Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro workers thanked for ice-storm repairs
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University of Waterloo employee Nate Vexler (wearing the scarf) stands with Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro linesmen, from left, Travis Beacock, Justin Rivard and Clayton Schatti as they thanked him for providing a free pizza lunch for them on January 8. Vexler raised money using crowd sourcing to pay for pizza parties to thank local hydro workers for their hard work to restore power following the December 22 ice storm that hit Waterloo Region.
Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro workers enjoy a free pizza lunch organized to thank them for their hard work during the December 22 ice storm.
Photos by Carrie Debrone
Photos by Carrie Debrone
By Carrie Debrone
Kitchener Citizen
January 16, 2014
Many people were grateful for the hard work of hydro workers to get their power restored in the days that followed the local devastating December 22 ice storm.
Kitchener resident Nate Vexler was so grateful he collected about $800 using crowd funding on the internet, that he used to buy a pizza lunch for about 150 Kitchener Wilmot Hydro workers on January 8 as a thank you.
“I went through the ice storm in 1998 in Montreal where I was living at the time,” said the University of Waterloo employee. The storm, which hit Quebec and eastern Ontario, left about one million people without power.
“When it hit here I saw how hard the hydro workers were working and in very dangerous conditions. It kind of touched me and I just wanted to do something to thank them,” said Vexler, who lost power for a day and a half at his Kitchener home.
He thought of giving them pizza after he heard of “Random Acts of Pizza” that was started after the Boston bombings, when residents raised money to buy pizza that was given to first responders as a thank you.
He enlisted the help of Kitchener councillor Berry Vrbanovic, who helped organize the pizza parties and spread the word.
Vexler had planned to provide the pizza to hydro workers during the ice storm, but it was such a busy time for workers that it could not be arranged at that time. He had already purchased pizzas for the workers but they went to a men’s shelter instead, and it was decided to hold off the pizza lunch for the hydro workers until the second week in January.
On January 6, Waterloo North Hydro workers were the first to be given the free pizza party, followed by Kitchener-Wilmot workers on January 8. Vexler hopes to also provide a pizza party for Cambridge-North Dumfries hydro workers, but if that can’t be arranged, any left over money will be donated to the St. Jacobs Market Fire Relief Fund.
“We’re pleased that the community would recognize the efforts of our employees. Power is something that everyone takes for granted and many of these guys gave up their Christmas to work,” said Rod Goetz, Past Chair of Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro.
“You worked under some extreme conditions and the recent cold is another challenge for you,” Kitchener Mayor Carl Zehr told workers during the pizza lunch.
“Individual citizens and homeowners really do appreciate it,” he said.
Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro CEO Jerry Van Ooteghem said the unusual nature of the ice storm left 30,000 homes without power in its first eight hours and about one–third of all homes in the region.
“It struck every corner of our service area,” Van Ooteghem said.
He said that, at its peak, 22 feeder stations were knocked out and that Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro answered 2,000 phone calls that day.
Van Ooteghem said hydro workers had restored power to 15,000 homes by 5pm on the day of the storm, and by midnight all but about 1,300 (many in Wilmot and Woolwich township’s rural areas) customers had power.
“Some of you came in sick or came off your vacation time to work,” he said, adding that working in extremely cold temperatures was not the only challenge to completing repairs. Workers also had to deal with falling branches overhead, freezing equipment and exhausting double shifts.
“We appreciate that. You did a remarkable job,” he told his workers, adding that the region gratefully received help from Sarnia and Chatham crews.
Repair work will continue over the next few weeks as there are still many branches lying on hydro lines.
“We will remove them as quickly as possible,” he said.
Kitchener Citizen
January 16, 2014
Many people were grateful for the hard work of hydro workers to get their power restored in the days that followed the local devastating December 22 ice storm.
Kitchener resident Nate Vexler was so grateful he collected about $800 using crowd funding on the internet, that he used to buy a pizza lunch for about 150 Kitchener Wilmot Hydro workers on January 8 as a thank you.
“I went through the ice storm in 1998 in Montreal where I was living at the time,” said the University of Waterloo employee. The storm, which hit Quebec and eastern Ontario, left about one million people without power.
“When it hit here I saw how hard the hydro workers were working and in very dangerous conditions. It kind of touched me and I just wanted to do something to thank them,” said Vexler, who lost power for a day and a half at his Kitchener home.
He thought of giving them pizza after he heard of “Random Acts of Pizza” that was started after the Boston bombings, when residents raised money to buy pizza that was given to first responders as a thank you.
He enlisted the help of Kitchener councillor Berry Vrbanovic, who helped organize the pizza parties and spread the word.
Vexler had planned to provide the pizza to hydro workers during the ice storm, but it was such a busy time for workers that it could not be arranged at that time. He had already purchased pizzas for the workers but they went to a men’s shelter instead, and it was decided to hold off the pizza lunch for the hydro workers until the second week in January.
On January 6, Waterloo North Hydro workers were the first to be given the free pizza party, followed by Kitchener-Wilmot workers on January 8. Vexler hopes to also provide a pizza party for Cambridge-North Dumfries hydro workers, but if that can’t be arranged, any left over money will be donated to the St. Jacobs Market Fire Relief Fund.
“We’re pleased that the community would recognize the efforts of our employees. Power is something that everyone takes for granted and many of these guys gave up their Christmas to work,” said Rod Goetz, Past Chair of Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro.
“You worked under some extreme conditions and the recent cold is another challenge for you,” Kitchener Mayor Carl Zehr told workers during the pizza lunch.
“Individual citizens and homeowners really do appreciate it,” he said.
Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro CEO Jerry Van Ooteghem said the unusual nature of the ice storm left 30,000 homes without power in its first eight hours and about one–third of all homes in the region.
“It struck every corner of our service area,” Van Ooteghem said.
He said that, at its peak, 22 feeder stations were knocked out and that Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro answered 2,000 phone calls that day.
Van Ooteghem said hydro workers had restored power to 15,000 homes by 5pm on the day of the storm, and by midnight all but about 1,300 (many in Wilmot and Woolwich township’s rural areas) customers had power.
“Some of you came in sick or came off your vacation time to work,” he said, adding that working in extremely cold temperatures was not the only challenge to completing repairs. Workers also had to deal with falling branches overhead, freezing equipment and exhausting double shifts.
“We appreciate that. You did a remarkable job,” he told his workers, adding that the region gratefully received help from Sarnia and Chatham crews.
Repair work will continue over the next few weeks as there are still many branches lying on hydro lines.
“We will remove them as quickly as possible,” he said.