http://www.ncelec.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog Latest blog entries from NCE's Big Blue Blog en-us Thu, 17 May 2012 09:18:49 PDT Thu, 17 May 2012 09:18:49 PDT NCE http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/bright-ideas-for-business/ We are hosting the first of our "Brighten Your Business" events on April 19th at the Flowering Around flower shop at 200 Winslow Way W on Bainbridge Island. It's being held in cooperation with Puget Sound Energy and is an opportunity for businesses to receive "instant rebates" to convert their lighting to the latest energy efficient LED bulbs at amazingly affordable prices...(some are even FREE!) ... Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:37:00 PDT http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/fixing-dam-lights-1/ This is a story about upgrading the lights at a federal dam. I will try my best not too include too many dam jokes. (oops) The John Day Dam is one of 3 Hydro electric dams on the lower Columbia River which are owned and operated by the US Army Corp of Engineers. Their existing lighting consisted of 230 old technology 400w High Pressure Sodium (HPS) fixtures mounted at about 75ft. So, other than a constant loud humming noise from the old magnetic ballasts and the classic yellow-orange murky looking light from HPS, the system was great! ... Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:42:00 PST http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/readysetrun-jog-walk-or-crawl/ Run, walk, or jog nearly 4 miles of downtown Seattle streets! NCE is proud to be a co-sponsor of the Detlef Schrempf Foundation’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Dash on Saturday, March 17th. The event is acutally on St. Patrick's Day!!!! Festivities include start line appearances by dignitaries and parading bagpipers. The Leprechaun Lap lets kids burn off energy with their own Dash at the Seattle Center. The Post Dash Bash entertains Dashers with live music, a costume contest, sponsor booths, awards ceremony and a beer garden! If you haven’t been to the St. Patrick’s Day Dash before you’ll see a diverse group of participants. Don’t be surprised if you’re passed by a human pot of gold, a 6ft 3in leprechaun, a 4-pack of Guinness cans, or a grown man in a tutu. With all of the costumes, it’s like a spring version of Halloween. Proceeds will benefit four worthy organizations: Camp Fire USA Puget Sound Council, Seattle Children’s Autism Center, Rise n’ Shine, & the Healing Center. Teams are forming and we predict some healthy (and friendly!) competition will take place between our Service Centers (& Corp Support?)! Rumor has it that Tony Robinson just formed "North Coast Electric Tacoma" and hot on his heels is Dan Pickard with "North Coast Electric Everett"....and Jeremy Steeb with North Coast Lighting.  We've just heard the Automation Group is plotting....Who will follow? If you can’t make the Dash but would like to donate to one of our North Coast Electric Teams, visit the Detlef Schrempf website at http://www.stpatsdash.com and click on DONATE. ... Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:42:00 PST http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/boys-girls-annual-back-to/ NCE Salem Associates participated in the Boys and Girls Club 5th Annual Back to School Family Health Fair and stuffed over 2,000 backpacks that were distributed to local families!  Total volunteer time:  15 hours and it was time well spent! During the Health Fair: - Over 1,500 backpacks and school supplies were handed out to students - 788 children and over 443 adults enjoyed a healthy lunch - 75 vision and hearing checks were provided - 120 dental screenings were provided by local dentists - 500 child ID kits were issued by the Oregon State Police The Boys and Girls Club provides a safe place for kids to learn and grow. Helping youth become responsible, caring citizens and acquire skills for participating in the democratic process is the main thrust of these programs. They also develop leadership skills and provide opportunities for planning, decision-making, contributing to Club and community and celebrating our national heritage. http://www.bgc-salem.org/ ... Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:30:00 PST http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/nce-energy-solutions-group-assists/ Members of the Energy Solutions Group participated in an “Extreme Makeover” type event at the Yesler Terrace Head Start Preschool building in Seattle. Dave Kunesh, Bob Nietfield, Rob Miller and Sheila Back donated their Saturday to help out with this project. The group racked up 36 volunteer hours and $6,000 in product donations!NCE team members received donations of lighting fixtures and controls from several key vendor partners, including; ERW/Harvco, Pacific Lighting Systems (PLS), Lighting Group NW and Lutron. NCE Seattle donated additional lighting fixtures electrical supplies to complete the installation. Electricians from Mckinstry and NCE employees installed new energy efficient suspended linear fixtures from Finelite in the classrooms along with Lutron occupancy sensors and new LED exit signs. Existing fixtures in the offices, restrooms and kitchen areas were retrofitted with new Sylvania program start ballasts, T* lamps and Hubbell Building Automation (HBA) occupancy sensing controls. The exterior soffit and covered playground areas received new vapor-tight luminaries from Metalux along with new photocells. As you’d expect from the energy solutions group, the high efficiency lighting system will save the school 9786 KWh annually generating approx. $700.00 per year in power bill savings. The Head Start Program serves 40 preschoolers from 3-5 years old. More than half of the students are children of Somali refugees. All of them live in Yesler Terrace, a subsidized housing project run by the City of Seattle. On average Yesler Terrace residents earn less than 30% of the City’s median wage. This was a great way to promote our philanthropic philosophy of helping distressed children. http://headstartmakeover.org/ ... Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:27:00 PST http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/rebuilding-seattle-together/ NCE Seattle Associates along with some of their family and friends participated in a program called Rebuilding Together Seattle (RTS). RTS is a program assisting people in need of home repairs and maintenance. On this day, NCE Associates contributed their time (140 volunteer hours!) and effort helping with yard work, house hold clean-up, painting in bathroom and kitchen, assembling and installing new light fixtures, new exhaust fan and range hood, new kitchen appliances, new doors and hardware, new porch railing and wall building, all completed in one day. At the end of the day, a very thankful homeowner, who has lived in the house for over 40 years, returned to her newly updated and improved home. Rebuilding Together Seattle was established in 1989 and is part of the national Rebuilding Together organization. This charitable group repairs or rebuilds homes at no cost to low-income homeowners, particularly those who are elderly, disabled or families with children. Special thanks for Jeff Haines for putting this all together, Brian Stanton for helping coordinate, CJ Chapman from Chapman Electric for providing electrical services, Evergreen Home Heating and Energy for helping with HVAC services, Starbucks for providing coffee, and Mad Pizza for providing lunch for volunteers. To learn more about rebuilding Together Seattle or to volunteer, visit their website at http://www.rtseattle.org/#2 ... Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:24:00 PST http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/when-you-wish-upon-north/ James, a young boy from Soldotna, Alaska suffering from progressive degeneration of his muscles, made a wish with Wish Upon A North Star to spend time with his family away from hospital and see Disneyworld for the first time. This year, James’ wish will come true, thanks to the $1,500.00 donation from North Coast Anchorage raised through their annual golf tournament. The organization will send James, his parents, and 2 siblings to Orlando, Florida to Disneyworld to stay in “Give the Kids the World Village”. For a short period of time they can be a regular family together on vacation instead of together at the hospital. Wish Upon The North Star has been granting wishes for twenty-five years without paid staff. All monetary donations go directly toward providing wishes for Alaska children with life-threatening illnesses. The all-volunteer Board of Directors appreciates donations because they help provide a few smiles, some much needed laughter, and a get-a-way from ongoing medical treatments. To learn more about Wish Upon The North Star or to donate, visit their website at:  http://wishuponthenorthstar.com ... Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:17:00 PST http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/nce-portland-state-university-school/ Congratulations Veronica Stana for being the North Coast Electric School of Business Scholarship recipient for 2011/2012! When Veronica enrolled she was not sure which major she would pursue but after taking an Operations Management course, she was convinced that the Logistics and Supply Chain program was the direction she wanted to take.   Veronica says: “Thank you so much for your generous scholarship! It has really been an honor and a blessing at the same time. I am so grateful for your support and hope someday I will be able to give back what I am receiving right now.” ... Sat, 31 Dec 2011 10:00:00 PST http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/knipex-tools-demonstrations/ Knipex Tool Demonstrations ... Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:10:00 PST http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/perry-technical-institute-awards-nce/ Congratulations to Fermin Fernandez, the 2011/2012 NCE Scholarship recipient at Perry Technical Institute in Yakima Washington. Fermin is enrolled in the Electrical Technology Program and one of his future career goals is to be an independent Journeyman Electrician. Good luck Fermin! Perry Technical Institute is a private, non-profit technical school offering 10 specialized training Programs. Its primary mission is to provide industry with well-trained employees and to offer students of all ages and walks of life opportunities to train for meaningful careers. ... Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:57:00 PST http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/corporate-support-raises-8255-for/ The donations are final and the numbers are in! NCE Corporate Support raised $8,255 for Homeless healthcare by participating in the Pumpkin Push 5K run and 2 mile walk around Seaward Park in South Seattle! It was a crisp and sunny fall Saturday morning; a perfect day to hang out with co-workers to support a great cause and take a brisk walk around a park with stunning views.  A big THANK YOU to everyone who supported our runners and walkers! Participants raised funds for a good cause and were treated to a festival hosted by generous sponsors with prizes for top finishers, give-aways, food & beverages, T-shirts, and Halloween fun including a costume contest and a Halloween dance to Thriller by the Seattle Zombies! ... Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:56:00 PST http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/car-light-car-bright/ The lighting at a car dealership is akin to the lighting in a jewelry store. The product it’s illuminating is buffed, polished and then placed under a lighting system that is designed to make that product sparkle. Metal halide is a great choice for sparkling light in outdoor applications. However not all metal halide is created equal. ... Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:01:00 PDT http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/maxis-max-punch/ Maxis Max Punch ... Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:33:00 PDT http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/ideal-steel-hole-cutter/ Ideal Steel Hole Cutter ... Wed, 26 Oct 2011 10:50:00 PDT http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/lane-community-college-awards-nce/ Congratulations to Kyra Turner the 2011/2012 NCE Scholarship recipient at Lane Community College in Eugene Oregon. Kyra is currently in the Administrative Office Professional Program and plans to graduate in Spring next year. Good luck on your pursuit! “Thank you for your incredible generosity and the opportunity that you have give me to succeed. Receiving the North Coast Electric Scholarship is a blessing….” ... Tue, 25 Oct 2011 08:54:00 PDT http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/puget-sound-service-centers-golf/ Pictured left to right: Founder/CEO/President Mike Mathis of the Burned Children Recovery Foundation and Rob May North Coast Electric VP of Purchasing & Vendor Relations presented the check. The Puget Sound Service Centers banded together for their annual golf tournament at Bear Creek Country Club, which this year had a charitable purpose with a twist! For a donation, former Seahawk football player & celebrity golfer Alonzo Mitz hit his famous one-handed drive at the 18th hole and golfers could use their own shot or his shot. Thank you to TJ Porter for being the single largest contributor donating $1,000 on behalf of SASCO. SASCO has been a leader in electrical construction, consulting, and low-voltage systems technologies for more than 40 years. Visit them at http://www.sasco.com. ... Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:16:00 PDT http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/milwaukee-sub-scanner/ Milwaukee Sub Scanner ... Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:56:00 PDT http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/big-thank-you-to-north/ The theme of NCE Seattle’s Open House this year was eco & charitable.  Over 30 vendors shared their eco-friendly products and customers had the opportunity to see NCE’s new Nissan Leaf & completed solar powered charging station before the official unveiling. Customers, Vendors, and Associates also had the chance to help raise money for charity by testing their aim and throwing balls at a dunk tank raising $2,690 for school supplies for Roxhill Elementary School.  NCE Seattle has three grads from Roxhill so it was rewarding for them to support their alma mater! ... Tue, 18 Oct 2011 09:02:00 PDT http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/board-knives/ Board Knives ... Wed, 12 Oct 2011 10:51:00 PDT http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/corporate-support-sends-another-group/ NCE's Corporate Support sent another group of Associates interested in volunteering their time & energy to prepare and serve lunch at YouthCare's Orion Center in Seattle. For a very short while, the kids got to feel what it was like to be a regular kid by hanging out with their peers and feasting on pizza, salad, and fruit! Their reality sets in quickly when they leave the comfort of the shelter and go back on the street. With the cold and wet season nearing, comfort food and warm clothing will be in high demand for these kids. The Orion Center is a multi-service facility open to youth ages 13 to 24 and 4,500 youth accessed services in 2010. They offer a safe place for youth to access a variety of services from meals to case management. In 2010, 20,000 meals were provided. They also offer hygiene resources, lockers, clothing, and first aid. Their street Outreach Team makes contact with over 10,000 homeless young people each year providing food, water, and information about resources that can help them transition to more stable safe lifestyles. While knowing there are homeless children in the world is heartbreaking, another 60 kids didn’t go without lunch that day!  Volunteer, Jennifer L. later reflected: “It was a great and eye opening experience to help out at the Orion Center.  There are so many youth in our community that are in need of help and I was glad to be a part of it.”  Thank you Ron, Jennifer B, Theresa, Denise, Norlyn, Jean, & Jennifer L for volunteering your time, talent, & energy! Here’s how you can help the Orion Center: They are desperate for volunteers to provide and prepare meals; lunch or dinner. Lunch in particular. With cold and wet weather coming, comfort food and warm clothing is needed and much appreciated. To learn more about YouthCare, to volunteer, or donate, visit their website at www.youthcare.org. ... Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:46:00 PDT http://northcoastelectric.com/blog/nces-big-blue-blog/lighting-up-parking-lot-1/ We recently completed an energy efficient lighting upgrade with a partner in Eastern Washington called Firefly Lighting and Design. Firefly is a creative company that is always looking for opportunities to bring value to their clients. They found what they were looking for in the parking lot at the Northpointe Office Building. ... Thu, 06 Oct 2011 09:17:00 PDT