GIVING BACK

Our Community Efforts

We are proud to be able to support a wide range of community events - some of which were new to us, while others have been a longstanding tradition. The Amrize Ravena plant is committed to supporting programs and organizations that benefit local residents because we believe in being a good neighbor, but also because we live and work here — just like you.

A brief overview of all our community-based efforts:

2025

With winter in full swing, Amrize Ravena is helping local veterans stay warm by donating 30 new Carhartt jackets to the Veterans Miracle Center (VMC) in Albany, NY.

This initiative was supported and elevated through a partnership with Peter Gannon, President & CEO of United Way, who contributed $2,000 in Price Chopper gift cards to assist in ensuring our veterans are fed this holiday season.

The Veterans Miracle Center is dedicated to enhancing the lives of Veterans and Active-Duty Military Personnel by offering them real solutions, providing essential goods such as clothing, personal care products, houseware items, and much more - all completely free of charge.

This donation underscores the Amrize Ravena plant’s strong commitment to supporting those who have served our nation, and we look forward to doing this again next year. Thanks to everyone who helped make the first year of this important initiative possible!

From Left to Right: Scott Derhammer, Quality Assurance Manager; Donald Lynn, Maintenance Manager( US NAVY) ; Peter Gannon CEO/President of United Way; Stacey Lauren Director of Operations VMC; Katherine Gallarno, Environmental Engineer; David MacLauchlin, Plant Manager; Kara O'Rourke, Human Resources Business Partner.

Pete Gannon, CEO of United Way; Stacey Lauren Director of Operations VMC, David MacLauchlin Plant Manager of Amrize Ravena

Scott Derhammer and Donald Lynn

Thanksgiving Volunteering for St. Patrick’s

On Monday, Nov. 24, 2025, a team of 13 volunteers from the Amrize Ravena plant – including plant manager Dave MacLauchlin – turned out to volunteer for the annual assembling of St. Patrick’s Thanksgiving baskets. The plant team helped with transporting, loading, and unloading the food that went into the baskets, which supported 104 families.

The plant donated $2,000 toward this worthwhile effort – everyone should have a hot and hearty meal on Thanksgiving Day!

We’ve been participating in the St. Patrick’s Thanksgiving food basket effort for more than a decade and were extremely happy to be able to keep the tradition going this year.

Trunk-or-Treat

On Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, the plant hosted its first ever trunk-or-treat, which was a big success! Eighteen cars participated with decorated trunks and lots of treats, along with volunteers who helped with food.

A special feature was a hands-on tent where kids were able to learn about the science behind the cement-making process. It was a great opportunity for us to explain how the plant operates and answer questions from young people and adults alike.

The weather cooperated and approximately 36 families (100 people) from the local community participated. Everyone had a great time, and we are looking forward to making this an annual event.

Supporting Local Youth Baseball

We were happy to support the dedication Q1 operator Justin Grygas has for coaching and managing his son’s 13U baseball team, the Capital City Clippers, by donating $2,000 for the purchase of new player uniforms.

The contribution enabled the team to buy two different uniforms – one in blue camouflage, the other a patriotic red, white, and blue. The camo is a digital version used by the U.S. Navy and was adopted by the team in honor of Mr. Grygas’ deceased Navy veteran brother. The uniforms – jerseys, pants, and hats – were made by the Colonie-based company Built2Win Sportswear.

Cooking Things Up at the Senior Center

The Senior Project of Ravena was recently able to purchase a new, commercial-grade oven, thanks to a $13,000 contribution from the plant. The existing oven was on its last legs, and this new, high-end version will make cooking and baking meals for hungry seniors faster and easier than before.

The oven contribution furthers an already strong relationship between the plant and Senior Projects of Ravena. Last year, as you might recall, the plant contributed $20,000, which was matched by $24,000 from local individuals and business donors, to help the organization purchase two new SUVs.

The new vehicles enable Senior Projects of Ravena to provide a wide variety of services – from transportation to medical appointments and assistance with shopping and small chores to inperson wellness checks. It also allows for the delivery of about 80 hot meals to homebound seniors in Southern Albany County, supplementing the 200+ meals served on-site at the senior center every week.

Fossil Hunting at the Quarry

In tandem with the Ravena-Coeymans School District, the Ravena plant recently hosted local 3rd graders for a fossil hunt at the quarry.

