VERNON, CT — The generosity of some hvacr contractors and their employees is often an outstanding example to the business community at large. One particular example occurred earlier this year here in Vernon, when an employee of New England Mechanical Services, Inc. (NEMSI), lost his home in a fire.

The entire company stepped up to help. Direct contributions and proceeds from a bake sale, an ongoing candy sale, and a boxed dinner so far have brought in $1,500 for the employee’s family.

This isn’t the only example of NEMSI employee generosity. A group of volunteers who call themselves “Hearts and Hopes” are on a mission to “help where help is needed, whether within the company or out in the community.”

In the past, they have raised funds through a company-wide 50-50 raffle, used to brighten Christmas and Thanksgiving for two local families, and to provide cash contributions to Vernon’s Tri-Town Emergency Shelter, to Foodshare, and to the Vernon Area Community Health Center. The value of NEMSI’s donations since November, 2001, have exceeded $2,500.

About those boxed dinners mentioned earlier … they were prepared by the contractor’s electronic systems specialist, Eric Beach, whose culinary specialties include northern Italian cuisine. Beach shopped for and then prepared more than 50 ordered dinners. Other employees contributed baked goods; still other employees bought and consumed them.

“I am very proud of our employees for pitching in to help one of our apprentices,” said company president Chuck Reagan. “We have together raised more than $1,500 to help out this family with immediate expenses.

“This is just another example of why NEMSI is such a special place to work.”

The company is an operating division of Consolidated Engineering Services Inc., a broad-based company that operates, maintains, and/or manages more than 10,000 corporate, commercial, and institutional buildings in 27 states.

Publication date: 04/15/2002