Bellevue employees inspired by the desire to help others

Rockwell Collins Production Operator Annette Lechtenberg said it took no more than a few informal announcements to encourage employees at our facility in Bellevue, Iowa, to donate a skid full of school supplies to the Operation New View Community Action Agency.

"It doesn't take much to motivate employees here," said Lechtenberg, who helped coordinate the Bellevue facility's third annual school supply drive. "Everyone really wanted to help, and did so with the incentive of simply serving others."

A public, non-profit human service agency, Operation New View Community Action Agency serves low-income families and individuals in Dubuque, Delaware, and Jackson counties.

According to Lechtenberg, the agency contacted our company more than three years ago with a list of school supply needs, and employees on our Satellite Receiver Transmitter and Satellite Communications Data Unit (SRT/SDU) equipment teams came to the rescue.

This year, a skid full of traditional supplies including pencils, pens, notebooks, crayons and book bags was donated. Additional items for students in need, such as toiletries, also were collected.

"We really look forward to doing this every year," said Lechtenberg. "It's become a regular way for us to give back to our community."

Items were collected by employees throughout the month of August, and then transported to the Operation New View Community Action Agency, where they are being dispersed to students and their families.

Employees in Bellevue participate in the fight against cancer

Photo by Phyllis Blech, Bellevue, Iowa
Lighting the way — Rockwell Collins Quality Production Lead Sandy Kilburg kneels beside several luminaries purchased in her honor at the Jackson County Relay for Life. She was diagnosed in January with breast cancer.

Rockwell Collins employees in Bellevue, Iowa, rallied together in the fight against cancer recently, raising an estimated $1,385 for the American Cancer Society in the Jackson County Relay for Life.

The team of seven employees held a series of different fund-raisers at our production facility, including one for an Isabel Bloom sculpture - artwork handcrafted in Davenport, Iowa. In addition, a $250 corporate donation qualified our company as the team's "Bronze Sponsor."

For Christy Helmle - a quality production lead in Bellevue and a relay participant - the event held special meaning. Helmle was able to watch her father, Jack, her son, Travis, and her niece, Alyssa, walk hand-in-hand during the survivor's lap.

Helmle's 25-year-old son was diagnosed in December 2007 with stage 4 brain cancer; her father is a prostate cancer survivor, and her niece was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 2.

"It meant a lot to see my family participate in the Survivor's Lap," said Helmle. "Not everyone gets to see that - because not everyone survives."

Helmle's son also was amazed with the number of luminaries representing those who have either lost their battle with cancer or those who are surviving the deadly disease.

"He was in awe of all the luminaries," said Helmle. "I'm so glad I got to share that with him."

Phyllis Blech, an industrial engineering technician and Relay for Life participant, also was impressed with the number of luminaries.

"There were so many, it was a huge outpouring of love and respect for people who have been through so much," said Blech. "It makes you realize that life can change on a dime."

First-time Relay for Life participant Jeff Mueller, a quality production lead in Bellevue, also knows how quickly life can change. Diagnosed with cancer last year, Mueller was able to walk the Survivor's Lap in this year's event.

"It was overwhelming," said Mueller. "My daughter asked me to participate and I'm so glad she did - it was a very uplifting experience."

Bellevue Green Team assists with memorial garden maintenance

Photo by Phyllis Blech, Bellevue, Iowa
A labor of love — Rockwell Collins Production Operator Pat Reis enjoys spending time in the Fireman's Memorial Garden that she and her husband, Ron, built six years ago along the riverfront in Bellevue, Iowa. This year, Reis was assisted with summer garden care by several of her colleagues from our Bellevue facility.

Rockwell Collins Production Operator Pat Ries and her husband, Ron, typically spend at least eight hours each summer spreading mulch at the Fireman's Memorial Garden they built six years ago along the riverfront in Bellevue, Iowa.

But, with the help of seven other members of our Bellevue facility's Green Team - an environmentally conscious group of employees - the couple prepared the garden for the town's Fourth of July celebration in less then one hour.

"Having assistance from the Green Team saved my husband and I so much time," said Ries, who joined our company in October of 1989. "They have always been willing to help, and this was no exception."

