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R E D I R O NKIMRAY INDUSTRIES MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
A Kimray Industries monthly magazine distributed to team members and shareholders to provide information about company culture, development, and community involvement.
PUblication Team
Kevin BlankenshipCommunications Manager
Lynly GriderCommunications Graphic Artist
If you would like to submit an inquiry or suggestion for an upcoming article, email us at [email protected].
To submit a Kudos, email us at [email protected].
All content ©2020 Kimray, Inc.
On the cover: Pam Imotichey works in the Assembly building helping our team members stay healthy.
Find us onlinewww.kimray.com
Ask AarthurWelcome to June and back to Kimray! This month marks the return to the office for many team members after being away since the pandemic hit the nation in March. New guidelines are in place to ensure we’re operating by the standards put in place by the CDC, so remember to have your temperature taken by a supervisor or security team member, practice six feet or more of social distancing, and have your facial covering on when you’ll be closer. To prepare for the arrival of team members, many Kimray departments have been busy to make sure we can maintain a safe level of social distancing, as well as fewer surfaces to touch when we’re using shared equipment or surfaces. Discover more about the new safety features on campus and what’s to come on page 6. You can learn more about the changes that have taken place during COVID-19 to keep Kimray clean on page 10. And learn how you can boost your immune system and mental health on page 14.
Have a question or idea you’d like to share? I want to know! Contact me
in this issue
Core Value: Responsible Stewardship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Kimray Health, Safety, & Environmental Update . . . . . . . . . . 6
Jumping Over The Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Cleaning Kimray Under COVID-19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Unprecedented Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Staying Well Mentally & Physically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
AAA Artist: Susan Beth Wilhelm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
New Faces & New Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
June Anniversaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Resources for Those in Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Character Recognition & Prayer Requests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Family Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Food for Thought with Bruce Barteaux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
KUDOS!KUDOS!If you have someone you’d like to nominate for kudos, email your submission to [email protected].
SPRING CLEANING GARAGE SALE FUNDRAISER FOR MADFThursday, June 25–Friday, June 26
Kimmell Conference Center
Anytime during normal business hours
While it may feel more like summer, we are doing some Spring Cleaning around campus and gathering up a number of assorted shirts and vests from past events. Team members may stop by to check out the items available which will be laid out on tables around the conference center and sorted by size. Items are available first come first serve and you may claim as many items as you would like for you or your family members. Please leave a donation of any amount to MADF for the items you take with you. Remember, all donations go directly to helping your fellow team members in time of need. There will be a donation box in the Kimmell Conference Center where you can drop in your donation.
Please keep in mind the social distancing guidelines in place at Kimray as you browse the selections.
Examples of items available: Kimray 70th Anniversary vests in assorted adult sizes, walk shirts from previous years in assorted adult and children’s sizes.
Does your department have clothing items from past events to include in the garage sale? If so, please email Mica Schuyler, [email protected] before June 24 to make arrangements to hand off the items.
Core Value: Responsible Stewardship
T he values Kimray lives by strengthen its mission of making a difference in the lives of those we
serve. This includes Honoring the Lord in All We Do, Responsible Stewardship, Maintaining a Good Name, and Strengthening the Family. These four Core Values illuminate not only how we do business but also why we do business. Our continuing series on these values and what makes Kimray unique continues this month with Responsible Stewardship.
“There are a variety of decisions made at Kimray, day in and day out,” said Executive Vice President, Shad Glass. “Stewardship is a mindset in how we make decisions. This isn’t just for the office supplies we purchase; it goes all the way to asking what’s practical and reasonable for the coolants we use in our machines. We need to keep in mind we’re managing this on behalf of someone else. So, asking those questions is important. We have been put in place to operate budgets responsibly for the care of Kimray and our team members. Responsible Stewardship prompts
us to look at the current circumstances and make the decision of what’s prudent and reasonable, and then do that consistently.”
Shad goes on to say that with each circumstance Kimray needs to look at what is best applied and make the best decision possible. As the company continually strives to put in place processes, controls, and the intentionality to make good decisions, it’s why Kimray has a learning organization and a growth mindset.
“Stewardship is more than money, it’s resources,” said Shad. “It’s things that have been put in our charge and care. It covers our culture, our people, and every facet of the business decision-making process.”
Shad’s description of responsibility is echoed by other leaders.
“When I hear stewardship, I hear taking care of the things that are important to you, like team members, community, and city,” said Kimray’s Vice President of Finance, Ryan Schmidt. “It comes back to asking how are we responsible and how much do we care. We
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don’t do this just to make money. The reason we come to work every day is to develop avenues to help other people. We’re in it to make a difference and an impact.”
Ryan says open-book management is one of the foundations of knowing what Kimray can do.
“Everyone is pulling on that rope together, and they can see the results,” said Ryan. “They can see what they produce and how they can impact those numbers, which is going to impact team members and the community.”
Kimray’s Vice President of Facilities, Isaac Farnsworth, sees not only the path that leads to proper stewardship, but the areas where Kimray excels with their team members.
“It always boils down to understanding responsibility,” said Isaac. “Responsibility comes from an authority, and with that responsibility comes a jurisdiction. Stewardship at Kimray rests in exercising ourselves in the office that we’re given to exercise, knowing that the authority comes from up higher than ourselves. Still, we have jurisdiction that gives us responsibility for part of the organization. It’s the whole idea of managing stuff that’s not yours.”
