Who We Support and Why: Animal Protective Foundation

It’s time for another installment of our “Who We Support and Why” series, and this time we’re sharing a cause very near and dear to our hearts, the Animal Protective Foundation.

The APF is a humane society providing services to the greater capital region, founded in 1931. Their mission is to provide resources and care for all companion animals and protect the human-animal bond. The APF cares for over 5,000 animals a year, and accepts any and all owner-relinquished pets, providing medical treatment, neutering, vaccinations, and lots of love. The goal of the APF is to find a forever home for every animal they take in.

The staff at Schrader and Company are all tried and true animal lovers. Clients will of course be familiar with our beloved Lonnie, our gentle office dog. We know how much our own pets enrich our lives, and offering support to this wonderful local organization was an easy choice.

The Animal Protective Foundation is a non-profit that relies solely on the generosity of our community. If you’d like to learn more about the good works of the APF, donate, or volunteer, please visit their website.

A Winning Evening for The Boys and Girls Clubs of Schenectady

We recently hosted another of our private chef dinners in our Schrader and Company showroom, and we couldn’t be happier about the organization that benefited from the generosity of the winning bidders, or the lovely people who joined us for the evening.

We donated a private chef dinner for ten to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Schenectady’s Fall Gala. This event is held in support of the local Schenectady chapter of this national organization, which was founded in 1936 and aims to promote the social, educational, health, leadership, and character development of boys and girls during critical periods of their growth.

The lucky winners of our chef dinner package happen to be valued clients of ours, and they along with some of their friends, bid on the prize and won the auction item.

For the dinner which took place on March 14th, we partnered with Rick Sleeper of the Cock N’ Bull restaurant. Rick, along with the restaurant’s pastry chef and creative director Andrea DeCiero, prepared a decadent and delicious meal. Their generosity in participating in this venture went above and beyond.

The food was inspired, and in keeping with Rick’s long-standing ethos of farm to table cuisine. Each course was paired with a delicious libation.

We so enjoyed hosting this wonderful group in our showroom, and lending our support to the Boys and Girls Club of Schenectady. Our heartfelt thanks go to Rick and Andrea, and the generous bidders who shared the night with us.

 

Who We Support and Why: SNACpack

It’s time for another installment of our “Who We Support and Why” series, where we highlight a local philanthropic organization that is close to our hearts and values, and tell you why and how we at Schrader and Company choose to lend them our support.

The SNACpack Program is an amazing local organization that is addressing the too prevalent issue of childhood hunger in our community. The Saratoga Nutritional Assistance for Children (SNACpack) was founded in 2014, when a Saratoga County student who was struggling in school and thought to be learning disabled was instead revealed to be profoundly hungry, and struggling in the classroom as a result.

While schools can provide on site breakfast and lunch to students in need, SNACpack is filling the void of weekend and school vacation nutritional needs by providing children with backpacks stocked with multiple breakfast and entree options, a loaf of bread, a milk card for a gallon of milk, snack options, fresh fruits and canned vegetables. These backpacks assure that the student will receive the foods they need to grow and thrive, and also eliminates the obstacle of requiring a family to travel to a food pantry or other food assistance center to fulfill their grocery needs. Over 8% of the students in the Saratoga County district are living in poverty, and in true need of this kind of service.

The kids take their backpacks home on Friday, feeling both secure that their food needs will be met, and a sense of empowerment that they can contribute to their families.

SNACpack runs on volunteer support. Food donations are always needed and welcomed, and  volunteer man hours are necessary as well, to stuff the bags and backpacks. Schrader and Company employees have been both donating and volunteering with SNACpack for awhile now, and we are thrilled to be able to involve even our own young children in lending a hand. It’s been a wonderful experience for our kids, and an excellent introduction to community service as assembling the bags is a simple and fun task that even the youngest volunteer can master and enjoy. 

Last year, our client appreciation dinner at Caffe Lena also served as a fundraiser for SNACpack, and we are so grateful to our clients who heeded the call and came ready with generous food donations which we turned over to the organization.