This STEM-focused event focused on geology and archaeology, with a dose of biology thrown in for good measure thanks to the animal skeletons that can sometimes be found in the area.

This educational and fun event, which also featured snacks, was made possible by quarry manager Brian Soeffing, who has been with the plant since 2018.

When he’s not coordinating educational field trips for local students, Brian develops training plans for operators, procures the heavy equipment necessary to run the quarry, and ensures that all the product produced at the quarry meets our quality and quantity goals.

Thanks for all you do to make the plant a success and to foster stronger ties to the community, Brian!

BEFORE 2025

$4K For Next Year's Happy Holidays

Though the 2024 holiday season has passed and we’re all looking forward to spring and summer, the Ravena team was thinking ahead when it donated $4,000 to RCS to support the purchase of student gifts in 2025. Last year, 120 students directly benefitted from the school’s holiday gift efforts. We want to make sure at least as many – if not more – are able to have a happy holiday season next winter.

2024 Holiday Season

This year, the plant again worked with St. Patrick’s Pantry to ensure that members of the local community were able to have festive holiday meals for both Thanksgiving and Christmas/Chanukah.

The plant made two $2,000 donations to the pantry to help cover food costs, provided a UHaul truck to transport food. Plant volunteers were on hand to help load and unload the food.  

All told, the plant helped feed 314 families for Thanksgiving, and 110 families - including 164 adults and 113 children - as well as 58 seniors over 60, for the Christmas/Chanukah holiday.

In addition, each year, the Ravena plant provides holiday turkeys and hams to every member of its workforce. These are kept in two chest freezers that are raffled off after the season is over (whoever wins needs to figure out how to get their new freezer home, as transportation is not included).  

This year, close to a dozen employees bolstered our holiday giving by donating 10 holiday turkeys and 12 hams to Senior Projects of Ravena, a nonprofit the plant has worked with the past.

We were thrilled to be able to continue supporting this worthy organization that provides hot meals to seniors – both at the senior center and delivered - in Southern Albany County.  

Plant employees also participated in an adopt-a-child program with three local schools - Pieter B. Coeymans, AW Becker, and Ravena Middle School - to help ensure that 16 kids who might not otherwise had a present to open were able to experience some holiday joy.

The Ravena plant and Cintas worked together in May 2024 to help the RCS Youth Soccer Club by donating an AED and First Aid/CPR/AED training so that the club could comply with new state safety requirements.

In November 2023, Gov. Hochul signed a bill into law that requires youth camps and sports programs with five or more teams to have an AED and implementation plan with at least one person trained to properly use the AED at all games, practices, and camp sessions.

Upon notification of the new law, the volunteer-run RCS Soccer Club, which offers approximately 150 local kids the opportunity to play soccer in the spring and fall, as well as recreational and travel programs, reached out to the Ravena team for assistance.

The plant donated an AED to the Soccer Club and, with the help of Cintas, is offering a free American Heart Association AED/First Aid/ CPR training class for coaches and parents. 

We were happy to help this great organization and its gracious volunteers so that they can continue to provide the kids of our community the opportunity to learn and play soccer. 

On April 5, 2024, the Ravena plant team had the pleasure and honor of presenting a $6,000 donation in support of the Special Olympics Capital Region Games. This is the third year that the plant has sponsored the Feliciano Body Works Annual Car Show, proceeds of which benefit the Special Olympics.

This year’s main Drive 4 Inclusion Car Show will be held on June 23, 2024, at Mohawk Chevrolet, 639 State Rte. 67, Ballston Spa (Exit 12 off the Northway). Another smaller show will be held in the fall at Feliciano Body Works, 2166 US Rte. 9W, Ravena (right near our plant entrance).

All the proceeds from the car shows will go to support the more than 4,000 Special Olympics athletes in the Capital Region who compete in 22 different sports throughout the year. Donations like ours enable these athletes and their families to participate in the Special Olympics training programs and competitions at no cost.

We are thrilled to once again support Ravena’s annual Friendship Festival, providing $9,000 to help maintain this fun-filled summer tradition. Plant manager Dave MacLauchlin presented a symbolic check to Ravena Mayor Bill Misuraca. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at the 2024 festival, enjoying food, friends, fireworks, and more at Mosher Park. See you there!

For close to a decade, the Ravena plant team has been working with local schools and churches to ensure that kids and families in need throughout our community have a joyful holiday season.