Isaac goes on to say how Kimray’s investment in people is partnered with keeping an open mind to learn.
“I think one of the most important things in stewardship that’s often missed, but Kimray understands, is leveraging the opportunities for learning when we fail. To continue to fail the same way is a lack of stewardship. We want Kimray to be a place where it’s safe to make a mistake. We don’t want our team members living in fear of taking an action.”
“Kimray invests in leadership,” Isaac continued. “We invest in the team members we hire to make decisions based on their experience and ability. This kind of investment is another form of stewardship. It creates new opportunities for them to grow, and in turn it betters Kimray, our community, and the way we do life. And that’s the best kind of stewardship.”
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Kimray Health, Safety, & Environmental Update
C aring for team member health and safety, and being good stewards of the environment, are ultimately
the responsibility of everyone at Kimray. The ongoing efforts of the Kimray HSE team are about equipping our organization to better protect the health and safety of Kimray team members as well as protecting Kimray as an organization. For our first-quarter update, we’re highlighting our strategic improvement plan and focus.
HSE Strategic Improvement Plan
All areas of the Kimray organization are continuously looking for ways to improve, and it is the same with respect to HSE. Our improvement plan is designed to help us internally as a department to deliver services, maintain business continuity, and ensure compliance with a higher degree of efficiency, while also equipping every other department at Kimray to focus on and improve the performance of their organization in the areas of HSE.
The Kimray HSE Strategic Improvement Plan has
three primary areas of focus: Leadership Development, Safety Management System Implementation, and Alignment and Support of the SQDC Initiative. SQDC can be defined as Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost. It is an initiative designed to help team members identify and eliminate the “hidden factory” within Kimray. The “hidden factory” is defined as the set of activities in the process that result in reduction of quality or efficiency that is not known to others seeking to improve the process. The SQDC boards establish the priority order of metrics on the shop floor and how our processes are performing in these four categories. Team member input is used to identify issues on the shop floor, prioritize those issues, and then create action plans to eliminate the issues.
The focus of the HSE Strategic Improvement Plan is as follows:
Leadership Development: As in all things, leadership is key to performance in all areas of health, safety, and environmental stewardship. Leadership establishes the
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“safety culture” of an organization. Going forward, there will be training developed and made available, particularly to Kimray front-line leaders, in the areas of risk leadership and safety involvement tools.
Safety Management System (SMS): The SMS consists of the programs and policies that guide the overall approach to HSE within the organization. Programs currently being developed or under review include: Incident Management, Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response, Hazard Identification and Control, Worker Participation, Ergonomics, Material Handling and Storage, and Hearing Conservation.
Alignment and Support of SQDC Initiative: The SQDC initiative provides opportunities to evaluate and correct occupational hazards in all areas on an ongoing basis. The SQDC team quarterly audits will be triggered by the quarterly HSE Area Audit program and provide a rich opportunity for teams to work together and reduce occupational hazards such as:
• Physical Hazards: caused by high noise levels, extreme weather, or other environmental factors
• Equipment Hazards: caused by faulty equipment or poor processes when using equipment such as machinery
• Chemical Hazards: caused by improper storage or use of flammable, poisonous, toxic, or carcinogenic chemicals
• Biological Hazards: caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, or pests
• Ergonomic Hazards: caused by poor workplace design, layout, or equipment use
• Psychological Hazards: caused by bullying and harassment, discrimination, heavy workload, or mismatch of team member skills with job duties
HSE Focus – First Quarter, 2020
COVID-19 Response Efforts: HSE Team efforts since March have been heavily focused on supporting Kimray’s response to COVID-19. These efforts will become part and parcel of the Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response Plan and have included the following: Implementation of Facial Covering Policy,
Implementation of Temperature Screening Policy, and Development and Training on the COVID-19 Cleanup Process.
Area Audits: Twenty-four independent locations have been identified across the OKC campus for quarterly HSE audits. All twenty-four have been audited once this year, and five have been audited twice. Results of all audits are immediately reviewed with local management, and corrective actions are taken as appropriate. Audits in 2020 have continued to improve with an average score of 92%.
Incident Investigations: All Injury / Illness, Property Damage, Chemical Release, PIV or Motor Vehicle Incidents at Kimray must be reported and investigated, based on the actual or potential consequence of the incident. To date, 119 incidents have been reported and investigated in 2020.
MSDSOnline: A recent development is the implementation of MSDSOnline, an online tool to streamline and make readily available to all team members Chemical Safety Data sheets and labels.
HSE Advisory Board: Recently, the Kimray HSE Advisory Board was established. This board, its role, and its members will be discussed in a future Red Iron article.
No one who has lived through it will likely forget the first half of 2020. For the HSE Team, like all of Kimray, it has been a tumultuous time, to say the least. What has sustained the HSE Team is really the thing we talk most about at Kimray, “making a difference in the lives of those we serve.” Whether that be by performing an area audit, working an incident investigation, or handing out face masks, we do it all with a heart focused on that mission.