There is no better investment in our community’s future, and no more vulnerable population that our own Saratoga County youth. We love being part of SNACpack’s efforts to make sure these deserving children’s most basic needs are met.

If you’d like to learn more about SNACpack and ways to donate and become involved, please visit their website.

Schrader and Company Friends and Family Picnic 2018

We recently gathered with staff, family, and some of our most trusted colleagues in construction to celebrate the people who make Schrader and Company possible. We value the contribution of every employee and vendor for their hard work, professionalism, and talents. A great time was had by all.

Thank you to Lynn Fredericks and Leigh Schrader for organizing a wonderful day. And thank you to everyone who came for all of the ways you support us and make our company so great!

Who We Support and Why: Logan Strong

Here at Schrader and Company Construction Services, we believe in the importance of investing in our local community and supporting the causes that speak to our own values.

One such organization is “Logan Strong”, and we’d like to tell you a little bit about it and why we’ve chosen to support this worthy cause.

Jennifer and Kevin Fogg are two local parents like so many of us. But they face an unimaginable challenge as they navigate their son Logan’s cancer diagnosis, a journey which began in his infancy. Jennifer is a member of Rotary and several Schrader staff members have met her through their shared volunteer efforts there.

Throughout Logan’s experience, the Foggs have focused their efforts on raising awareness for childhood cancers in general, benefitting many other families in the same situation. Logan is truly a tiny superhero, and such an inspiration to everyone who hears his story. Logan and his family recently received some great news, which you can read about on their blog where they chronicle his journey.

We are proud to have sponsored “Logan Strong” events and will continue to show our love and support to Logan and his remarkable family.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and the perfect time to donate or become involved in this worthy cause.

If you’d like to learn more and be part of the #LoganStrong effort, you can visit the facebook page and website.

 

The 3rd Annual Peter H. Schrader Scholarship

This past June, Schrader and Company Construction Services awarded our third annual Peter H. Schrader scholarship to a graduate of Scotia-Glenville High School.

This scholarship, which honors the ethos of integrity and excellence in the field of construction of our company founder, is given to a high school senior interested in pursuing a career in construction or a related field.

Peter Schrader started attending Scotia-Glenville schools in the same one-room schoolhouse as his mother. After graduating from SGHS he left the area to pursue higher education in Florida. Peter left college early to join the Navy as a Heavy Equipment Operator in the “Can Do” Seabees and deployed to Vietnam and Puerto Rico. Upon completion of his term of service with the Navy, Peter decided to return home to Glenville and started working in construction with his brother. Peter gained a great satisfaction from working in the residential remodeling and construction industry. In 1973, he started working on his own as a carpenter from his Volkswagen bus. Over the years he refined his carpentry skills and started building a remodeling firm.

Peter led his firm to earn an indisputable state and national reputation for unparalleled craftsmanship and design in remodeling projects. His leadership role and ability to give back are apparent in his involvement in the community. Peter has conducted classes for local Continuing Education Programs, led career awareness training workshops for high school students and participated in regional seminars on the NYS Home Improvement Contract Law.

Peter represents the industry with character and dignity and has provided a standard that his peers aspire to achieve. He is an exemplary role model for the industry he relentlessly serves. Peter is a past president of the local Home Builders Association, past president of the NYS Builders Association and was inducted to the NYS Builders Hall of Fame.

The chosen recipient of our scholarship must demonstrate the skills and strong work ethic that has defined Peter’s career in our field.

This year’s recipient of the Peter H. Schrader scholarship is Warren Weaver. Congratulations to Warren! We wish him much luck in all of his future endeavors.

 

Happy Retirement, Rose!

Please join us in bidding Rose Kenyon a fond farewell with all our very best wishes, as she retires from a long and successful tenure at Schrader and Company.

Rose became a part of Schrader and Company in 2000, and in her more than 17 years with us has proven to be an invaluable part of our company structure.

Rose’s official title is Staff Accountant, but her role has grown to encompass many duties over the years, including much demanding administrative and marketing work, at which she excelled.