Ries and her husband - himself a retired volunteer firefighter - built the garden along the riverfront in Bellevue to pay homage to the heroism of firefighters. The couple usually single-handedly maintains the large garden that surrounds a Maltese cross, flagpole, and statue of a firefighter.

"The garden needs care throughout the year, but it helps so much having our Green Team members pitch in," said Ries. "It's a really caring group of people."

The couple was joined by employees Kate Medinger, Sharon Keuter, Rita Kress, Glenda Scott, Rhonda Eickert, and Phyllis Blech. All volunteered personal time to assist with the project.

Manufacturing facility in Bellevue receives splash of color

Photo by Jane Eganhouse, Bellevue, Iowa
A splash of color — Several Rockwell Collins employees in Bellevue, Iowa, added a splash of color to the manufacturing facility recently when they planted flowering plants, hostas and day lilies. Pictured are: (front, from left) Jackie Medinger and Phyllis Blech; (back) Glenda Scott, Nancy Hingtgen and Rita Kress.

Rockwell Collins employees in Bellevue, Iowa, spent time recently beautifying the grounds surrounding this manufacturing facility by planting greenery and adding a splash of color.

Six volunteers added 48 flowering plants and hostas donated by Nancy Hingtgen, a quality production lead, and Rita Bearce and Glenda Scott, both production operators.

"I'm redoing a retaining wall at home, and I had a lot of extra plants that I didn't need," explained Bearce, who donated a collection of day lilies and hostas. "Donating the plants to our facility just seemed like a good way to use them."

Hingtgen, Bearce and Scott were joined by three other employees in their volunteer efforts - Phyllis Blech, Jackie Medinger and Rita Kress. All six employees used personal time to plant the vegetation.

"We all have an interest in gardening, so this was an enjoyable way for us to give back to our company," said Blech, an industrial engineering technician. "Our campus looks wonderful with so much added color."

According to Blech, the increased vegetation also helped our Bellevue facility surpass the National Environmental Performance Track (NEPT) goal, which was established through Fiscal Year 2009.

Walking to work proves rewarding for Bellevue's Jeff Mueller

Photo by Phyllis Blech, Bellevue, Iowa
Mr. Clean Goes Green — Jeff Mueller has been walking to work at Rockwell Collins in Bellevue, Iowa, for the past 20 years. During that time, the quality production lead has saved an estimated 400 gallons of gas, and has covered a total of about 7,200 miles. He recently received Bellevue's 'Mr. Clean Goes Green' award for his efforts.

Jeff Mueller has gone through many pairs of tennis shoes throughout the past 20 years, but the Rockwell Collins quality production lead considers it a small price to pay compared to the benefits he has gained by walking to and from work.

For the past two decades, Mueller has made the 1-1/2 mile trek to and from our manufacturing facility in Bellevue, Iowa. Making the walk through all types of inclement Midwest weather - rain, snow and ice - prompted the Bellevue Green Team to honor him recently with the "Mr. Clean Goes Green" award for his contributions toward the facility's goal of protecting the environment.

Presented quarterly, the Mr. Clean award is given to a Bellevue employee who has gone above and beyond in terms of workspace cleanliness standards. The Green Team recently extended qualifications to also include those who have or are incorporating environmentally-friendly standards into their daily routines.

Throughout the past 20 years, Mueller has saved an estimated 400 gallons of gas, and has covered a total of 7,200 miles - which is the estimated distance from Bellevue to Honolulu, Hawaii, and from Honolulu to San Antonio, Texas.

"It takes about 20 minutes each way," said Mueller, who joined our company in February of 1989. "I use that time in the morning to prepare for the day, and I use it on the way home to decompress. That way, I can be the husband and father that I want to be without work hanging over my head once I'm home."

Mueller began walking to work shortly after his first day on the job. At the time, he and his wife, Nancy, shared one car and, because she was operating a daycare in their home, it was more important that she have the car available in the event of an emergency.

In addition to receiving the Mr. Clean action figure, which is passed from one winner to the next, Mueller also received a Hawaiian shirt to add to his collection. And, when it comes to walking to work in the future, Mueller says it's something he hopes to continue for years to come.

"I'm 99 percent certain I will continue walking to work until I retire - unless I break a leg or get injured," said Mueller. "It just feels right."