We look forward to the future with that in mind and with the belief that “working together we can create a hazard-free work environment” for the entire Kimray team.
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Jumping Over The Lines
A bout nine years ago, a neighbor and I painted a labyrinth in the cul-de-sac in front of my house.
Our labyrinth is a 54-foot diameter replica of the eleven circuit labyrinth in Chartres Cathedral in France. During this COVID-19 shelter-in-place we decided to repaint the labyrinth, and over the course of several evenings we were able to get it looking like the day we installed it. People in our neighborhood had been using it occasionally, but because the paint had faded, it was hard to follow in a couple spots. Since we repainted, there has been a steady stream of families out walking the labyrinth.
One afternoon my neighbor was out talking to a family with 3 small children and I went out to join them for a few minutes. The little boy was obviously excited about the labyrinth, so I knelt down to get eye-to-eye with him. We talked for a minute, and I asked him if he walked the whole labyrinth. His answer started me thinking, because he said, “I jumped over some of the lines.”
Sometimes life is like a labyrinth, and sometimes it is like a maze. It is important that we know which we
are in. A labyrinth only has one path. It is a single track that you follow to the center and then back out again. You cannot get lost in a labyrinth. A maze has several possible paths, many of which lead nowhere or to dead ends. The point of a maze is to get you lost.
When we are in a maze, we need to find our way. We must keep track of where we have been and try to map our path, so we don’t keep doubling back over the same steps again and again. A maze requires focus on the lines around us so we can determine if the information we are being given is showing us the way or leading us astray.
When we are in a labyrinth, we need to follow the way. We do not need to be concerned about where we are going because there is only one path. As long as we keep moving we will arrive at the center.
When we are in a maze the goal is to escape, and this requires us to innovate. A maze can be healthy if we understand that difficulty is the soil in which our character grows. If we are afraid and lose hope, we risk simply running around in circles and failing to accomplish anything.
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The goal in a labyrinth is to experience the journey, which means we need to meditate. Meditation is not sitting in the lotus position humming to ourselves. Meditation is to think deeply or carefully about something, without distraction and with focus. In a labyrinth, the lines allow you to move through the rhythm of the journey without worrying about where you are going, so you can focus on why you are going and how you are going.
Finally, whether we are in a maze or a labyrinth, the path is longer than it looks. This means we will need patience and perseverance. Our labyrinth is 54 feet in diameter, yet as you walk to the center and then back out, you have travelled half of a mile. Most people have a difficult time believing it. It looks deceptively small. Often, our travels in life are also much longer than we first believe. Sometimes, like that little boy, we jump over some of the lines.
There is a time to find our way and a time to follow. There is a time to innovate and a time to meditate.
There is need for patience and also for perseverance. Community is where we gain the understanding of what we are in and what we need. Wisdom, seeing things from a larger perspective, is not possible alone. When we are in the lines, it is hard to tell if it is a maze or a labyrinth. Someone standing outside the lines can often give us the insight that leads us to better choices and better outcomes.
I have been so proud of our team as you have navigated the current maze we are in. This has definitely been a time for innovation and way finding, and you have all shown perseverance. In the days and weeks to come, we should remember that the lines are only helpful if they lead us to health. There are times when we need to jump over some of the lines. We will know when to jump, because we have the wisdom of the crowd. Working and living in community gives us that advantage, and it is The Kimray Way.
YO U C A N S U B S C R I B E TO M O N DAY M U S I N G S AT R ECOV E R I N G L E A D E R S H I P .CO M .
Cleaning Kimray Under COVID-19
K eeping a manufacturing company the size of Kimray clean is no easy feat, but compound it with
a global pandemic, and new processes are needed for just day-to-day operations. Kimray’s Facilities Team has been on the front lines since the beginning, finding new ways to do their jobs and keeping team members safe. Dan Clark, Director of Asset Management, said they were up to the challenge.
“Everyone had the right attitude from the start,” said Dan. “They were willing to try new types of training, cleaning methods, and picking up extra duties that we contracted out for, just to keep it under control.”
The first action employed by the team was the introduction of disinfectant supply kits in commissaries and common areas across Kimray’s campus and stores. These boxes contained disinfectant spray, wipes, masks, anti-virus tissues, and disposable gloves that team members could use in their own areas. When the order was given for some team members to work remotely, Facilities seized the opportunity to deep clean as many areas as possible and made a point to mark where they had been.
“We sanitized everyone’s desk and left a card of what had been done, so team members would know that we have cleaned that area,” said Sherrie MacQueen, Custodial Supervisor. “It also serves as a way for us to know who’s been back to campus. Because if that card has been moved, we know we can clean that spot again.”
The Custodial team uses fogging for disinfecting Kimray buildings across campus. This method has been enhanced with the use of an electrostatic fogger, which charges the particles in the air to wrap around the area of an object. All disinfectant chemicals in the foggers are hospital-grade in quality and are being used in restrooms, commissaries, and machine shop areas.
“It’s like spraying Lysol, and it sanitizes what it touches, said Dan. “It reaches spaces that aren’t visible
to team members and will envelop areas and collect to surfaces. “Custodial is cleaning areas up to four times a day. Especially high-traffic areas that see a lot of team members.”
