By Aliyah Thomas COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT • • • • 0 Comments

Wear Red Day 2019

KC celebrated the American Heart Association (AHA)’s 15th annual “National Wear Red Day” on February 1st, supporting the fight against cardiovascular disease in women as part of a nationwide effort known as Go Red for Women®.

Heart disease claims the lives of more than 400,000 women each year and is the number one leading cause of death for women – that’s about the same as the next three most common causes of death combined. Luckily, about 80% of cardiovascular diseases may be prevented.

“Eat a heart-healthy diet, be physically active on a regular basis, don’t smoke, and stay at a healthy weight,” says Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a senior faculty member of cardiology at Mount Sinai in New York, NY. AHA recommends a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains; at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity and/or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity; and plenty of sleep and stress relief.

In the spirit of health and wellness, employees at the Circleville, Poughkeepsie, and New York City offices enjoyed a healthy breakfast spread while adorned in various shades of red.

For our English friends across the pond, February 1st was also Wear Red Day, however their event aided the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit at the General Infirmary through The Children’s Heart Surgery Fund. Regardless of where you are in the world, if you missed Wear Red Day this year, be sure to join us next time. Together we can raise awareness and help make healthier hearts everywhere!

By Evan Thomas KC'S BLOG • • • • • 0 Comments

KC Circleville’s Fall Cleanup

This Friday, October 13th, 2017, the KC Circleville team will take to the streets (in our case, to Goshen Turnpike) to participate in our bi-annual cleanup event where members of our team will split into groups of four, garbage bags and trash grabbers in hand, to whisk away discarded soda bottles, pieces of plastic, cigarette butts, and all other materials that harm surrounding plant and animal life and encourage dangerous bacteria and parasites to thrive. The cleanup is an important act of service for KC, as we continuously strive to better our surrounding community and promote environmental health.

Here are KC’s reasons for being committed to cleaning up our surrounding environment:

  1. We care about our wildlife: Deer, squirrels, beavers, oh my! These animals, in addition to black bears, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, otters, and bats, are all native to New York State, and when we litter, we are putting them in danger. Animals can mistakenly eat and ingest the litter, often causing fatal blockages, and also get caught in and be injured and strangled by plastic rings and soda cans.
  2. We care about our water: Litter can make its way into groundwater and eventually into wells, where many people receive their drinking water. “Stormwater pollution,” according to org, “is one of the greatest threats to […] clean water supply.” They continue, “Rain washes pollution from streets, parking lots, and lawns into storm drains, and then directly into our streams, rivers, lakes, and the ocean.”
  3. We care about climate change: Did you know an excess of waste releases methane gas that, when released into the atmosphere, traps heat? Our employees, during past cleanups, have found a myriad of materials, like plastic bottles, plastic bags, and aluminum cans, that could and should be recycled. Removing them from the side of the road is a positive step toward reducing these harmful gases.
  4. We care about community and team building: Conducting a group cleanup, whether it happen among co-workers or volunteers within a local community, is a great way to come together to accomplish an important and gratifying task. While our office may be divided into individualized departments with our own separate schedules and responsibilities, our cleanup allows employees who otherwise would not work together to participate in a team building activity that betters our environment.

Want to help your surrounding community? Here are some helpful tips for organizing a cleanup of your own.

Happy cleaning!