Each year, we organize a holiday toy drive, providing toys, household items, and other goodies to 20 area families with children attending Pieter B. Coeymans Elementary, A.W. Becker Elementary, and Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School.

We receive a wish list from the kids and decorate our lobby tree with them. Employees pick a wish and fulfill it, placing their wrapped presents under the tree for pre-holiday pick-up.

We get great participation for this event, which is part of our year-round commitment to give back. Thanks to every employee for demonstrating – yet again – both their generosity and holiday spirit!

The Pantry at St. Patrick’s (21 Main St., Ravena) has for many years been serving more than 100 families with Christmas baskets filled with all the necessities to make the season bright.

Each local family receives at least five bags of food, in addition to frozen items purchased from the Ravena Shop ‘n Save.

The Ravena plant supports this effort with a $2,000 donation, plus the use of vehicles (this year, we rented a UHaul to move everything from Point A to B). In addition, plant employees volunteered their time to help load and unload the truck.

This is another great opportunity to get into the holiday spirit and make sure members of our community who are in need and their families are well fed and comfortable at this special time of year.

Ravena St Patricks Donation group photo 12 20 2023.jpg

Ravena plant leadership and employees were busy in the days leading up to Thanksgiving 2023 to help fight food insecurity in the local community.

We were proud to again sponsor and participate in the Feed Your Mind, Feed a Family Program run by Capital Region Independent Media, publisher of the Ravena News Herald, collaborating with Shop ‘n’ Save Supermarket to provide holiday meals to 75 area families.

Each meal includes a turkey, a box of stuffing, potatoes, and vegetables, and feeds between six and 10 people. Some are given directly to families, while others go to local food pantries, which distribute them.

“We do business in the community, and we are really happy to give back in any way that we can,” said Dave MacLauchlin, plant manager. “This is a great event and a good cause, and we are happy to participate. We look forward to doing it again next year.”

Greg McDade, special projects consultant at the plant, led a team that picked up and packed meals at the Shop ‘n’ Save and delivered them to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

The church food pantry provides more than 100 local families with Thanksgiving baskets, providing each family with at least five bags of frozen and fresh food.

Ravena plant, Senior Projects of Ravena
Thank Meals on Wheels Donors,
Unveil New Van Logo

In advance of the Thanksgiving holiday, members of the Ravena cement plant leadership team joined the Senior Projects of Ravena, local business owners, and area residents to thank donors who made possible the purchase of two new SUVs for the nonprofit’s delivery of meals to homebound seniors in Southern Albany County.

At the event, Senior Projects of Ravena unveiled donor logos for the new SUVs that deliver hot, nutritious meals to some 80 individuals. This supplements the 200 meals Senior Projects of Ravena serves on-site every week and ensures those who are unable to travel are nourished and sustained.

“This donation is so important because it stays in the community where we operate and work and directly impacts people in need,” said Dave MacLauchlin, plant manager. “This is what it means to truly give back. I am incredibly grateful that we had the opportunity to do it. “

The purchase of the SUVs was funded by a $20,000 contribution from the plant, which was matched by $24,000 from individual and business donors. These vehicles enable Senior Projects of Ravena to provide a variety of services, including transportation to medical appointments, assistance with shopping and small chores, and in-person wellness checks.

The Ravena plant was a gold sponsor of the June 3 Ravena-Coyemans-Selkirk Sports Association (RCSSA) golf tournament in June.

Plant manager Dave MacLauchlin and Greg McDade, who spearheads special projects for the plant, presented a $3,000 check to RCSSA President Matt Miller along with other members of the Ravena plant team.

RCSSA was created to enhance and supplement athletic programs offered in the school district. Its mission is to assist in providing a quality educational athletic environment for all student athletes.

The Ravena News-Herald: GOOD NEWS!: Holcim, community pull together for Sr. Projects 8/9/2023

The Senior Projects of Ravena held a “thank you” ceremony to honor and recognize donors who collectively contributed $44,000 to support the purchase of two new vehicles for the nonprofit’s home delivered meals program – including $20,000 from the Ravena plant.

The plant’s donation was the largest single contribution to the Senior Projects of Ravena fundraising effort and was matched by individual donations from members of the community. This donation was part of the plant’s longstanding support of local organizations, programs, and events that provide critical services and programming in Southern Albany County.

