Building Better Communities with Volunteer Time Off
As the son of two veterans, Jace Liszka finds it imperative to help those who served our country. When the opportunity arose to help the Central Oregon Veterans Ranch, he felt honored to use his volunteer time off (VTO)—given to each Morrison-Maierle employee-owner—to an organization that helps veterans.
“It feels really good to make an impact on my community,” says Liszka, who is an engineering designer in Morrison-Maierle’s Bend office. “I am excited not only that my volunteering helped the greater Bend area, but it will also benefit all veterans who visit the ranch, whether for food or just to connect and care for the farm animals.”
What is VTO?
In 2023, Morrison-Maierle introduced a new benefit: volunteer time off (VTO). It allows employee-owners to support non-profit organizations and charities that enhance and serve the communities in which we live and work. Many of our employee-owners took advantage of the benefit, supporting organizations like Special Olympics Montana, Thrive, Belgrade High School Athletics, the Poverello Center, and many others. Volunteer time off allows each employee-owner to dedicate time to the organizations they care about.
VTO to Help Veterans
Although he did not serve in the military, Jace remains passionate about supporting veterans, which led him to his volunteer opportunity at Central Oregon Veterans Ranch. The ranch is a nonprofit dedicated to restoring purpose and spirit to veterans of all ages and eras of war. They improve veterans’ lives in many ways, including providing fresh produce grown at the ranch, hosting opportunities for farm animal interaction, and giving veterans a place to come together and feel at home.
During his day volunteering, he set up a deep-water hydroponic irrigation system. This will allow the ranch to grow wasabi and other produce varieties in their greenhouse. He also helped repair fences, fed animals, and herded them back into their enclosures.
“I feel proud that my work at the ranch will ultimately make a difference for those who make a difference for our country,” he says.
Just the Beginning
Going into year two with this benefit, we look forward to continuing to see how Morrison-Maierle employee-owners support causes that are meaningful to them. If you’re interested in working for a company that is committed to building better communities, learn more about how to advance your career at Morrison-Maierle.
Are you interested in working with a community-minded company? Check out our open positions.