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Salem District Newsletter<br />
Volume 17 Issue <strong>12</strong><br />
<strong>December</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
What’s Inside<br />
• Big Island Crew Takes<br />
Action During Brush Fire<br />
• Employee Profile:<br />
David Hutchens<br />
• Mike Sharkady Is VDOT’s<br />
First National Road<br />
Safety Champion<br />
• MLK, Jr. Charity<br />
Campaign Kicks Off<br />
January 11<br />
Hanging Rock AHQ crew members Holly Nelson (left), Travis Epperly (back), and Billy<br />
Law remove leaves on Summit Ridge Road in Roanoke County.<br />
BIG ISLAND AREA HEADQUARTERS CREW PREVENTS<br />
LOSS OF HOMES IN LYNCHBURG BRUSH FIRE<br />
VDOT crew members from Big Island<br />
Area Headquarters in Bedford County<br />
are seen as heroes after preventing the<br />
destruction of homes during a recent<br />
fire.<br />
On November 28, the Big Island VDOT<br />
crew happened upon a brush fire near<br />
the intersection of Meadow Ridge<br />
Drive and Walnut Hollow Road in<br />
Lynchburg after completing a shoulder<br />
and ditching operation in the area.<br />
Motivated by empathy, Jeff Sowards<br />
and Dakota Carter took action to<br />
remove leaves and brush, creating a<br />
fire line – a strategy used by firefighters<br />
to control a fire’s progression. “I know<br />
if it was my house, I’d want somebody<br />
to step in,” Jeff said.<br />
TheExtraMile<br />
Big Island AHQ crew members work to control a<br />
brush fire near the intersection of Meadow Ridge<br />
Drive and Walnut Hollow Road in Lynchburg.<br />
A few minutes later, the rest of the<br />
VDOT crew arrived and joined the effort. “It was hard to predict,” said crew<br />
member Troy Cocke. “The wind would blow and change the fire’s direction. We<br />
were trying to rake leaves away from the buildings.”<br />
cont. pg. 2<br />
GIVE THE GIFT<br />
OF MENTORSHIP<br />
By Ken King, P.E.<br />
Ken.King@VDOT.virginia.gov<br />
‘Tis the<br />
season for<br />
celebrating<br />
the joy of<br />
the holidays<br />
and coming<br />
together<br />
with friends<br />
and family. It’s a time not<br />
just for festivities but also for<br />
extending acts of kindness<br />
to those in need. This year, I<br />
encourage you to contemplate<br />
a special and meaningful gift:<br />
the gift of mentorship.<br />
Throughout our journeys,<br />
we’ve all been fortunate<br />
to have mentors—whether<br />
they were parents, teachers,<br />
coaches or colleagues. If you<br />
ask accomplished professionals<br />
about their successes, you will<br />
cont. pg. 2<br />
Bedford • Botetourt • Carroll • Craig • Floyd • Franklin • Giles • Henry • Montgomery • Patrick • Pulaski • Roanoke 1
KING cont.<br />
likely discover mentorship is<br />
a common theme. Individuals<br />
consistently attribute their<br />
achievements and their growth<br />
to those who played pivotal<br />
roles in their lives.<br />
Reflecting on my own path,<br />
in addition to the unwavering<br />
support of my family, I recall<br />
with gratitude the guidance<br />
I received from bosses and<br />
colleagues who significantly<br />
shaped my development. They<br />
shared invaluable insights,<br />
broadened my horizons and<br />
fostered a deeper understanding<br />
of my work and interactions.<br />
Mentorship is a two-way<br />
street that enriches both the<br />
mentor and mentee. We’ve<br />
witnessed instances where<br />
younger employees have helped<br />
older colleagues grasp new<br />
technologies, while seasoned<br />
employees have imparted a<br />
deeper understanding of VDOT<br />
to their younger counterparts.<br />
Each of you possesses<br />
experiences and skills that<br />
can greatly benefit others,<br />
so I invite you to consider<br />
sharing the invaluable gift<br />
