Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Garver Gives Back this Christmas


Garver has chosen Heifer International as its featured charity, and together, our organizations are providing the gift of clean water to impoverished communities overseas. With Garver’s financial support, Heifer International will help families install treadle pumps for better access to water, teach communities about managing water resources, and improve health by highlighting the importance of proper sanitation.

From the Garver Family to yours, Merry Christmas. May you have a joyous holiday season of giving.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Water Design Center Embraces Flannel Fridays



You’ve heard of Casual Friday, but have you heard of Flannel Friday? Garver’s Water Design Center in Fayetteville, Ark. implemented the new dress code for the month of December.

“Coming into December we really wanted to capitalize on the success we had with Sweatervest Wednesdays in November,” said Designer Ben Ross, who came up with the idea. “It’s something new that brings a good energy into the office.”

“Flannel Fridays embody the ‘fun’ side of work,” said Project Engineer Rusty Tate.

The argument has long been made that casual Fridays increase productivity and job performance, but given the impressive work our Water Team is showcasing, perhaps we'll soon see a trend in corporations embracing Flannel Fridays.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Garver Intern Makes a Difference in El Salvador

St. Louis native Rachel Rogers, an intern in our Norman, Okla. office, joined a group of her fellow University of Oklahoma College of Engineering students in helping build water systems in El Salvador over Thanksgiving break. The group was part of the engineering outreach group Sooners Without Borders.


The students worked with non-governmental organization EcoViva, whose mission is to work in partnership with community-led organizations in Central America to achieve environmental sustainability, economic security, social justice and peace.

Rachel and her peers installed a well and solar-paneled water tank irrigation system as a demo for the El Salvadoran community where the students worked.

“Switching from the diesel engines they use now to the solar panels will save the small farmers money in their irrigation systems over the course of the next two-to-three years,” Rachel said. The students also collaborated with another group of student engineers from Iowa City to test salt levels in a local canal and community well, which will help them determine how deep a well needs to be in the area.


“The trip taught me that classroom engineering is no substitute for real-world engineering experience—solutions to real engineering problems are interpersonal and involve on-the-spot thinking,” Rachel said. “It motivates me to return to my internship at Garver and learn as much as I can from the engineers that have tons of experience.”

Monday, December 9, 2013

Garver "Chips" In for Historical Marker




The Garver Survey Team in the Huntsville office recently participated in a Tennessee Valley Professional Land Surveyors Society golf tournament to raise funds for the replacement of a historical marker near the initial point for land surveys in north Alabama. Initial points are specifically declared points on the earth by which all surveys in the area are based.

“Many people don’t realize the significance of the public land survey system in the development and settlement of our country,” said Garver Vice President Jerry McCarley, who is a licensed land surveyor and helped organize the tournament.

“Upon the sale and transfer of land from the government to an individual, all the land within the northern one third of Alabama was referenced to the Huntsville Meridian and consequently to the initial point,” said Jerry.

Original historical marker, which has since been stolen.



The golf tournament successfully raised the funds needed for the historical marker, which will enhance the level of appreciation for the significance of the public land survey system, its history and its future.

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