‘Tis the Season to Give Thanks

"Silent gratitude isn't very much use to anyone." — Gertrude Stein

The holiday season is upon us again, and while gratitude should be expressed year-round, this season serves as a helpful reminder for us to ponder the things we are most thankful for. But as Gertrude Stein points out, our thanks have much more meaning when we share them.

That’s why we wanted to give our customers a chance to share what they are most thankful for this year so we can celebrate right along with them. Everyone who shared a submission was entered in a raffle for a $100 donation in their name to a charity of their choice.

This year’s winner was Jessica Tidy, Project Coordinator at Jamerson & Bauwens Electric. Here is her submission:

Last year on 11/27 I had a bilateral mastectomy. I am thankful that my company was so kind and supportive through my 8-month battle. Now a year later, I am back at work full force and grateful to have my position and to continue to make an impact on my company and the industry. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Jessica has chosen to make her donation to Lemons of Love, an organization that provides support and community to those impacted by cancer. We are grateful for everyone who, like Jessica, shared with us things they are thankful for this year.

Highlighting Appreciation

Here are just a handful of our favorites from the other submissions we received:

I'm thankful for the tremendous owners we have. Their fanatical emphasis on our core values of safety and quality emanates from every action they take. They are genuinely interested in all their team members and are greatly appreciative of their many contributions to the overall success of the company.

—Bill Patt, VP/CFO, Corval Group, Inc.

I'm thankful for the opportunity to live in a country where I have the freedom to chart my own destiny and make my own decisions without fear of discrimination for what I find to be self-evident in my identity.

—Josh Snow, Field Engineer, Garney Construction

I love my flexibility of schedule. I'm currently attending a graduate program at a local university. GBI has made it easy for me to attend school at my convenience and still get the hours I need at work.

—Braxton Todd, Tax Accountant, Great Basin Industrial

I'm very grateful to have been in the construction industry for the past 32 years. I feel like the glass ceiling was starting to crack when I arrived on the scene. My hope is the ceiling has been completely removed.

—Nancy DeCordova, Staff Development & Training Osborne Construction Co.

Thankful for this industry and opportunity to provide for families, build futures and grow a community.

—Brandon Berumen, President and CEO, LEI Companies, Inc.

I am thankful that the Construction Industry is taking a hard look at Suicide prevention. I certainly appreciate the CFMA for headlining this initiative!

—Chris Gibbons, Accounting, Prairie Electric

I'm thankful to be working for and along with several disabled veterans. These individuals are very proud, yet humble, in regard to their service. My employer is a strong woman who is also a disabled veteran (GO WOMEN)! I truly enjoy working with this group.

—Dawn Hancox, Controller, Pointer Construction Group

Challenging work environment that keeps me interested and engaged on a daily basis. A team of individuals working together to promote safety, integrity, teamwork and innovation. It's a joy to work in the construction industry!

—Randy Reiner, Structures Manager, CS McCrossan Inc.

This may seem like a broad answer but I am so thankful for all of the opportunities presented to me on a daily basis. Opportunities to grow and learn, as well as opportunities to help others grow and learn, it's great to work in such a collaborative team environment. Thankful to be given the opportunity to go to Portland each year to be able to network with colleagues and further my Viewpoint knowledge. I get busy sometimes and forget my company wants me to take the time and further my education and not everyone gets that opportunity. Happy Thanksgiving!

—Lauren Hughes, IT Coordinator, Anderson Burton Construction, Inc.

I am thankful to have a job that is connecting people of different ages, ethnicities, genders, and skillsets together. I am also thankful to work in an industry that connects and empowers other companies. (We are subcontracted to jobs, and then we subcontract other parts of the job to others, etc.).

—Tia Alstrup, Project Coordinator, Legacy Mechanical, Inc.

In our industry — road and bridge construction — I am thankful this year that we had no loss of life. Yes, there were a couple of injury accidents but could have been so much worse. I am thankful we have such a large group of coworkers that look after each other to keep each other safe and assist each other when there are accidents outside of our control.

—Amy Jo Davis, Administrative Assistant, Jim Smith Contracting

Keep the Gratitude Going

We are so thankful for each and every one of the members of our Viewpoint community and are glad to hear about the things they are grateful for and celebrate with them. We hope this post will serve as a reminder to express gratitude this season and all year long.