of mentorship—a gift that<br />
creates a ripple effect of<br />
positive change. If you’re<br />
interested in learning more<br />
about the opportunities<br />
available, reach out to me,<br />
Guy DeMarco or others in<br />
Human Resources.<br />
Thank you for all your<br />
contributions that have<br />
made Salem District so<br />
successful this year. I wish<br />
you a joyous holiday<br />
season that is filled with<br />
well-deserved rest and<br />
quality time with friends<br />
and family. Happy<br />
Holidays!<br />
– Ken<br />
BRUSH FIRE...CONT’D<br />
Big Island AHQ crew members pose for a photo following their efforts to control the fire in Lynchburg. Pictured<br />
left to right are Dakota Carter, Jeff Sowards, Gregory Fortune, Freddie Millner, Joshua Overstreet and Troy Cocke.<br />
The fire had sparked after a dead<br />
ash tree fell and struck powerlines.<br />
Fueled by dry, gusty weather<br />
conditions, it quickly burned about<br />
an acre of land and then spread<br />
rapidly in the path of three nearby<br />
homes.<br />
Unknown to the crew at the time,<br />
it would be 20 minutes before the<br />
fire department arrived. The closest<br />
department in the area, Boonsboro<br />
Fire and Rescue Company, was<br />
already assisting with a 40-acre<br />
brush fire in Forest.<br />
Had the VDOT crew not stepped in,<br />
those houses would have burned<br />
to the ground said Raven Sampson,<br />
a local resident who witnessed the<br />
effort.<br />
After the fire department arrived, the<br />
VDOT crew stayed on scene to help<br />
in any way they could, continuing to<br />
move leaves away from the homes.<br />
When asked what they thought<br />
about being called heroes, crew<br />
members responded with humility<br />
and insisted they were just doing<br />
what they hoped someone would do<br />
for them.<br />
“They might not think they’re heroes,<br />
but I think they are,” said Bedford<br />
Residency Maintenance Operations<br />
Manager Brad Radford. “They could<br />
have stopped at calling 911, but<br />
they went above and beyond their<br />
duties to help those citizens keep<br />
their homes.”<br />
2<br />
Bedford • Botetourt • Carroll • Craig • Floyd • Franklin • Giles • Henry • Montgomery • Patrick • Pulaski • Roanoke
Peters Creek AHQ recently hosted a 4-day Gradall<br />
operation course. Pictured left to right are Instructor<br />
Bobby Perdue, Andre Wimbush, Brian Mabe, Wayne<br />
Collins, Bradley Holt, Nick Martin and Jason Bell.<br />
Operations recently installed stop bars and new<br />
cameras at the intersection of Route 114 and Prices<br />
Fork Road in Montgomery County.<br />
A district employee is the first at<br />
VDOT to complete a new, nationally<br />
recognized certificate in road safety.<br />
District Work Zone Safety Coordinator<br />
Mike Sharkady is one of only 30<br />
individuals in the nation to complete<br />
a National Road Safety Champion<br />
Program (RSCP) level 1 certificate.<br />
“It’s a big commitment, but it’s worth<br />
it,” Mike said. “I would recommend it<br />
for anyone, but especially for people<br />
who are coming to VDOT through the<br />
EDGE program or interns who are trying<br />
to gain knowledge.”<br />
The RSCP is a 14-week course that is<br />
designed to build a knowledgeable,<br />
safety-minded workforce, responsible<br />
for operating, maintaining and<br />
designing local roads. Champions who<br />
complete the program are motivated<br />
to implement safety improvements that<br />
reduce fatalities and serious injuries<br />
on rural and local roadways. Classes<br />
are small groups, held virtually with<br />
live instruction, with participation and<br />
discussion highly encouraged.<br />
Mike’s classes saw professionals<br />
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: DAVID HUTCHENS<br />