Our clients know Rose as the friendly voice on the phone and cheerful face at the office, ready to assist with anything. Over the years, our customers have always taken the time to tell us how much they enjoy working with Rose, and we have been very proud to have her be the first impression many people receive of Schrader and Company.

Rose is a consummate team player. She is thorough, reliable, and up for any challenge the day might bring. She brought all of these wonderful qualities to our office, as well as her kindness and friendship.

“Rose brought such positivity to our work environment”, says Ben Cangeleri. “She never had a bad day, and beyond her optimism and professional attitude, she was ready to take on any task.”

“In her role, Rose had to work with everyone in the company, and with every client. Her ability to navigate any situation with efficiency and poise has been a tremendous asset to us,” reflects Silas Schrader.

We know that Rose is looking forward to spending lots of time with her beloved family, especially her grandchildren. We hope the days ahead give her much-deserved time to focus on all of her passions and hobbies, including gardening and knitting, and plenty of time outside.

This isn’t a sad goodbye. Rose will always be a part of our Schrader and Company family, and we hope she will stop by and see us often.

Our heartfelt gratitude goes to Rose for her many years of dedication and hard work.

Congratulations on an accomplished career with us at Schrader and Company, Rose–and here’s to your well-earned retirement!

A Night to Remember at Caffe Lena

Last month we had the opportunity to gather at Caffe Lena with Schrader and Company employees and customers for our annual Client Appreciation Event. The evening was a chance to celebrate our long standing relationships with the homeowners who make our business possible, an opportunity to learn more about our community from local experts, and a philanthropic effort.

Caffe Lena is a local institution beloved by performers across the globe. We began the night with Executive Director Sarah Craig, who treated all of us to a talk about the rich history of Caffe Lena and its mission to to carry forward Lena Spencer’s dedication to community service through music, creating friendships, careers and harmonious connection.

Next, ninth generation Saratogian and author Dr. Hollis Palmer took us on an “Armchair Walking Tour” of the beautiful city of Saratoga, and its bevvy of glamorous mansions, or “Great Ladies”. We all learned a great deal from Dr. Palmer’s considerable expertise, which has informed the writing of his true crime series and his book, “See and be Seen: Saratoga in the Victorian Era” which was the 2011 winner of the Ruth Emory Award for best regional history book.

In addition to these two great speakers, our guests also dined on the delicious cuisine of Mazzone Catering.

There was one more important component to the evening. We asked all of our attendees to bring food donations for an organization that has become near and dear to us–Snack Pak 4 Kidz. Snack Pak 4 Kidz is a weekend backpack program that provides much needed food to children to take home over the weekends, when schools cannot provide meals to students. Our clients came through with generous amounts of food which all went to children in our own community in need. We are so grateful to everyone who contributed to this worthy cause.

It was a lovely evening to remember, combining fascinating local history in a landmark location, great food, philanthropy and our beloved clients, without whom Schrader and Company would not be possible.

Thank you to all of our clients, Caffe Lena, Sarah Craig, Dr. Hollis Palmer and Mazzone Catering for a wonderful night.

 

Eagle Scouts Honor Val DeCesare

We are always so proud of the talented team of professionals that comprise Schrader and Company, but when one of our own receives special recognition for their good works, we just have to share the news.

Senior Project Manager Val DeCesare has been with us for over 24 years, demonstrating his passion and skill for quality craftsmanship in countless clients’ homes. Val has also been generous with his time and talents to the Eagle Scouts over the years, and they recently showed their appreciation for his efforts with this plaque.

Immaculate Conception Eagle Troop 65 had undertaken a project to help the East Glenville Community Care Preschool improve their facilities through the construction of new benches,, shelves, storage cabinets and small easels. Val stepped in to lend his expertise to the venture, ensuring a job well done for the Eagle Scouts as well as the preschool.

Troop member Dylan Drewes who spearheaded the improvement project personally presented Val with the plaque in recognition of his help.

Congratulations, Val! Your community thanks you for your years of thoughtful engagement, and your co-workers are proud of you.