Mixing quarries with classrooms

When Christi McKinney met Rinker Materials community relations manager Tracy Bryant, their paths couldn't have crossed at a better time.

Christi, director of secondary education for the Sumter County School District in Florida, was looking to provide hands-on training for the school district through science and nature centres. Tracy wanted to give schools a better understanding of the mining operation by opening rehabilitation projects at the Center Hill aggregate quarry.

Thanks to this meeting, not only will Rinker Materials allow the school district to use three inactive quarries and 3,000 feet of mine property for restoration of a wildlife area, they will also fund the on-site science centre.

"There are so many opportunities for children of all ages at this site," says Christi. "The younger children learn the basics of ecology and nature, and the older children will be doing research to determine the necessary plants to bring back a natural Florida wildlife area."

"The wonderful thing is the children will design the entire project," says Tracy. "The students will bring us the plans. They get to decide what direction the restoration takes and will research the native plants that should be in the area and what is needed to attract wildlife."

Rinker Materials' science centre proposal will include a modular classroom equipped with computers and other instruments. It will be a multi-function biology, chemistry and physics lab to link the field study with science - on-site and in real time.

To help with removing invasive plants and returning native plants to the restoration area, Rinker Materials has also proposed purchasing plants, materials and greenhouses for agriculture classes at local schools.

"We want to improve the children's understanding of engineering, technology, math and science," says Christi. "I'm excited for the kids, but I'm also excited for the county to have a science-nature center of this caliber for the community. I want everyone to be a part of it, from day one at the ground-breaking to see the project grow and change with the children."

Driver of the year mixing it safely

However you look at it - 20 years, 52,000 hours or 2.5 million miles - it all adds up to a lot of driving. With only one accident on record, Rinker Materials West mixer driver Gilbert Fidler has an impressive record.

It was these statistics that earned Gilbert the National Safety Council's 2006 Safe Driver of the Year award for a mixer truck. Gilbert received his award from the National Safety Council's President and CEO Alan C. McMillan at the 2006 Annual Safety Awards Banquet in Atlanta, Ga.

Our driver of the year Gilbert is based at the Central Arizona Sacaton plant and has been with Rinker Materials since 1985. Living in Phoenix for 39 years, Gilbert is married to Patricia for an equally impressive run of 36 years. His hobbies include watching NASCAR (especially Tony Stewart) and the Arizona Cardinals.

Congratulations Gilbert!