It’s been a challenge for companies to obtain cleaning supplies from manufacturers, as the demand for these items skyrocketed in March. Fortunately for Kimray, Sherrie had prepared for it.
“I had placed an order early in January to replenish all of our cleaning supplies,” said Sherrie. “And then things got so busy, I forgot I had placed the order, so I placed another one. So, by the time everything arrived, we had double the supply when the pandemic hit. I like to think the Lord was looking out for us the way this unfolded.”
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Brandi McLin pauses for a photo near one of the many disinfectant supply kits that
can be found across the Kimray campus.
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Additional improvements include foot-operated door openers to reduce touchpoint areas, increasing the amount of hand sanitizer stations and placing them around entrances, and a microbiocidal floor wax, which can kill viruses that come in contact with it. These preventative measures will be in effect across campus when team members return.
Training for the Custodial team was conducted by Kimray’s HSE Department. Along with a refresher on disinfectants, the team also participated in an exercise to address what to do if an infected team member or visitor has been identified on campus. This included using hazardous material suits that cover the entire body with respirators and face shields and running tests on how to properly put it on and take it off without contaminating themselves. But the cleaning at Kimray hasn’t been restricted just to the Facilities team. Knowing that they couldn’t be everywhere at once, cleaning supplies were also given to production teams.
“We’ve equipped the machine shop supervisors so they can empower their teams to clean their areas and the things like door handles and machines that they use as shared equipment,” said Dan.
“This has something that they were eager to use,” said Eric Calderon, Kimray Facilities Operations Manager. “Putting the power in someone else’s hands to help us clean was a first in those areas. But everyone was eager to help.”
To combat a possible resurgence of COVID-19 this fall, the Facilities team is already preparing for what could come next.
“Air purifiers are the next technology that the team is exploring to clean the air in locations that are closed off, such as restrooms. We’re looking at items that we can put in place that will help sanitize the air for our heating and air units,” said Dan. “We have these systems in place that are already circulating air, so there are sanitizing agents you can put in the filtration system that help with what we’re trying to accomplish. We’re also exploring pointing UV lighting at our ceilings and pushing our air circulation through it, which will kill viruses, bacteria, and mold that could be carried in that air.”
Above all, no one has any doubts that Kimray’s Facilities team has risen to the challenge during this crisis.
“They’ve been absolute rock stars in my mind. I check in regularly and ask if they need anything, and they’re always ready to go,” said Eric. “They had great ideas during this crisis to try different things and encourage other team members to do the same. The custodial team has really stepped up and embodied The Kimray way in making a difference in the lives of those they serve.”
“My team had not complained since day one when we started these new processes,” said Sherrie. “We consider it a privilege to serve Kimray like this. I have a fantastic team. They’re hard workers, and they really care about the team members at Kimray.”
The Custodial Team includes: Brandi McLin, Pam Imotichey, Audrey Hall, Maria Velez, Mary Lou Venegas, Rosemary Steger, and Tom O’Hern.
You’ll probably see a few of these new StepNpull devices around the Kimray
campus at the bottom of a commissary or restroom door. This foot-operated door
opener provides a no-touch option to heavily trafficked areas, so you can move
easily without using your hands. Want to know more? Visit www.stepnpull.com and
see how it works.
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Unprecedented Changes
I n some ways, I cannot imagine a character quality that has been more important during this time
of uncertainty than flexibility. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have all experienced unprecedented changes that have impacted almost every aspect of our lives. I want to take a moment to thank a few people who have modeled the character quality of flexibility.
Thank you, Mr. Chris Waba for your flexibility. Mr. Waba lives in Madison, South Dakota, and has been a teacher for 27 years. When schools were closed, Mr. Waba was doing his best to teach his class online. Following one of his classes, he got an email from 12-year-old Rylee Anderson, asking for help with a concept they were reviewing in Algebra. In addition to being one of his students, Rylee was also his neighbor. He responded to her email, but he could tell that it was not getting through.
Instead of composing another email, Mr. Waba grabbed a portable whiteboard and a marker, walked across the street and rang the doorbell at the Anderson’s home. Separated by a screen door, Mr. Waba used her front porch as his classroom. For the next 10 minutes, he helped her through three equations. When she finally smiled, he knew he had gotten through. As he taught, Rylee’s dad, Josh Anderson, who happens to be the head coach of Dakota State University’s football team, took a few photos and shared them on Twitter. Coach Anderson wanted people to know the lengths to which teachers will go to help their students. The story went viral because Mr. Waba decided to demonstrate flexibility.
Thank you to the team at Strata Leadership. When the significance of the impact of COVID-19 started to settle in on our team, we did our best to be as flexible as possible. To help me make the transition, my wife helped
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me create a home office/sound booth in the corner of our bedroom. After a few hours working with two large sheets of cardboard, a little spray adhesive, and a bunch of foam acoustic tiles, I was back in business. Although these times have been challenging, flexibility remains the word of the day (or week, or month, or year).
Anticipate Change
Mentally preparing yourself for change gives you a better chance of responding calmly and positively when changes do happen. Think ahead about what you would do in various circumstances. While you think of different “what ifs,” remember your strengths and identify how most likely you would respond. When you are expecting change to happen, you can respond appropriately and proactively rather than unprepared and reactively.
