Community comes in many forms. In the engineering field, we strive to stay involved with members of the cities and counties we’re working for. Bolton & Menk principal engineer David Martini believes “…a strong sense of community means that no matter our background, what we have in common, or the differences we have, we all want to live in a place where you can count on your neighbors to help each other out and contribute to make the community we live in a better place.” Contributing our time and resources has been in our roots since our start in 1949 and it is our goal to keep your communities safe, sustainable, and beautiful any way we can.
Volunteering was instilled at a young age for many of our employees. For talent management work group leader, Tonya Hobbie, her first volunteering memory started when her mom would take her to the Alzheimer’s Unit to meet with the residents. “There were many school concerts where residents joined us. I feel like I’ve always had a heart to make a difference in the lives of others as I realize how blessed I am to have had people who made a difference in mine,” Hobbie remembers. Today, she mentors area youth and gets her children involved on Community Impact teams through the Greater Mankato Area United Way. Senior project landscape architect Josh Shields grew up in a large family close to his many relatives and had a front-row seat to the adage many hands make light work. “This has shaped who I am now and why I strongly feel the need to volunteer and pass this work ethic onto the next generation.” He uses his experience coordinating people today as well, providing organization, planning, and a sense of calm during his volunteer events.
Many Bolton & Menk employees have a passion for working with area youth. Water resources engineer Tim 
Olson volunteers his time in classrooms to educate students on being environmentally conscious, using water models for discussion. For Olson, that passion started at home. “My wife is my inspiration. Her passion for teaching and connecting with kids is very special. I feel it’s important that we (surveyors, architects, planners, scientists, and engineers) connect with every new generation of decision-makers. Our planet can’t afford to disregard their ingenuity.” Principal engineer Sarah Lloyd agrees, “My favorite way to volunteer is working with local schools to talk to young people, especially young girls, about the endless opportunities in the engineering field and the impact our work has within our communities. Many students aren’t exposed to, or don’t understand the opportunities within the engineering field.”
Project manager Josh Pope sees the call to action and doesn’t hesitate. 
“To be candid, there really wasn’t anything that inspired me to do some of the volunteer efforts that I’ve done. It’s just been one of those instances where, someone asked me for help and I was able to help, so I helped. It’s really as simple as that!” One benefit he sees from volunteering is the opportunity to be able to interact with different people and be able to hear their stories. He has experienced this during the City of Hartley, Iowa’s Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) event. “Not only was I able to interact with the residents of Hartley and their city officials and get to know their stories, but I got to talk to the many bike riders that were passing through town. I met someone who came over specifically for the event from Switzerland, which was incredible! As I think back on the ways I’ve truly enjoyed volunteering, it really centers on being able to interact with others and hear their stories.”
Working directly in your communities gives us a unique perspective into your needs, passions, and goals. It’s our responsibility to help any way we can, on and off the clock.
