Author: Colby Co.

Colby Company hit two milestones to be proud of in 2023: 15 years in business, and more than 1500 hours worth of volunteer time to celebrate that!

The company initiative was first announced back in May 2023. Since then, our employees worked hard at a wide variety of nonprofits to donate their time and efforts back into their communities. 

In addition to individual volunteering at more than 45 nonprofits, Colby Co. also organized several group opportunities, including two company-wide Days of Service. Additionally, Colby Co. worked with Maine State Parks, Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, and United Way of Southern Maine, on a variety of activities made available to the whole staff to work towards their 24 hours of volunteer time. 

When asked why the executive team was interested in pursuing this ambitious goal, President Calen Colby said it was an easy decision. “Our success over the past 15 years has been a blessing, and it has taken a community to make it work.,” Colby said. “Giving back to that community seems like the right thing to do. It keeps us humble and reinforces the need to always be looking for ways to give back.” 

In total, Colby Company employees donated 1,740 volunteer hours throughout the course of 2023. This is beyond our goal of 1500 hours, and something we are so proud of and excited to share. Furthermore, 39 employees hit their individual goal of 24 hours, and were able to have $100 donated by CCE in their name to a nonprofit of their choice, within the United Way of Southern Maine’s network. In total, Colby Co. donated $32,230 to local nonprofits in 2023.

We asked Colby Co. employees why they wanted to participate in the volunteer program, and here were some of the answers: 

“One of our Colby Co. mottos is “how can I help?” and this experience has been a perfect example of that attitude in action. I’ve loved hearing about all of the different organizations and activities that my colleagues have supported around the state, many I had never heard about before, all doing inspiring work to support people in need.” – Angie Viola

“Volunteer work gives me a greater overall purpose and human connection” – Audra Wrigley

“Volunteering is important to me because I know how impactful it is for the people and organizations that benefit from it. It also helps to keep me grounded, and helps me keep a mindset of gratitude and appreciation for what I have.” – Nate Dyer

“My grandparents were active volunteers in their communities, so they inspire me to volunteer now. There are also so many great organizations to choose from that it’s not hard to find one that inspires you!” – Shannon Haley

“I often think about all the times in my life that someone has offered to help me through a situation big or small. It’s those acts of kindness that encourage me to pay it forward. It’s incredible how one person stepping in to help can make a giant impact.” – Heather Beaulieu

We are so grateful for all of the work and hours that our staff put into our volunteering campaign throughout the year, and for the nonprofits who opened their doors to us, and taught us about all of the incredible work they’re doing in our community. We are looking forward to finding more ways to volunteer in our local community in 2024 and beyond. 

Colby Company kicked off the holiday season with a Day of Service, volunteering at several nonprofits throughout the state, on Friday, December 1st.

This is the third time Colby Co. has dedicated a day to giving back to our community, after our first Day of Service last December, and an additional one in May.

We sent teams to several nonprofits, including The Opportunity Alliance, the South Portland Food Cupboard, Furniture Friends, the Animal Welfare Society, Youth Full Maine, and the York County Habitat for Humanity.

Different tasks our team fulfilled included painting, sorting food, moving furniture, playing with (and cleaning up) rescue animals and their spaces, shopping and wrapping presents for those in need, and helping sort through donated items.

After banking nearly 200 additional volunteer hours (as part of our 1500 Hours effort), the Colby Co. crew headed to Liquid Riot for an afternoon lunch and celebration.

During the celebration, Calen and Sarah Emily Colby spent a few minutes reflecting on the last 15 years as a company, and celebrating our 1500 Hours Campaign, which was completed on Friday, December 1st. Leaders and volunteer coordinators from several of the nonprofits Colby Co. worked with this year were in attendance as well, being recognized for all of the work they do every day to help make Maine a better place.

We are ending the year feeling grateful for the work we do, and grateful for the community we live in and support, to help make this happen.

It’s hard to think of a better event for a design firm than one where our team could plan and build a sculpture out of cans, while simultaneously collecting food for a food drive. So we quickly put a team together when we found out about the “United We Can Food Drive & Can Sculpture Contest.” 

Our team spent a few hours coming up with a design, and then tested it out in a practice session, to ensure we would have enough time (3 hours) to build it during the event. Colby Co. donated nearly $1100 worth of canned goods, cereal, granola bars, and mac and cheese, and our crew got to work. 

“I love an opportunity to be creative, and this was a perfect chance to do that,” said Colby Co. employee Angie Viola. “It was a well organized event by the United Way, a fun event to plan for and participate in the day of the event – the best part is all of our work went to an amazing cause – giving food to our local community, where so many people are in need and struggling with food insecurity.” 

In total, our lighthouse was built out of 760 canned goods, 57 boxes of cereal, 13 boxes of granola bars, and 210 boxes of Mac & Cheese. This equates to nearly 900 pounds worth of donated food! 

“This event was a blast,” Colby Co. employee Hannah Lilly said. “It was nice working with our team to come up with a unique and challenging design, but more importantly, we were able to donate so much food to those in need. It was also a great reminder of how much fun it can be to volunteer!” 

Colby Co. was also excited to win the “Small & Mighty” award at the evening. The award is given to the judge’s choice for best sculpture by a small business (fewer than 100 employees.) Our team is already busy planning up a design for next year! 

It’s been more than 40 years since Good Shepherd Food Bank first opened its doors, as a way to help neighbors supplement their groceries. Now, the nonprofit is working on a much bigger mission: to eliminate hunger in Maine. They work in a variety of ways, including through food banks, cooking classes, working with healthcare providers, and meal coordination with local schools, to provide full bellies for all Mainers. 