What was the most unexpected change you have had to deal with in the past?
Roll with the Punches
It never fails, as soon as we get comfortable with our routine, something happens, large or small, temporary or permanent. It is essential to take these changes as they come, adjust to our new or temporary normal. And do the best we can to keep moving forward. Trying to
stay positive during the change can help you to see the best of the situation.
When was a time when you experienced in unexpected change? After you made it through the storn, looking back, how did you handle it?
Recover and Rebuild
There is always an opportunity in every, change. Sometimes the opportunity is more evident than others, but it is still there. Staying positive while you adjust to the new normal will help you recover and refocus on what is important. Continue to think ahead and ask yourself what you would have done differently and what you could do differently in the future when change happens again.
How can you support, help, and encourage others when changes occur?
Character Core article reprinted with permission from Strata Leadership.
Kimray team members can now use PayActiv to access their earned wages that haven’t been paid yet. This is a new benefit that will allow team members to access wages in any amount between $40 and $500 each month. There are no interest fees or hidden charges, only a flat fee of $5 is added to the amount accessed. On the team member’s next regular pay date, the total amount accessed plus the $5 will be withheld from that check.
PayActiv also has additional benefits. If you need access to an Uber ride, you can schedule one through the PayActiv app! The cost of the ride will be deducted from your next regular paycheck.
To get started with PayActiv, there are instructions for downloading the app, connecting your bank account, and accessing your earned wages in Kronos. If you have additional questions, reach out to [email protected].
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Staying Well Mentally & Physically
S aying that 2020 has been a challenging year is an understatement. Between the coronavirus
pandemic, shifting to working remotely, managing a smaller workforce, falling oil prices, and social unrest – there is a lot to be stressed out about these days. It is important that we make an effort to keep ourselves well.
Mental health affects every area of our lives. It influences how we think, feel, and behave every day. With daily stressors in life, good mental health allows us to cope with stress, build positive relationships, and be resilient. Kimray provides lots of ways to help our team members stay mentally healthy. Our employee assistance program (EAP) is a wonderful resource that’s available to all team members. Not only can you receive free and confidential counseling, but the EAP website also offers lots of great articles, webinars, and training. If you would rather seek advice and guidance from a trusted Kimray team member, reach out to our Chaplain, Bruce Barteaux. Here at Kimray, our spiritual wellness is recognized as a large part of our mental wellness. Bruce is available to meet with team members and their immediate families.
Mental wellness is extremely important, but so is our physical wellness. With the Wellness Center on the OKC campus closed for an extended period of time, some of us might be struggling. Physical wellness is so much more than just lifting weights and spending time on an elliptical machine. Boosting our immune systems might be one of the most overlooked but beneficial ways to support physical wellness. One interesting way to boost our immune system to fight COVID-19 and its effects might be Vitamin D. While the available published studies have yet to be peer-reviewed, the findings may be promising. Researchers have found that having healthy Vitamin D levels may give people with COVID-19 an advantage by helping them avoid cytokine storms. This is when your body’s immune system overreacts to an infection and attacks your healthy cells. While the findings of these studies still need to be peer-reviewed, we can take steps now to start boosting our Vitamin D levels. Thankfully, summertime is a great way to do this. The sun is the best natural source for Vitamin D. How much sun is enough? Doctors recommend getting about 10-30 minutes of
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midday light a few times a week. Of course, you need to be mindful of protecting your skin from burning. If you plan to be outside for longer than 10-30 minutes, make sure you are wearing sunscreen beyond that time.
Of course, there are lots of things that we can do to improve our mental and physical health beyond these quick tips. Make sure that you check out the Weekly Wellness email for a new topic each week that includes a video, article, and fun challenge for wellness points. ADURO is available and always has fun challenges that you can participate in online or at home at your own pace. If there’s anything you want to see from the Wellness Team, please be sure to reach out to [email protected].
Plant Yourself a GardenWhether you have an acre of land or a few pots on a
balcony, few things can bring such joy as growing your own fruits and vegetables.
Gardening is an easy activity to share, and you’ll harvest benefits along with your fresh vegetables, colorful flowers, and aromatic herbs. Even better, you don’t have to wait for your plants to bloom to see those benefits. Some of them (like stress relief ) is almost instantaneous.
Keep It Simple
Remember: It’s better to be proud of a small garden than be frustrated by a big one!
Pick the Right Spot
• Plant in a sunny location. Most vegetables need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. There are a few veggies that will tolerate some shade.
• Plant in moist, well-drained soil. If you have poorly drained soil (water pools), plant veggies in a raised bed; if you have rocky soil, till and remove the rocks.
• Plant in a stable environment. Avoid places that receive strong winds that could knock over your young plants or keep pollinators from doing their jobs. Nor do you want to plant in a location that receives too much foot traffic or floods easily.
Some Guidelines to Choosing Vegetables:
• Choose what you (and your family) like to eat. If no one likes Brussels sprouts, don’t plant them!
• Be realistic about how many vegetables your family will eat. Be careful not to overplant. (Of course, you could always give your veggies away.)
