iraq to provide assistance. For now, I’ll end this with warmth and kindness just like the warmth the people of El Amatillo overwhelmed us with.

Share your stories, and let us know how you get involved in your communities on campus, locally, and abroad!

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Interment

The world watched as President George H.W. Bush was laid to rest. Many saw the news coverage of Bush 41 lying in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda as well as his funeral and the famous Union Pacific 4141 train making its way from Houston to College Station. So much work went on behind the scenes from numerous University departments; countless staff worked tirelessly to make Bush 41’s final arrival in College Station a wonderful tribute. Several departments within SSC were incredibly honored to do preparation work and serve at the interment. Our Grounds Department came together and accomplished a monumental task of preparing the George Bush Library complex and the lot 61 area for President Bush’s interment. Grounds Assistant Director Brandon Morgan states, “This could not have happened without the cooperation,

communication, dedication, and willingness of all involved who did whatever it took to get the job done.” The Grounds team accomplished in one day what took three days for First Lady Barbara Bush’s interment in April 2018.

major accomplishment. The parking lots, medians and tree rings that were visible from the procession were all mulched. Additionally, the service entrance on the east side of the Allen Building was screened using 15 Spartan juniper trees that were planted the day before the interment. A new 65 gallon Cathedral live oak was planted at the gravesite. An impressive 88 SSC Grounds associates played a role in “We stood up to every challenge and prevailed. We did our job, what was expected and we did it well. Everyone was honored to be a part of this historical moment at SSC and Texas A&M University.” - Brandon Morgan

The list of tasks com- pleted by our Grounds department was quite extensive. The flower and horticul- ture teams planted over 8500 ornamental flowers around the George Bush Library. Twenty 36” x 36” color bowls were carefully arranged and placed

at the railroad site in front of the Texas A&M Singing Cadets. Our landscape construction, horticulture teams and turf teams spread 684 yards of mulch in three days, which in itself was a

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the preparations! Brandon Morgan expressed, “We stood up to every challenge and prevailed. We did our job, what was expected and we did it well. Everyone was honored to be a part of this historical moment at SSC and Texas A&M University.” SSC Maintenance, specifically our Trades Department, also played a key role in the preparations. A total of 18 Trades associates completed a variety of tasks. They removed and reinstalled fencing around the gravesite, laid and removed ~ 13,824 square feet of plywood decking at the train site and built and installed a walkway for President Bush’s family to walk across after exiting the train. Other work that Maintenance did included replacing the light fixture on the exterior East wall of the George Bush Library and repairing all lights that were out. The Custodial Team was hard at work

ensuring the Presidential Library, Museum, and Apartment were in impeccable condition. Reflecting on the work of his teams, SSC at TAMU Regional Vice President Richard Gentry expressed, “Once again SSC has played a vital role in making this event a success. In recent hurricanes, hail storms, floods, fires or special events like the Bush burials, SSC is consistently there to play an integral role by doing what is needed to ensure a successful outcome.”

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A Season of Giving As 2018 drew to a close, the DeKalb SSC team chose to complete the year with a Season of Giving. The leadership team decided on not one but two initiatives to graciously give back to the community that we have served for the past two years. We chose Atlanta Toys for Tots, a charity that distributes toys to nonprofit agencies, and we selected three DeKalb County (elementary, middle and high) schools to make a donation of food to three needy families. The RVP, Val Emery even got involved in the giving. Day by day associates would contribute donations of toys easily filling our first box within a week; then two boxes. The donations of non-perishable food items also grew as rapidly as the toys. And then there were the Bikes! We were excited by our first ten, then fifteen, closing the giving season with a whopping twenty two bikes.

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Spotlight Do you know someone looking to grow their career? Do you want to grow your spending money? The solution to both is to help SSC and Compass Group fill open positions!

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Train Your Dragon Crape Myrtles If you are just doing annual pruning and the plant is in scale, the key to remember is Crape Myrtles bloom on new wood (current seasons growth): • Thin out all crossing limbs except main branches from base • Reduce size/ height of plant but cutting back knowing that up to 2’ of growth will occur the following year. • Thin out small limbs branches leaving just main branches – based on the number of base canes you should end up with 3 – 5 branches per cane at varying heights from 12” below desired height to 12” abovedesired height to make plant appear natural. • Once this is completed stand back and visualize plant to see if it meets objective of prune and is in scale with space and other plants.

If you are doing renovation pruning and to get it back into scale: • Determine completed size (height and width). • If there are more than 3 – 5 canes (looking for a balanced plant) visualize removal to that number starting with any that are crossing or rubbing creating cankers. • Now, once you visualize you can remove one at a time stepping back and inspecting appearance after removal and then visualize the next one to be removed. • Once the number of canes has been established by pruning out undesirables – lower height to pre-determined height, do

above desired height to make plant appear natural. • Follow step number 3 above in annual pruning.

And last but not least do not prune back to same nub every year; that is termed Crape Murder!

Would you like to contribute to next month’s newsletter? Please contact us

not flat top that looks hideous! But be in a range from 12” below desired height to 12”

with your idea! SSC Service Solutions PO Box 52370 Knoxville, TN 37950 865-673-4372 Contact@sscserv.com www.sscserv.com

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