John Long Retires After 45 Years
/in News/by Lantz Construction CompanyJohn F. Long, Jr., Lantz’s Senior Estimator and Corporate Secretary, has retired after 45 years with the company.
Broadway Businesses, Students Help Those In Need
/in News/by Lantz Construction CompanyJustin McIlwee / Staff Writer
PUBLICATION: Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, VA)
Photo courtesy of Broadway High School
SECTION: Features
DATE: January 3, 2018
As Andy Williams sang, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.”
And for many people, Christmas time is the happiest days of their year. But for many others, Christmas isn’t so happy. Lots of families in the area go without a holiday meal or presents for their children because they simply can’t afford it.
This year, however, Broadway High School students and staff took an extra step to make sure the number of hungry families and families in need was lower than in past years. The BHS Student Council Association and ACES club, a student leadership development club, helped create the Happy Holidays Project as a way to help students and their families.
“We have our weekend food students that we try to help out. And the senior fund that was left from last year, they designated that they wanted the remainder of that money to go into an account that could be used to help any of our kids that are in need, around the holidays, if they needed food, a jacket or anything like that,” said Jen Knick, English teacher and SCA sponsor at BHS.
So, while the money was in the fund for students who were already part of the weekend food program, Knick met with the SCA and ACES clubs who decided they wanted to help more students. The groups approached BHS principal Donna Abernathy, who put out a call through the school’s messaging system asking for any families who might need help during the holidays to please get in touch with someone at the school.
“We were happy, but surprised at the number of people who called,” Knick said. “It was a lot more people than we expected, which was fine because we combined funds from SCA, ACES and the seniors from last year.”
Then, according to Knick, news of the collection got out and spread around the Broadway community.
“A lot of local companies and organizations started helping us, too,” she said. “A Sunday school class from Mt. Olive Church of the Brethren sent us a very generous check. Cracker Barrel pitched in and they took care of one of the meals for one of our families who aren’t living in a house right now.”
In all, Lantz Construction in Broadway, Mt. Olive Church of the Brethren Sunday School Class, Trans Tech, several BHS staff members, Cracker Barrel, Broadway Automotive Service, Timberville Food Lion, BHS SCA, BHS ACES, BHS class of 2017 and the BHS boys basketball team helped with donations.
Chris Weaver, president and CEO of Lantz Construction, sent out an email to employees asking for any type of donation. In the end, after a donation from the company itself, Lantz was able to deliver a check for $1,800 to the project.
With all the donations, the Happy Holidays Project was able to provide 20 meals for families and buy gifts and necessities for 60 children. And as big a success as the program was this year, they plan on doing it again next year, but with more time for donations, hopefully helping more families in the process. But as Knick explained, none of it would have happened without the love and support of the community.
“It’s unbelievable to see the amount of caring that people will show when others are in need,” she said. “Everyone comes together to help and make a difference. There is no better place to be than in the Broadway family.”
Local Businesses Partner to Help the Hungry with “The Build a Meal Project”
/in News/by Lantz Construction CompanyFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | December 12, 2017
Local Businesses Partner to Help the Hungry with “The Build a Meal Project”
VERONA, VA – This holiday season Lineage Architects (Verona, VA) and Lantz Construction Company (Broadway, VA) are partnering for “The Build a Meal Project” to benefit the Verona Community Food Pantry. Four additional companies are supporting the project as tree sponsors. Those companies include: Frontier Community Bank, DASCOM Americas, Bradford Staffing, and Charlie Obaugh Auto Group. The Verona Community Food Pantry serves roughly 4,100 residents of Staunton, Augusta, and Waynesboro each month with an all volunteer staff.
On December 14th, the partnership will come together and use food items to build six festive trees decorated for the occasion by each sponsor. The build will take place at the Augusta County Government Center located at 18 Government Center Lane in Verona, Virginia. The display is intended to bring awareness to the issue of food insecurity that many in the Shenandoah Valley experience. Everyone is encouraged to stop by the display. There will be a donation box for non-perishable items to benefit the food pantry.
On January 3rd, the display will be disassembled and the items will be donated to the Verona Community Food Pantry. “This is the fourth Build a Meal Project we’ve done to support the Verona Community Food Pantry. By focusing the project on food insecurity, we’re able to address a basic, yet overwhelming need in this area,” says Jonathan Garber, Principal Engineer of Lineage Architects.
Lantz Construction Company’s President & CEO Chris Weaver says of the project: “We’re excited to be a part of our third Build a Meal Project. It’s great to work together again with past and current clients on a project that benefits the community.”
Candy Hensley, Assistant to the County Administrator, adds “it is an honor for the Government Center to be a part of the community event and to support the Verona Area Food Pantry which is located in the Government Center Complex.”
Non-perishable food items may be dropped off during normal business hours at the Government Center. Monetary donations can be mailed directly to the Verona Community Food Pantry at PO Box 187, Verona, Virginia 24482.
For more information, please contact Ashlee VanArsdale, Office Manager with Lineage Architects at 540.248.3771.
Luray Caverns fulfilling ‘decades-long’ plan with new entrance
/in News/by Lantz Construction CompanyThe following article written by PAGE NEWS and COURIER staff writer Wendy Bundy, was originally published on 10/12/2017.
NO STEPS, PAVED WALKWAY MAKE IT RARE AMONG UNDERGROUND SITES
LURAY – There may soon be a new way to enter Luray Caverns – and no steps, going in or coming out.
“Luray Caverns will soon realize a decades-long goal of eliminating the remaining steps on the 1-1/4 mile tour route in the world-renowned attraction,” said John Shaffer, Director of Public Relations for Luray Caverns Corporation. “The only steps leading from the Entrance Lobby into the caverns will be bypassed by excavating a 164-foot tunnel into the hillside adjacent to the Entrance Buiding.”
The work is being completed by Racey Engineering of Luray and Lantz Construction of Broadway. A public notice was issued by Lantz Construction on June 26 regarding this project.
The notice, signed by Kevin Gabel, Director of Construction Management for Lantz, stated, “blasting of rock for construction will be taking place at Luray Caverns between now and October. Appropriate parties will be provided with advance notice prior to each blasting event as required by the Town of Luray.”
This project is a continuation of work that began with the late H.T.N. (Ted) Graves, longtime Luray Caverns president, according to Shaffer. Graves began improving the walkways by adding brick, concrete and ramps through the tour portion of the caverns. While that part was finished in 1975, the steps into the building remained on the drawing board “due to uncertain methods and cost.”
“The exterior appearance of the historic Entrance Building will not be altered,” said Shaffer, “and the new entrance and walkway will maintain the cosmetic elements of the existing structure for a consistent outward appearance.”
There will also be a covered walkway connecting the existing building with the new entrance.
“Current President, John Graves and Sr. Vice President, Rod Graves over the past several years renewed efforts to achieve their father’s goal,” Shaffer stated.
The plan for this project was completed in March. It is anticipated that the work will be complete late this year.
Once completed, Luray Caverns will be one of just a few underground attractions that provide tours on all-paved access, according to Shaffer. This will make “the attraction more accessible to visitors today and into the future,” he added.