• Consider the availability of veggies at your grocery store. Maybe you want to grow tomatillo, instead of cabbage or carrots which are available. Also, certain vegetables are so far superior when home-grown, it’s almost a shame not to consider (we’re thinking of garden lettuce and tomatoes!). Also, home-grown herbs are far less expensive than grocery store herbs.
• Summer vacation? Remember that tomatoes and zucchinis are growing in the middle of summer. If you’re away part of the summer, you need someone to look after the drops, or they will suffer. Or, you could just plant cool-season crops such as lettuce and kale and root veggies.
• Use high-quality seeds. Seed packets are less expensive than individual plants, but if the seeds don’t germinate, your time and money could be wasted. If you plan ahead, buying straight from the nursery seedsmen is cheaper and of higher quality. See a list of mail-order seed catalogs here.
• Have fun with it!
SOURCE T H E FA R M E R ’ S A L M A N AC | PHOTOS A B I GA I L K E E N A N O N U N S P L A S H
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AAA Artist: Susan Beth Wilhelm(This commissioned piece of artwork was created for Kimray in 2019, before the global pandemic and economic downturn.)
W hen Kimray CEO Thomas Hill walked past Susan Beth Wilhelm’s booth at the Edmond
Arts Festival in 2018, one watercolor in particular caught his eye. It was a painting of red longhorn steers with a lone cowboy behind them.
“It took me a minute to realize what I liked about it — the steers have straight lines,” Thomas said. “The horns have right angles and the legs are straight lines. Then we started talking and I found out she’s an engineer! She spent her whole life building things, so it’s no wonder I like her work.”
That connection has since led to several of Susan’s pieces being added to the Kimray art collection, including a new AAA piece that was unveiled in August of 2019.
Susan’s work is unlike anything else in the Kimray collection, said curator and graphic designer Lynly Grider. That uniqueness is also seen in Susan’s interpretation of Kimray’s signature valve — it’s one of the only depictions of the AAA that includes people.
Susan said as she toured the Kimray campus, she saw the people behind the valve.
“It is a family,” she said. “I talked to people who are so into their work, so happy with their work, I thought they needed to be represented along with the valve. This is the main line behind the valve. These are the people that support the valve. These figures represent all of the people behind it.”
Susan’s watercolors are painted on cloth — the AAA is on muslin, and she also uses silk and linen —
STORY D R E W H A R M O N | PHOTOS D R E W H A R M O N
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and she uses hot wax to get an extraordinary amount of detail into her watercolors, a traditionally imprecise medium.
As anyone knows, if you spill something on fabric, it goes anywhere it wants to, she said. She applies a molten mix of three different liquid waxes, blended together to get the right consistency.
“When you place the liquid wax on, you paint in layers,” Susan said. “You place the wax in an area where you don’t want color, and then you lift it with a heat process and then re-apply the wax. I’ve left portions of the wax on the valve, so it will give some texture to the painting.”
Susan’s love of color is evident in most of her pieces. She said it was difficult painting the figures and the background in gray, but the result was that the red AAA was set off even more.
The former chemical engineer who has been selling her art since she was 20 said approaching a painting is different from approaching an engineering project. Painting has always been a hobby or a release for her, she said.
“When I approach a project, there are certain specifications that you have to stick to, whereas the art tends to let you be a little more free,” she said. “I can be a little looser on the painting side. When you’re crunching numbers, you have to be exact.”
But she still thinks subjects like the AAA have to be precise.
“I do like to make things authentic,” she said. “It kind of bothers me if something does not have perfect right angles. That’s kind of my trademark.”
Susan’s vision of the AAA currently hangs in Building
36 (4500). You can also browse the Kimray Visual Arts collection at art.kimray.com.
Susan Beth Wilhelm is a watercolor artist from Oklahoma City and a member of the American Watercolor Society. A former engineer, she exhibits in galleries in Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma and Virginia. She conducts classes, workshops, lectures, and demonstrations at the Mabee-Gerrer Museum and locations in Chickasha, Edmond, Oklahoma City, Shawnee, and Tulsa.
18 RED IRON MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
June Anniversaries
New Faces & New Places
K udos to the FACILITIES TEAM for reacting to a possible COVID-19
exposure at Kimray. They went into action after hours and followed the new protocol we have in place to the letter. I really appreciate their flexibility and willingness to do whatever is needed to keep team members safe.
Dan Clark, Director of Asset Management K udos to Benjamin Oguntimilehin,
who became a U.S. Citizen on May 27, 2020.
