Earlier this spring, the Tennessee American Water Company presented two college students and Lookout Mountain Conservancy intern leaders with a pair of special gifts.
A $3,000 donation to the Lookout Mountain Conservancy.
And an invitation to return.
“We’d love for you to come back and take a tour,” said Grant Evitts, president of Tennessee American Water.
Moments earlier, Mr. Evitts and Daphne Kirksey, external affairs manager, had welcomed Jostin Reyes and Bryan Xiloj - both Chattanooga State Community College students, both LMC leaders - onto the Tennessee American Water Company campus off Amnicola Highway.
For 13 years, Tennessee American has been a loyal LMC supporter.
Once more, they were offering financial support for LMC’s ongoing Howard Leadership Program. The $3,000 State Strategic Grant from the American Water Charitable Foundation will help pay for summer operating expenses for the program and college scholarships for the interns.
This time, Mr. Reyes and Mr. Xiloj had gifts to offer in return.
“We want to thank you for all you’ve done for us,” said Mr. Reyes.
“You’ve opened many doors for us and other interns,” said Mr. Xiloj.
Mr. Reyes and Mr. Xiloj presented the Tennessee American Water Company leaders with handwritten letters, a postcard and photograph of the LMC bouldering park and a jar of wildflower seeds.
“Tennessee American Water has been with us since the beginning,” said Robyn Carlton. “They planted the seeds that allowed our intern program to grow.”
In 2012, Ms. Carlton approached leadership at The Howard School with a pair of questions: How can we help?
How can we use our resources to help build community?
And The Howard Leadership Program was created.
Each year, LMC hires, mentors and trains dozens of Howard students as interns, who learn soft and hard skills while also earning a sturdy paycheck. Responsible for trail and park maintenance - from the bouldering park to all 36 miles of LMC trails - LMC interns steward over the trails and parks enjoyed by tens of thousands of guests each year.
Plus, interns boast a 100 percent graduation rate from The Howard School. LMC helps with college tuition thanks to its generous supporters.
Financially, the Leadership Program started with Tennessee American Water’s gift.
“You have helped transform my life and others’ lives, too,” said Mr. Reyes, who’s majoring in psychology, with plans for a career in mortuary science.
“Thank you,” said Mr. Xiloj, a construction management major.
The moment was touching for Mr. Evitts, who then began reflecting on the early years of his own career, which began three decades ago at Tennessee American Water.
“Some of my first jobs were mowing grass and painting fire hydrants,” he said.
Making his way through the company - work hard and be honest, he told Mr. Reyes and Mr. Xiloj - Mr. Evitts entered leadership roles at Tennessee American Water after being named vice president at Missouri American Water and division manager at Illinois American Water.
Before saying goodbye, Mr. Evitts invited Mr. Reyes and Mr. Xiloj to return for a tour of the water company.
“Yes,” said Mr. Reyes. “We’d like that.”
Once again, Tennessee American Water was planting seeds.