Keson Industries, a leading manufacturer and supplier of innovative, high-quality, measuring and marking tools, announced that it has made another large donation of marking chalk to TroopsDirect.org, the 501c3 non-profit organization that provides frontline service members with urgently needed supplies. This is the third donation of chalk from Keson, to again be used by U.S. service members for marking improvised explosive devices (IEDs), included more than 1,800 bottles of construction-grade chalk. The company also donated chalk in February 2012 and June 2011 through TroopsDirect, which is located in San Ramon, CA.
This most recent chalk delivery was in response to an urgent request because the demolition team that needed the chalk was being deployed within the week. TroopsDirect requested that the chalk be shipped directly from Keson’s Aurora, IL headquarters to Fort Campbell, Kentucky so that it could leave on the same flight as the service members. The shipment was delivered on time, courtesy of Roadrunner Transportation Systems, a company that partners with Keson and provides its services free of charge for these donations.
The construction chalk stays on the ground longer than talcum powder, thus providing a visible alert to both service members and local residents to avoid the area until a bomb squad can diffuse the bomb.
Keson tools are also heading to the Phillipines in a donation supporting relief for victims of Typhoon Haiyan, which occurred on November 8, 2013. The Filipino relief organization Gawad Kalinga (which stands for give care in Filipino) is coordinating the shipping and distribution of about $2,000 in metric measurement tools, including measuring wheels, long tapes, pocket tapes, construction chalk, chalk boxes, mason twine, plum bobs, carpenters pencils and pencil sharpeners. Gawad Kalinga has committed to rebuilding 3,000 homes damaged in last November’s typhoon. This represents about 10 percent of the total number of homes damaged or destroyed in the typhoon.
Keson also donated to two local organizations in July. First, it donated barricade tape to the City of Aurora’s Public Works Department, and then donated 23 heavy-duty wood shipping crates to Glen Ellyn-based SCARCE, for use in community garden projects. The shipping crates will serve as storage containers for the tools used in the community gardens.
SCARCE, which stands for School & Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education, works to build sustainable communities and frequently works with companies like Keson to help promote recycling of equipment and products that are no longer needed or being used.
“Keson’s corporate motto is to Make Your Mark, and we feel like our dedicated commitment to our service members and to conservation in our community are strong signs of this belief,” said Ron Nosek, chairman, Keson Industries. “We value our relationships with Troops Direct, with the City of Aurora and with SCARCE, and are pleased that we can help make a positive impact in our community and help save the lives of our service members.”
