Buchanan & Edwards takes great pride in our numerous community service projects. We invest not only money, but time into these worthwhile endeavors that help schools, charities, and the community at large. Serving the community is an ideal that is deeply embedded in the people and philosophy of BE; we strive to constantly improve society both through our work and through our community involvement.

 

 

 Teardrops to Rainbows

Always striving to provide needed aid to local as well as national charities, this past year Buchanan & Edwards employees drove the initiative to help raise capital for Teardrops to Rainbows (T2R), a Fairfax, VA based charity which provides support services, financial assistance and lifestyle improvements to local area children with cancer, and the families that care for them. In addition to the fundraising effort of our employees, Buchanan & Edwards committed to matching the amount they raised to further extend the benefits to be reached through this campaign.

This endeavor, spearheaded by the CapArea.net user group, raised a total of over $11,000. The money raised has been put toward creating a specialized treatment room and inspirational mural for the pediatric oncology patients at the Inova Fairfax Hospital. The presence of a colorful and welcoming treatment room has been proven to greatly increase the quality of life for young children undergoing cancer procedures. The benefit of having this separate room can be invaluable to the outlook and attitude of a suffering child, a benefit that is reflected in the smiling faces of some of Inova's toughest patients.

If you would like to find out more about the assistance programs of Teardrops to Rainbows, or would like to help support this charity yourself, please visit their website at www.teardropstorainbows.org. And be sure to watch the video below highlighting some of the CapArea.net members, and the children and families they helped.

 

 

The Cynthia Earley Educational Foundation & The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim

Buchanan & Edwards (BE) makes a consistent effort to help its employees engage in community service activities in any way we can.  We strive to hire and develop people who know the value of giving back to their community, especially in ways that promote education and technology. For the past several years, BE has contributed to the Cynthia Earley Educational Foundation, which offers an annual educational scholarship at the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim (GCBS) held just outside of Annapolis, MD every June.  BE employee, Darren Earley, and his siblings are the founded both the Foundation and the GCBS as a way of honoring their parents’ passion for education.

The Earley family's commitment to philanthropy started as a way of honoring their father, Joseph Earley, who died from diabetes in November of 1981. To raise awareness and research funds for diabetes, they founded the GCBS in June 1982. Since then, the Swim has grown tremendously in both funds raised and popularity as an open-water swimming event.  Complementing its emphasis on health-related causes, the March of Dimes became the primary beneficiary of the charity event in 1992 and added support for environmental advocacy organizations including the Chesapeake Bay Trust and Foundation. Since its inception, the GCBS has raised nearly two million dollars for community-based organizations serving the Chesapeake Bay Region, and is considered one of the most sought after open-water charity swims in the United States.

With the passing of their mother Cynthia Earley in 1998, an annual scholarship was established in her name at the GCBS as a tribute to her belief in education and the profound promise it has for young people. The Cynthia Earley Educational Foundation has awarded over $14,000 in tuition assistance to student athletes (ages 15-22) who both participate in the swim, and contribute the most funds for the GCBS charities.  Tuition assistance is payable to the winner’s current school, college, university, or vocational training.

BE is proud to announce it will serve as the first Annual "Presenting Sponsor” of the Cynthia Earley Scholarship at the GCBS for 2011.  We stand strong in our efforts to support the future leaders within our community, and look to provide all with the opportunity to reach beyond the standard by promoting education however we can.  Please check back for a video presentation of the award in late June.  For more information on the Cynthia Earley Educational Foundation and past winners please visit:http://www.ceef1.org/

 Buchanan & Edwards CEO, Brian Karlisch, stands proud with Taylor Smith, winner of the 2011 Cynthia Earley Educational Foundation's Top Scholarship

 

Luke C. Moore Academy

The Luke C. Moore Academy is a secondary high school that BE provides financial aid and presents at their professional speakers series. BE has made a special commitment to the Luke C. Moore Academy in order to help improve the lives of those students that are in special need of role models and materials.

The Luke C. Moore Academy is a magnet alternative high school whose mission is to promote a competent and compassionate secondary educational experience for young people ages sixteen through twenty who have dropped out of school or had difficulties in the traditional school setting. This caring learning environment, challenges young people to become educated, productive, and responsible contributors to society while addressing both the academic and socio-economic needs of the students.

BE participates in the professional speakers program in order to help alert the students to the multitude of opportunities that exist in the Information Technology and Consulting fields as well as to provide inspiration to the students and show them with perseverance and a good education anything is possible.

In addition to the speaker program, BE contributed the prizes for the science fair in 2008. We increase our involvement in 2009 by helping the school's DC FIRST robotics team design and build their robot. It was the first time the school competed in the competition and BE's CTO, Greg Parchment, described it as "wonderful to see these kids realize the potential they had in them to do something great." BE plans to help them with this project again in 2010.

The Luke C. Moore Academy is a wonderful institution that BE is proud to support.

For more information on the Luke C. Moore Academy please visit their website at: http://lukemooreacademy.org/

 

George Mason High School

BE provides assistance to the George Mason High School robotics team as they compete in the annual Chesapeake Regional FIRST Robotics Competition. The competition's goal is to exposes our youth to math, science, and engineering at an early age and in a manner that is exciting and engaging. A passion for technology is central to the BE culture and it is a value that we hope to spread to younger generations so that they might be able to use technology to further promote the welfare of their community.

Last year, BE help Team 1418, Vae Victus — meaning “woe of the vanquished” in Latin — as they designed and built their robot. BE provided a donation to help them purchase equipment to build their robot. CEO Brian Karlisch said he was "very pleased to see young kids embracing technology in such a hands-on manner." As the members of Vae Victus head off for college now, many of them intending to pursue science related degrees, we wish them the best of luck and hope that they always keep their passion for technology.

To view information on the FIRST Robotics Competition please visit: http://http/www.usfirst.org

To view information about George Mason High School please visit: http://www.fccps.k12.va.us/gm/

 

The Center for Alexandria's Children

BE provides financial assistance to the Center for Alexandria's Children in Alexandria, Virginia. The Center protects children by coordinating the investigation, prosecution, treatment and prevention of child abuse all in one unique facility. This public-private partnership seek to eliminate child abuse in the city of Alexandria. Run on the children's advocacy center model that makes the care of the child the central focus this organization has help reduce child abuse in the city of Alexandria and BE is proud to support their efforts.