BGC of the Redwoods’ Substance Abuse Brief Intervention Program

Headquartered in the west-central Humboldt County city of Fortuna, California, the heavy civil contractor Mercer Fraser Co. recently marked its 150th year in business. To give back to the community that supports it, Mercer Fraser Co. has a history of involvement with the Boys and Girls Club (BGC) of the Redwoods.

Serving children from 6 to 18 years of age, BGC of the Redwoods serves more than 1,500 members with services that focus on learning, playing, and developing both citizenship and leadership skills. To help teenagers with substance abuse issues, the organization has a comprehensive Substance Abuse Brief Intervention Program.

A psycho-educational tool designed to positively influence early stage drug and alcohol users who have mild to moderate habits, the program consists of two confidential, one-on-one sessions, as well as an optional third. These sessions support a dual concentration on problem awareness and helpful recommendations in terms of activities and lifestyle changes. Over the years, BGC of the Redwoods has conducted both face-to-face and virtual brief interventions.

How Using Local Construction Materials Benefits Communities

As a heavy civil contractor, Mercer Fraser Co has completed a variety of civil construction projects in Humboldt County, California, over the past 150 years. Mercer Fraser Co. believes in having a strong community presence and supporting projects that contribute to community development. One way it seeks to benefit communities is by locally sourcing its construction materials.

Obtaining construction materials from local sources can show that a company is committed to investing in its community. Purchasing materials locally supports nearby suppliers and manufacturers, which can help a community’s economy. Sourcing from these businesses can help them be more profitable and compensate their employees well, who will in turn likely invest in local businesses. These successful businesses are then more likely to contribute to the community through fundraising and sponsored activities.

In addition to economic benefits, localizing supplies may reduce shipping distance and storage times, which can reduce emissions and cut energy consumption. Decreasing pollution can benefit not only the local community, but also public health in general.

Mercer-Fraser Company Donates Towards Fortuna Bike Park Completion

Mercer-Fraser Company is a construction company that specializes in various heavy construction types, such as bridges, highways, and roads. Established in Eureka, California, in 1870, the company also produces essential construction materials like asphalt concrete, aggregate, and ready-mix concrete. Mercer-Fraser Company recently donated towards a bike park completion in Fortuna.

The Fortuna bike park, located in Newburg park, has recently undergone renovation and improvement, benefiting cyclists. It was newly opened, with the park boasting a paved pump track for durability. The park’s director, Cameron Mull, narrated how the park was built as a dirt track eight years ago, making it difficult for people to use it all year round.

The new bike park track is low maintenance and durable, which will ensure it provides several year’s uses for bike lovers in Fortuna and Humboldt County. Although cyclists don’t need to pay for using the park, they are mandated to wear biking helmets when using the bike park. However, Adventure Edge and Sport & Cycle donated some free cycling helmets to people that came without theirs. There are also options to loan bikes.

Cameron Mull, the park director, thanked everyone involved in the park’s renovation, saying the project was based solely on volunteer work and donations, which saw it realize more than the $25,000 to $30,000 estimated amount.

Understanding Concrete Recycling

A heavy civil contractor firm headquartered in Fortuna, California, the Mercer Fraser Co., furnishes construction materials and carries out frequent public works projects. An environmentally conscious company, the Mercer Fraser Co. practices concrete recycling.

Concrete is an ubiquitous construction material with a simple recipe. The two main ingredients are the aggregate (usually rock or sand) and water. The final ingredient, powder cement, serves to bind the water with the aggregate. Once mixed, concrete forms a kind of liquid slurry that can be easily poured. With time, however, it hardens into a durable material fit for a variety of construction projects.

During demolition, contractors usually end up with a significant amount of cement rubble. Contractors can dispose of the rubble cement, though transporting cement to the landfill and the resulting disposal fees can be quite expensive.

Concrete recycling is another option that involves removing and crushing appropriate concrete rubble. The crushed material can then be used as an aggregate when mixing concrete. It’s also useful in other ways, like being employed as a fill or a drainage layer.

Many types of concrete, including those used in paving, are 100 percent recyclable. Concrete recycling has numerous positive environmental impacts. For instance, recycling reduces the need to mine materials for new concrete, saving energy. Moreover, concrete recycling reduces traffic at construction sites, and reduces demand for landfills.