Colby Co. employee Rich McCauley has become inspired by all of GSFB’s efforts, and this year has helped to organize five volunteer days that he opens up to the entire company. “I like making this a monthly commitment to show up and help process food through the GSFB warehouse in Auburn,” McCauley said. “The need is neverending.” 

During these trips, Colby Co. employees have helped to unpack, sort, and repacked food that will be distributed to local food shelters and resources throughout the state. In total, our team has helped move more than 10,000 pounds of food.

Employee Heather Beaulieu attended one of these volunteer days and immediately felt the impact behind the work. “There were an enormous amount of donations of all kinds to be processed, but the system at Good Shepherd Food Bank was well-organized. I was able to jump in and help with a ten minute tutorial, and immediately felt I was making a difference.”

So far this year, Colby Co. has donated more than 125 volunteer hours to Good Shepherd, with at least one more volunteer event scheduled for later this month. 

Colby Co. employee Corey DeWitt spent three days this summer working on a team to help install the Wall That Heals. The display is a touring wall replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., which pays tribute to the more than 58,000 men and women who gave their lives or remain missing from the Vietnam War. 

Working alongside other volunteers, Corey spent his first day helping to install more than 100 framing sections with bases and bracing. These helped to support the panels with the names on them. There are 140 panels that hold the names of all of the fallen soldiers. The wall is 370 feet long – and is ¾ the scale of the wall in D.C. Volunteers spent nearly six hours working to get the display up, with the wall on display in Sanford for four days. The wall has traveled all year, starting in California and slowly making its way across the country. 

During his volunteering, Corey shared that he was able to meet and talk with several Vietnam veterans. He worked to help people find the names they were looking for along the wall, and helped them rub the names as a sign of honor and remembrance. He shared a few of the stories from his time with Colby Co. coworkers, and remarked on how struck he was by the importance of this memorial for so many. 

Corey decided to use all of his volunteer hours (as part of our 1500 hour campaign) for this event. He said it was incredibly fulfilling and humbling. 

We are grateful for his work and dedication, as well as the sacrifices these men and women have made. 

“I got hooked on assisting Maine Needs from the first visit.”

That’s what CCE employee Christa Moulton said about her time volunteering for Maine Needs.

The nonprofit started nearly five years ago out of a volunteer’s garage – working with caseworkers, nurses, and street outreach teams to collect specific, basic items that many folks in our community were searching for.

The organization has grown tremendously and now operates out of a building in Portland. It continues to work with caseworkers, nurses, outreach teams, and teachers to help gather information about specific items that are needed in our community. Volunteers come in to help sort through donated items, and help put together requests that will go out into the community.

“Through volunteering, I learned that home insecurity is such a huge problem in our community,” Moulton said. “The needs are great for those people, and Maine Needs does an amazing job – but there is so much more that needs to be done.”

Colby Co. is proud to support its community in this way, and has donated more than 50 hours of volunteer time at Maine Needs this year.

A group of Colby Co. employees spent many Fridays this summer getting their hands dirty and learning new gardening techniques at a farm in Brunswick. 

Growing to Give is a nonprofit that was founded six years ago by a group of people who wanted to provide fresh produce for people struggling with food insecurity, while also practicing climate-friendly farming techniques. 

CCE employee Shannon Haley has been volunteering at the farm for two years. She says she was inspired to begin work at the farm as a way to feel connected to the community, especially after 2020. “It was a great opportunity to work in a garden when I didn’t have access to one at home,” Shannon says. “My grandmother was also a big supporter of food pantries so I was familiar with similar work.” 

Shannon began inviting her coworkers to the farm as well, as a way to inspire people for the 1500 Hours Campaign. Colby Co. had several Fridays where a group of around ten employees spent their mornings on the farm – including Amanda Vogler. “It was especially neat to learn more about the people that the food goes to,” she says. “Many people receiving these foods have immigrated here from Africa, and the farm ensures that they can grow crops that help these people have a taste of home.” 

Vogler, who is a certified yoga instructor, also began teaching yoga classes ahead of volunteer Fridays, for anyone volunteering at the farm. 

In total, Colby Co. donated more than 100 hours to Growing to Give! 

For the sixth year in a row, Colby Company has been selected as one of the winners of the “Best Places to Work in Maine.” 

It is a designation that the leadership team continues to be honored and humbled by, especially as we celebrate our 15th year in business. “The group of professionals that we have been able to assemble is a point of pride,” CEO Sarah Emily Colby said. “Their level of talent, creativity, and commitment to customer service inspires me to keep my own bar high. We work on some incredibly complex projects and I am so impressed with their ability to put the work in, find the best solution and stay flexible throughout the process.” 

To qualify as a Best Place, an anonymous survey is sent to all employees to complete. The survey has approximately 77 statements that employees respond to, along with two open-ended questions. Some of the categories it focuses on include Leadership and Planning, Work Environment, and Role Satisfaction. 

Since 2008, Colby Co. has continued to grow and make its mark in Maine, New England, and throughout the country and into Canada. Now seventy employees strong, Colby Co. is noted for its commitment to technical and service excellence. The design firm specializes in architecture and mechanical, structural, electrical, fire protection, and civil engineering. 

Colby Co. employees enjoyed a weekend retreat at the New England Outdoor Center in Millinocket as summer winds down. 

This is our fourth annual trip to the beautiful Katahdin region. The area offers plenty of recreational activities, including white water rafting, hiking, biking, kayaking, walking, swimming, and having fun! 

The weather this weekend (rain on and off, as it has been all summer!) didn’t stop employees from spending plenty of time outside, bonding with nature and each other. 

We are so grateful for the work that our employees do year-round, and look forward to our pilgrimage up north every summer as a chance to relax and spend some quality time with each other outside of the office. We are already looking forward to next summer’s trip back to NEOC!