James Anderson 4 years OKCRussell Anderson 9 years OKCSeth Bacon 1 year OKCMonte Bellar 2 years HoustonRobert Brown 10 years CorpusJesse Burch 6 years OKCChris Burkhart 3 years OKCOmar Carey 9 years OKCCaleb Cole 1 year OKCKyle Crawford 6 years OKCReasa Davis 2 years OKCErin Decker 2 years OKCTiffany DeLong 2 years OKCAdam Gomez 2 years OKCRobert Greenlaw 6 years OKC
Otto Gustafson 3 years OKCJustyce Hankins 3 years OKCDouglas Hill 6 years OKCThi Hua 9 years OKCRobert Jones 17 years OKCDarijan Kosec 2 years OKCEber Lehenbauer 41 years OKCJosh McCormick 3 years OKCSam McGill 15 years OKCTeresa Patterson 2 years OKCDien Pham 14 years OKCJeremy Pirtle 6 years OKCMarvin Preston 17 years OKCAllison Prewitt 6 years OKCVictor Puebla 3 years OKC
Matt Ramirez 6 years OKCLaboni Rozario 3 years OKCJohn Schallert 13 years OKCDiana Schroeder 6 years OKCJohn Schultz 3 years OKCJimmy Smock 12 years OKCShane Sprouse 2 years OKCJoey Stroud 2 years OKCGrant Sweeney 2 years OKCJennifer Sweet 16 years OKCAlfred Vela 3 years HoustonCasey Walker 12 years OKCAdrian Wright 3 years OKC
Darci HendonPromoted to Production Scheduler II
Casey WalkerPromoted to Production Scheduler II
Shane WatersPromoted to Director of Machine Shop
19 RED IRON MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
OKC PieceWalk & 5KSaturday August 8, 2020 – 7pm
Scissortail Park, OKC
bit.ly/PieceWalk2020Register for Team Kimray at
PieceWalk.orgFor more info about PieceWalk, visit
20 RED IRON MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
Face Covering Guidelines
Step 1: Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or for 15 seconds with alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Step 5: Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or for 15 seconds with alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Step 2: Cover your mouth and nose with the face covering without touching your face with your hands. As much as possible, make sure there are no gaps between your face and the covering. Ensure that the ear loops are secure.
Step 3: Always remove the face covering from behind (do not touch the front of the face covering). Never touch your eyes, nose and mouth when removing your face covering.
Step 4: Discard disposable face coverings into a closed bin. For reusable face coverings, be sure to launder daily according to the guidelines provided here and per manufacturer guidelines (whichever is stricter). For resusable face coverings, be sure to launder daily, according to manufacturer guidelines.
Face Covering Relief StrapsTeam members can request face covering relief straps, to make the facial covering more comfortable. These are available from the HSE Department upon request.
Team Members Encouraged to Take Face Coverings Home for Use, Storage, and DisposalTeam members who choose to use Kimray provided face coverings or their own cloth versions are encouraged to take them home.
This allows team members to use the face covering outside of Kimray and wear it after arriving for work.
Cloth face coverings should be taken home to be washed after each use.
Disposable face coverings should be taken home for storage and or disposal.
Face Covering Care Guidelines
Care
• Please take care of your provided face covering as they are available in limited quantities.
• Always use and care for your face covering per manufacturer instructions and company best practices.
• Never share your face coverings with others.
Laundering Fabric Face Coverings
• Fabric face coverings must be laundered after use (after a full day or shift).
• Improper laundering practices of fabric face coverings may expose the wearer to contamination.
• Fabric face coverings are effectively cleaned by doing the following:
o Use standard laundry detergent.
o Use the warmest water that is appropriate for the fabric.
o Dry on medium heat to decrease bacteria and viruses to negligible levels.
o If steaming, steam at 212° F or higher for at least one minute.
Storage
• Face coverings should be stored in this manner:
o So that it is maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition.
o Where it cannot be contaminated with harmful chemicals.
o That keeps it from getting mixed up or swapped out with another team member’s face covering.
• Avoid storing in:
o Direct sunlight for extended periods of time.
o Temperature extremes that could damage the face covering.
Damaged or Missing Face Coverings
• Team members should always visually inspect their facemasks or respirator prior to use.
• In the case that a team member’s facemask or respirator is damaged in a manner that deems it inoperable or is misplaced and they have already obtained their maximum weekly allocation, they must notify their supervisor.
21 RED IRON MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
Family ActivitiesFREE Pop Power! Sculpture for Kids Kit Pickup at the Metropolitan Library SystemJune 8–July 22Features a Zoom event with a teaching artist from the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Participants will pick up a kit and create their own work of art at home. Pick up and Zoom event information will be shared via email. Supplies are limited.This event is held at multiple libraries. See website for times and locations.FREE - Best suited for ages 5 & up
Weekly Walk Ups at the Myriad GardensJune 22–August 0710:00am–12:00pmStop by the Children’s Garden for fun activities that explore and celebrate the plant world. Different activities every day. No activities on July 4.FREE ($2 suggested donation per child)Myriad Botanical Gardens’ Children’s Garden301 W Reno, OKCwww.myriadgardens.org
Glowstick Firefly Night WalkJune 278:30pm–9:30pmLearn about the life cycle and habitat of fireflies as well as how they communicate and how you can communicate with them on a night hike led by park staff.Cost $5 (Children must be 6 years or older to attend.)Preregister at Martin Park Nature Centerwww.okc.gov/parksignup5000 W Memorial Rd, OKC
Free Virtual Americana FestJune 2711:00am–5:00pmFeatures live music by local favorites including the Bryon Berline Band, Sinner Friends, Lucas Ross and more, streamed live via Facebook and YouTube.www.americanbanjomuseum.comAll ages welcome
Free Sonic Drive-In Virtual Family Day at OKCMOAJune 2812:00pm–5:00pmFeatures fun art-making activities including a virtual tour of the POP Power exhibition, a performance by the Sugar Free Allstars, art workshops with local artists and more.Activities will be posted on the museum’s YouTube channel on June 28 and air on Fox25 on Living Oklahoma the following week.www.okcmoa.com
OK Art CrawlJune 27–June 285:00pm–8:00pmDiscover the art next door! The Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition is organizing the OK Art Crawl, a free statewide event in response to the COVID-19 pandemic which has shut down many summer festivals and arts events in Oklahoma. Oklahoma artists are invited to put their work on public display—in their windows, on their driveways, on their porches (or on their friends’ porches, with permission). We will publish the participating artists’ images and addresses on a Google map on our website so visitors can drive to the area of their choice to safely view the art on display.