When Martinsville Area<br />
Headquarters Superintendent<br />
David Hutchens started his<br />
career at VDOT at the age of<br />
18, he never expected to still<br />
be working here today. “I was<br />
one of those guys who just<br />
wanted to do his job and retire<br />
as soon as I could,” he said.<br />
But after 47 years, David is still<br />
going strong.<br />
David has worked in a variety of roles in<br />
different locations over the years and said<br />
keeping an open mind has helped him<br />
grow and learn from others. “So many<br />
different people have helped me along the<br />
way in my career,” he shared.<br />
David said he especially gained perspective<br />
after becoming a supervisor. “When you<br />
start making those decisions, you look<br />
at things differently. I think that helped<br />
MIKE SHARKADY IS VDOT’S FIRST NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY CHAMPION<br />
Instructor Walt Catlett (left) presents a certificate to<br />
District Work Zone Safety Coordinator Mike Sharkady.<br />
from around Virginia and other states<br />
including one person from the Midwest<br />
who works with tribal lands. He said<br />
the format of the program allows for<br />
collaborative learning from others<br />
of different professions who may<br />
have unique perspectives. “That’s<br />
the best part,” Mike said. “You get<br />
to understand each other’s thought<br />
processes. You can see lightbulbs going<br />
off.”<br />
Participants choose one of four<br />
pathways that offer career-focused<br />
classes in addition to seven core<br />
modules required for each pathway.<br />
Those pathways are Maintenance and<br />
Construction, Planning and Engineering,<br />
me more than anything. You<br />
realize the responsibility when<br />
it’s your call.”<br />
Some of his most memorable<br />
work at VDOT has included<br />
helping to coordinate various<br />
operations for Martinsville<br />
Speedway races. “The<br />
collaboration and helpfulness<br />
of every part of that team has been<br />
wonderful to experience,” he said.<br />
An athlete all his life, David continues to<br />
be active outside of his work at VDOT. He<br />
played traveling softball for 30 years as<br />
an outfielder and now enjoys golfing and<br />
working out. David celebrated the addition<br />
of a grandchild to his family just a few<br />
weeks ago, and he is looking forward to<br />
traveling and spending more time with his<br />
family after retirement – whenever that<br />
may be.<br />
Public Health, and Law Enforcement.<br />
The Public Health and Law Enforcement<br />
pathways are currently in development,<br />
and Mike said he plans to complete all<br />
four.<br />
“As a work zone safety coordinator,<br />
I work with everyone out in the<br />
field whether they are part of law<br />
enforcement, public safety or something<br />
else,” he said. “It will give me good<br />
insight into communicating with them<br />
and help me complete my job duties.”<br />
The RSCP is offered through the<br />
Transportation Training Academy (TTA)<br />
at the University of Virginia which<br />
has served as the Local Technical<br />
Assistance Program (LTAP) for the<br />
Commonwealth of Virginia since 2006.<br />
Employees interested in the RSCP<br />
should coordinate with their supervisors<br />
as classes may be scheduled during<br />
working hours. Registration must be<br />
completed through VDOT University<br />
and classes can be found in the course<br />
catalog by searching keyword “RSCP.”<br />
For more information, contact Guy<br />
DeMarco at guy.demarco@vdot.<br />
virginia.gov.<br />
Bedford • Botetourt • Carroll • Craig • Floyd • Franklin • Giles • Henry • Montgomery • Patrick • Pulaski • Roanoke<br />
3
