Valero employees, family and vendors spent over 250 hours painting the house of an elderly couple in Albert City.

ALBERT CITY - Valero Renewables is known for making ethanol. But around Albert City, the employees are known for their volunteering efforts. In 2011, 1,669 volunteer hours were recorded by Valero employees and family members. Some volunteer a few hours, while others have recorded well over 100.

Diane Sorbe, office coordinator at Valero's Albert City location, is on the Volunteer Council. The council consists of 10 members who come up with the different volunteer projects. The projects have to be approved before they can be carried out. All volunteer projects are done on the employees own time.

One big project in 2011 was painting the house of an elderly couple in Albert City. The couple was planning on residing the house, but because of medical reasons, they could not. Valero employees heard of the situation and decided to paint the house for them. The couple furnished the paint, and Valero set to work. Over 250 hours were put into painting the house by employees, family members, and even Valero vendors.

Sorbe and Heather Nissen, plant accountant and member of the Volunteer Council, recall painting the house during the sweltering heat of last summer. "We were out there on the hottest day last summer, during the hottest part of the day," said Nissen. But it was worth it to know that they made a difference in the couple's lives.

Helping others is not new to the Valero Corporation. Since 2002, Valero has been the title sponsor for the Texas Open, a professional and amateur golf tournament that has been around since 1922. During the past 10 years, $62.5 million has been raised for children's charities. The 2011 tournament was the most successful to date, raising $9 million. Each Valero plant then receives money to donate to charities for children of their choice. The Albert City facility received $35,000 last year, and donated it to Upper Des Moines Opportunity, The City of Albert City for new playground equipment, Special Youth Challenge, and Christ for the City.

Each month, the volunteer council arranges a pot luck for employees. "The employees really enjoy the pot lucks," said Nissen. "They bring everyone together." Each pot luck has a different theme, and employees pay $5 to eat. The money raised is then given to different charities.

Sorbe noted that they also invite Ag Partners to their pot lucks; they are located just down the road from Valero. "When we see them, they always ask when the next pot luck is!" said Sorbe.

Special Youth Challenge is a favorite charity to work with for the Valero employees. SYC is a nonprofit that helps physically challenged youth enjoy hunting and shooting sports. "It's indescribable to see the kids and the expressions on their faces," said Nissen. The volunteers helped with set up, food and clean up, so the SYC staff could be more involved in the event.

The involvement of Valero employees in the volunteer efforts has increased dramatically over the past year. Employees with a certain number of hours are given medals. Twenty-three employees will be receiving medals for their 2011 efforts; seven earned medals in 2010. Sorbe attributes the increased involvement to the Plant Manager, Pete Krull. "He never forced it. He just said it's about helping others," said Sorbe. "Pete pointed out that we do it because it's the right thing to do." That phrase has become somewhat of a mantra for the volunteers.

And it's spreading.

Sorbe hears stories from employees about how the volunteering and helping others has become more than just that. It's becoming a way of life. She told a story of an employee and spouse having lunch in a diner in Ames. They sat next to an elderly woman and talked to her throughout their meal. When it came time to pay, the Valero employee paid for her meal. "It just felt like the right thing to do," the employee told Sorbe.

"A lot of people ask us for donations, but we're limited on the amounts we can give," said Sorbe. "But we can always give our time."

Nearly 60 children live in the La Concorde Orphanage in Port Au Prince, Haiti. Love Takes Root is raising money to move the orphanage to a larger, safer location, and build a school and medical center.

When he returned to Spencer, he told his family and friends about his experiences, and Love Takes Root was formed. The group identified four main needs of the orphanage: provide basic needs such as water, food, clothing and shelter, deliver basic education, address the students' medical needs, and assist financially while exploring means to make the orphanage self-sustaining.

Love Takes Root is raising funds to relocate the La ConcordeOrphanage in Port Au Prince to a larger, safer area in the town of Jacmel, in the southern part of Haiti. There are nearly 60 children living in the 50'x60' plot of land. There are walls around the land, with a covering over three-quarters of it. The children never leave the area.

The Jacmel location has over four acres and is near the ocean; it would incorporate a school and medical/dental clinic. The facilities would be available to students in the surrounding area as well as the orphanage. It also has room for the children to grow vegetables. The Bastien family runs La Condorde Orphanage. Love Takes Root wants to have them run the new orphanage, plus the other facilities. "We want it to stay a Haitian operation," said Kirk Stauss of Okoboji; Stauss is on the Love Takes Root board of directors.

A down payment has already been made on the land; the group is now raising $300,000 to buy the land and start construction. The kick-off date for the fundraiser is Tuesday, February 21. The group is hoping to gain more exposure in Northwest Iowa and beyond.

Stauss visited the orphanage last November. "It's unrealistic to think we can keep the orphanage where it is," said Stauss. La Concorde was hit by the 2010 earthquakes.