All participants are encouraged to follow proper social distancing guidelines as detailed by the CDC including keeping a distance of 6-feet between parties and wearing masks when in shared spaces. Any sales taken during the art crawl must be done through Venmo or online to conduct no-contact sales. OVAC will not be taking any commission on the sales.www.OKArtCrawl.orgNational Cowboy Museum & Western Heritage Center
FUN THINGS TO DO WITH THE KIDS ONLINE
Lyric Theater of Oklahoma Presents – Lyric Kids ClubhouseJoin Gertie and Professor Matt’s Weekly Adventures! The Clubhouse is a positive weekly show just for kids created by Lyric artists right here in Oklahoma! It is hosted by crazy characters from Lyric Theatre, who share fun activities, and helpful information to make each day awesome! Lyric Kids Clubhouse is just some of the content you’ll find on our Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages.
Draw something with Silk. A fun way to break up a few minutes of your day is with this interactive program, where you can literally point, click, and draw with your mouse. Give it a try.
Explore the Zooniverse. Take part in real cutting-edge research in a variety of fields, covering science, humanities, and history. The Zooniverse allows visitors opportunities to unlock answers and contribute to real discoveries. Take a look.
RESOURCES FOR THOSE IN NEED
City, County, State, and Federal Oklahoma City: www.caaofokc.org/services/community-services/Edmond: edmondok.com/DocumentCenter/View/4670/Resource-GuideCentral Oklahoma: cocaa.website/Oklahoma County: www.okdhs.org/library/resources/Pages/OklahomaRD211.aspxState of Oklahoma:www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/oklahoma_assistance_programs.htmlhelpingamericansfindhelp.org/oklahoma/United States:www.benefits.gov/ www.hhs.gov/programs/social-services/index.html
22 RED IRON MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
W hen trouble comes, staying focused on the important things can be a challenge.
“Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates, 2then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me. 3So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”
Nehemiah 6:1-3 NASB
In times of difficulty and uncertainty, we need clarity. Often times the world, people with different ideas about what is important, will suggest we go in directions that are not consistent with our purpose. At those times, we need clarity.
We need to be clear about who we are and why we are here. We need to be clear about what we are trying to accomplish and how we go about achieving our objective. We should always allow for adjustments in the process we use and minor adjustments in trajectory. However, changing our overall purpose should be done only on rare occasions when we receive greater clarity concerning what God wants us to accomplish
through us. Methods can change, sometimes very quickly, and sometimes radically, but the objective of glorifying God by loving people the way He loves us never changes.
In light of this, it is important to clarify what we are doing and why we are doing it on a regular basis. Why? Because it’s easy to drift when other things seem so large, we wind up with a new objective, even though we have not made a conscious decision to do so.
Reaching our goal, at times, comes with significant opposition because others have different goals. This is not new. Starting in the garden of Eden, Satan had a different goal for man than God. As a result, Adam-and-Eve allowed Satan’s idea to take precedent over God’s idea. Down through history, this has been man’s struggle. It seems to be especially hard when the alternate ideas are packaged so well; they look better and feel better than the ones God gives us.
So what is our hope? Our hope is God’s faithfulness to continue to lead us to a good understanding of His goodwill and purpose for us. As his children, we are here to trust Him to the extent that His will is done through us in the days and moments of our lives.
When things get fuzzy, stop and remember what’s important, and recommit to stay the course even in difficult times. Also, we are never alone. The Lord is with us, and He has given us the gift of traveling companions in His body to share the load and cheer each other on.
food for thought with Bruce Barteaux
Clarity
Access weekly Bible studies online
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BRUCE BARTEAUXCorporate Chaplain
(405) 696–3795 mobile(405) 525–6601 ext.1280 [email protected] | [email protected] Office Hours: Monday – Wednesday 7:00am – 5:00pm,Thursday 10:00pm – Friday 2:00am
KimrayChaplain
23 RED IRON MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
APPLY DONATE
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
You can apply for assistance or make a donation to help a team member in need by visiting us online or emailing for more information.
We Can Help!
K I M R A Y P E O P L E
K I M R A Y P E O P L EH E L P I N G
The Make a Difference Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization created to assist
regular full-time Kimray team members who are experiencing a severe, unforeseen
financial hardship due to circumstances beyond their control.
The MADF helps team members get back on their feet while reminding them that
their coworkers and community still care during difficult times.
makeadifferencefdn.org [email protected]
CAPTION CONTEST WINNER
What’s Aarthur doing during COVID-19?
Congratulations go to Senior Sales & Marketing Coordinator
SUSAN BAILEY
for April’s caption contest!
No more pondering “extra soft or extra strong” in this aisle!