MLK, JR. DAY CHARITY CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF JANUARY 11<br />
“The time is always right to do what is right.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.<br />
Horsepasture AHQ and Martinsville Shop employees<br />
celebrated as winners of the <strong>2023</strong> dry-run competition.<br />
SALEM DISTRICT SAFETY<br />
CALENDAR WINNERS<br />
The Civil Rights Division will soon kick off this year’s Martin Luther King (MLK)<br />
Jr. Day charity campaign. The month-long campaign will begin January 11 with<br />
a virtual gathering from 9 to 10 a.m. featuring activities and a representative of<br />
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Virginia.<br />
This year’s campaign is inspired by Dr. King’s quote, “Life’s most persistent and<br />
urgent question is, what are you doing for others?”<br />
Salem District Civil Rights Manager Lori Law encourages everyone to spread<br />
kindness. Each positive act makes a difference for someone; how will you<br />
impact someone’s life today and be remembered?<br />
The district and residencies have each chosen a charity to support this year<br />
as part of the campaign. Those charities and corresponding MLK, Jr. Day<br />
coordinators are listed below.<br />
Sarah Ray – Slips, Trips, Falls Safety (January 2024)<br />
Gary Bowman – Fall Protection Safety (May 2024)<br />
GOING THE EXTRA MILE<br />
Citizens Express Gratitude for VDOT<br />
Great Job on Mercer Road in Rich Creek.<br />
Thank you!<br />
– R. Shires, Pearisburg AHQ<br />
Two VDOT workers started to rake leaves<br />
away from a house that was about to catch<br />
fire in Lynchburg. I commend them for going<br />
out of their way to help when they didn’t<br />
have to!<br />
– R. Sampson, Big Island AHQ<br />
4<br />
JAN<br />
01<br />
NEW YEAR’S DAY<br />
CLOSED<br />
• Salem District Complex: Ronald McDonald House Charities of<br />
Southwest Virginia – Brianna Hatcher, 540-387-5552<br />
• Christiansburg Residency: New River Community Action –<br />
Susan Jarrells, 540-381-7201<br />
• Martinsville Residency, Henry/Patrick Counties: The Warming Center<br />
of Martinsville – Michelle Carter, 276-627-1510<br />
• Martinsville Residency, Carroll County: Willing Partners –<br />
Michelle Carter, 276-627-1510<br />
• Bedford Residency: Ronald McDonald House –<br />
Allison Glass, 540-682-7004<br />
• Salem Residency: Feeding Southwest Virginia –<br />
Tristan Palmgren, 540-387-5497<br />
• Southwest Regional Operations: Ronald McDonald House Charities of<br />
Southwest Virginia – Ann Blevins, 540-375-0<strong>12</strong>0<br />
Employees are also encouraged to use their Community Service Leave towards<br />
a “Day of Service.” If anyone has volunteered throughout the year, please<br />
share these highlights with Civil Rights Assistant Manager Brianna Hatcher at<br />
brianna.hatcher@vdot.virginia.gov.<br />
New Hires<br />
Jerry Gallimore, Operator, Martinsville AHQ<br />
Allison Glass, Administrative Assistant,<br />
Bedford Residency<br />
Matthew Caldwell, Operator, Smith<br />
Mountain Lake AHQ<br />
Marty Wright, Supervisor, Montvale AHQ<br />
Jaalen Hurt, Operator, New London AHQ<br />
Greg Keller, Operator, Sydnorsville AHQ<br />
Deyshaun Dillard, Laborer, Burnt Chimney<br />
AHQ<br />
EMPLOYEE UPDATES<br />
Virginia Department of Transportation<br />
Salem District<br />
Office of Communications<br />
731 Harrison Avenue, Salem, VA 24153<br />
jeremy.bartlett@vdot.virginia.gov<br />
540-387-5250<br />
©<strong>2023</strong> Commonwealth of Virginia<br />
Nathan Reynolds, Mechanic, Salem Shop<br />
Mark Wade, Operator, New Castle AHQ<br />
Kenneth Tingler, Laborer, Eagle Rock AHQ<br />
Transfers<br />
Cory Gray, Operator, Smith Mountain Lake<br />
AHQ<br />
Wyatt McPherson, Operator, Salem Bridge<br />
JAN<br />
15<br />
MLK DAY<br />
CLOSED