The funds provided by Holcim and the individual donors have already paid for one replacement vehicle after the organization’s existing car broke down in November 2022 and was deemed beyond repair. A second van will soon be purchased.

With these vehicles, Projects of Ravena staff will be able to continue delivering up to 250 meals daily to homebound individuals across their service area and provide a variety of services – including transportation to medical appointments, assistance with shopping and small chores, and in-person wellness checks.

“It is an honor and a privilege to be able to support the Senior Projects of Ravena and enable them to continue doing the important work of feeding and caring for some of the most vulnerable members of our community,” Dave MacLauchlin, Ravena plant manager, said.

“Giving back to the community and being a good neighbor is an important aspect of what we do at the plant,” MacLauchlin continued. “It’s something our workers and leadership feel very strongly about, and I’m happy to be able to lead the effort of fulfilling that commitment.”

“I am extremely grateful for everything Holcim has done for us, because they are quite literally saving the Senior Center,” said Terri Albano, executive director of the Senior Projects of Ravena. “All our donors have been so generous. Because of them, hundreds of seniors won’t go hungry this year and will continue to receive services and home visits that help them remain in our community.”

On March 31, 2023, the Ravena plant was proud to be among the sponsors of the inaugural TOP 5IVE Community Changemakers Awards Ceremony at The Wire in Coxsackie.

The event was put on by Capital Region Independent Media (CRIM), which publishes the Ravena News Herald, the local paper of record. Readers in the Southern Albany, Greene and Columbia counties nominated people or businesses that have helped facilitate positive change in their respective communities and improve and uplift the lives of area residents, and a panel of judges selected the final awardees.

This year’s awards included five winners in each the categories: youth, Black/indigenous people of color (BIPOC), women and businesses.

Several individuals represented the plant at the Top 5ive event: Our volunteer extraordinaire and electrical superintendent, Greg McDade; Environmental and Public Affairs Manager Alicia Prioleau; and Environmental Engineer Katherine Gallarno.

The Ravena team donated $2,500 and two hours of volunteer time to support St. Patrick’s Church’s effort to ensure that over 100 local families had enough food this Christmas and New Year’s. We were thrilled to have the opportunity to build on our support of this program during Thanksgiving. St. Patrick’s estimates that all told, the food it distributes each holiday feeds between 300 and 400 individuals in our community.

Pictured from left to right: Leah Smith, Dave MacLauchlin, Christina Conte, Scott Derhammer, Brian Soeffing, Chris Ricciardi, Randy Bitely, Robert McGehee.

Recognizing that there are many members of our community who struggle with food insecurity, the Ravena plant recently contributed $1,500 to the “Feed Your Mind, Feed A Family” program, launched in 2021 by Capital Region Independent Media, publisher of our local newspaper, the Ravena News-Herald.

Together with other local businesses and charitable organizations, 240 Thanksgiving meals — including turkey and all the trimmings sufficient to serve at least six people – were donated, feeding approximately 1,440 individuals. In Ravena and nearby Greeneville alone, 140 meals, enough to feed between 840 and 1,000 people — were donated to families and charitable groups.

Members of the Ravena team, led by Robert McGehee, Director of Environment and Land for the Northeast Region, attended a ceremony at the Shop ‘N’ Save in Ravena’s Faith Plaza the week before Thanksgiving to help distribute bags of food, each of which contained a 12-pound turkey, rolls, a bag of potatoes, two cans of corn, a box of stuffing, a can of cranberry sauce, and a liter of soda.

It was the plant’s second year participating in “Feed Your Mind, Feed A Family.”

“We have been here for 60 years, this is our home, this is where our employees live and play, so it really means a lot to us to take part in these events and support everyone around us - especially those who need support at this time of the year,” McGehee said.

The Ravena plant was proud and honored to again serve as a sponsor for the Feliciano Body Works Car Show – now in its fourth year — which raises money for the Special Olympics.

The event took place on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, plant manager Dave MacLauchlin attended, and the Ravena plant was well represented, receiving a trophy and acknowledgement for its participation

and support.

Greg McDade, electrical superintendent at the Ravena plant, is the man behind this July 4th installation at Quarry Belt 1, and it runs over the top of CR101, US 9W, and the CSX railroad tracks just before the plant entrance. It is a testament to the Armed Services, the members of whom have been fighting to protect our freedom and that of people around the globe for decades. We salute them!

Ravena plant manager Dave MacLauchlin presenting a total of $15,000 to support the Evening on the Green concert series and 2022 RiverFest, alongside RiverFest Chair Rosemary McHugh and Coeymans Town Supervisor George McHugh. The Ravena plant leadership team is proud to be able to continue its longstanding tradition of supporting the community.

Four days before Christmas, the Ravena plant (at the time, Lafarge) plant manager Dave MacLauchlin presented a $2,000 donation check to Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk (RCS) School Superintendent Dr. Brian Bailey to help provide holiday gifts for students whose families face financial hardship.

This is double the plant’s 2020 contribution, and came as a welcome surprise to Dr. Bailey, who has been working with his staff to ensure that every child feels special and loved this holiday season — a particularly meaningful and important effort in these challenging times.

On the same day, (Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021), Ravena employees delivered food purchased from the local Shop and Save grocery store on Main Street in Ravena to the food pantry at St. Patrick’s Church to support their holiday food donation program.

The plant’s new environmental director, Robert McGehee, presented the pantry’s director, Diane Hoffman, with an official Lafarge polo shirt – in pink – and also a check for $4,000 to help cover the costs of this year’s Thanksgiving and Christmas food drives.

Also pictured are Ravena employees Ian King, Scott Derhammer and Leah Smith.

the Ravena plant (at the time, Lafarge) first responders tour, held on Nov. 12, 2021.

The plant manager, Dave MacLauchlin, and Area Environmental and Public Affairs Manager Aaron Kelsey hosted representatives from four local agencies — two Coeymans fire companies, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office and the Coeymans Building Department - some of whom have not been on the 3,200-acre site since a multimillion-dollar modernization was completed in 2017.

The tour included a visit to the top of the pre-heat tour, as well as the control room and other key areas of the plant, with the goal of familiarizing first responders with the site and its operations in the event that they need to answer a call at the plant.

Plant manager Dave MacLauchlin presenting at the quarterly Community Advisory Committee meeting, held at Red’s Restaurant in West Coxsackie on Oct. 27, 2021. The purpose of these meetings is to continue dialogue and information exchanges between the Ravena Cement Plant and key community stakeholders. Also at this meeting, local resident Mary Driscoll, whose late husband worked at the plant, was honored for her long-standing dedication and work on behalf of the local community and her unwavering support of the plant.

R-C Sportsmen’s Club youth fishing derby (June 6)

Village of Ravena Friendship Festival (Aug. 28)

Ceitlin Applby, chair of the Ravena Friendship Festival, receives a $9,000 donation from Greg McMade, Ravena electrical superintendent.

Second annual Coeymans Riverfest (Sept. 10–11)

On July 8, Plant Manager Dave MacLauchlin presented Coeymans Supervisor George McHugh and Riverfest Event Coordinator Rosemary McHugh with a $10,000 contribution to help bring this popular end-of-summer celebration back to the community.

Greene County Volunteer Firemen's Association Parade (Sept. 11)

Charlie Steger, Ravena plant production manager, provides a $1,600 donation to Scott Van Wormer, chair of the Cornell Hook & Ladder Fire Company, for the 125th Anniversary and 133rd Greene County Volunteer Firemen's Association Festival.

Community-wide RCS Clothing Drive at the Pieter B. Coeymans Elementary School gymnasium. (Sept. 18) Pictured: Greg McMade, Ravena electrical superintendent

Deer Mountain Park clean-up. (Sept. 25). Part of an ongoing effort to restore access to a former Wildlife Council Habitat certified site, which includes clearing a path to enable public use of this unique greenspace once again.

From left to right: Nathanial Bray, investigator, Albany County Sheriff's Office; Michael Van Flue, project engineer, CAD Manager, H2H Associates; Daniel D. Baker, councilman, Town of Coeymans; Douglas P. Cole, P.E., senior director, Water and Wastewater, Prime AE Group of NY; Lila Wickham, 11; James Wickham, electrician, Ravena plant

Third annual Feliciano Body Works Car Show to benefit the Special Olympics New York, sponsored by the Ravena plant (at the time, Lafarge). (Sept. 25). This event raised $13,000 to support young Special Olympics athletes in the Capital Region. The Ravena plant sponsored the food, which was free for all attendees.