After six years with Griff's Electric, Kerissa is saying a tearful goodbye to her customers, coworkers and family as she accepts a position with Nature USA.
Kerissa first came to Griff's Electric, Inc. in January 2009 during the tumultuous financial meltdown. With the guidance of her father Griff, the patience from Albert and her coworkers and the notes her grandmother Phyllis left, she began the challenging task of understanding the contracting business and the electrical industry. In 2012 Kerissa decided to go back to school to pursue her Master's in Business Administration (MBA) at CSULB. With the newly acquired skills and the help from her colleague Jody, Kerissa was able to create a marketing and social media program to help customers connect to Griff's Electric online and through their mobile devices. "Working alongside my mom and dad, I learned the importance of service and kindness. After six years here, my colleagues and customers feel more like family then acquaintances. I'm really going to miss all of the friends I've made. I want to thank them for all of the generosity they have shown me. I look forward to helping my new company, coworkers and customers with the same dedication and work ethic that I learned at Griff's Electric, Inc. In fact, my new company Nature USA is family owned and located just under 6 miles away from Griff's Electric's office. I won't be far and as I've told Jody, Albert and my dad, I'm just a phone call away!'
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Giving back to the local community is an important value at Griff's Electric, Inc. Recently Kerissa joined other volunteers from southern California to install a project with the non-profit GRID Alternatives. Founded in 2001, GRID Alternatives trains volunteers to install solar PV technology on low-income housing. Its mission is to create jobs in the alternative energy industry while helping to reduce carbon pollution and provide free energy to the populations with the greatest need. "National Women in Solar" is GRID's latest initiative with SunEdison to increase the number of women that work in the solar and energy industry. This was Kerissa's first installation project.
For a number of years Griff's Electric, Inc. has partnered with the Long Beach Women and Children's shelter Woman to Woman. Gently used clothes, toys and household items are collected and then donated to the center year round. During the holiday season Griff's Electric employees and staff raise funds to purchase turkeys for the families.
![]() The “anti-vaccine” movement is wreaking havoc in communities across the United States. It seems that rumors on parenting blogs have played a role in the recent uptick in refusals to vaccinate. Some blogs site religious beliefs. Other blogs tout the benefits of an organic lifestyle’s ability to overcome disease. Parents choosing not to vaccinate should question what will happen when their child gets sick and needs to take drugs in order to survive. There is never a 100% guarantee for anything. Risking the odds of contracting a serious, possibly fatal virus by refusing to get vaccinated seems absurd in today’s high tech information age. Vaccines weren’t always so readily available. In fact, it was only 70 years ago in the 1940s that children were dying from outbreaks of measles, mumps and hepatitis B. Due to the invention of 40 different vaccines by Dr. Maurice Hilleman and better hygiene practices, over 732,000 lives will have been saved just over the past two decades. Current generations including Millennials, Gen Xers and Gen Yers appear to take disease free communities and longer life spans for granted. If these same generations had talked to their grandparents rather than browse online blogs perhaps this movement could have been avoided. Instead, we see the rise of diseases like Chickenpox, Measles and Influenza that can have serious consequences to young children and grandchildren. Not only is it important to think of the safety of our loved ones, but we must think of our communities and society as whole. A concept known as “Herd Community” focuses on the impact to entire populations worldwide. Because travel is so readily available, disease can spread farther and faster than ever before making it even harder to contain to a small population. If the majority of people are vaccinated, the community as a whole is more protected against a disease; as it is harder for the virus to penetrate the population and even the non-vaccinated people of the “herd” have a smaller chance of getting sick. Unfortunately, due to the “antivaccine” movement in the US, diseases that were nearly extinct like Whooping Cough and Polio have begun to appear. The sad part is the unvaccinated children will suffer the most, as they will be the ones feeling the full impact. There are many rumors and untruths related to vaccinations. However, the current facts showing the evolution of vaccination, demonstrate that vaccinating children is safe and effective. For example, in 1999 Thimerosal, the substance associated with Autism, was voluntarily removed from vaccines by the pharmaceutical companies. Furthermore, the CDC (Center for Disease Control) has substantiated that once harmful chemicals used in the 70s have been removed and vaccines are safe and effective. Should the anti-vaccination trend become more prevalent all of the people we come in contact with on a daily basis including family and friends will be at risk. Therefore, I urge everyone, especially parents of young kids, to research the current facts and statistical importance of vaccinations and then get vaccinated! Here are some articles to help get you started: LA Times: Sunday, September 7, 2014 front page, A vaccination heretic, by Paloma Esquivel http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/55944581/#55944581 http://vaccines.procon.org/#background http://www.health.harvard.edu/flu-resource-center/vaccines-and-your-health.htm http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/24/cdc-vaccine-benefits/8094789/ ![]() Griff’s Electric, Inc. of Signal Hill, California would like to congratulate CHOC Hospital of Orange County for ranking in top of the nation, by US News & World Report for Best Children’s Hospital 2013-14. CHOC hospitals cater to kids under the age of 21 with a mission to provide high-quality and innovative care to the children of Orange County, CA and wherever else kids travel from to receive treatment. In regards to pediatric cancer, CHOC is dedicated to treating the “whole child”, emotionally, physically and spiritually. They have dedicated teams to guide doctors, families and patients through the stressful times of dealing with cancer, and the healing and recovery process. “When a child is ill and needs hospitalization, we understand that the entire family is affected. Because we so strongly believe in allowing a child to be a child and creating a sense of normalcy through play, discovery and creativity, we are dedicated to offering the most comprehensive support programs in the region.” (http://www.choc.org/cancer/index.cfm?id=P00635) ![]() With a $10 Million Dollar grant from Hyundai Motor America, its non-profit group, Hope on Wheels, CHOC is able to provide a bit of fun to help cancer-stricken kids cope with their out-patient chemotherapy treatments. CHOC has created a virtual experience room they call the “Infusionarium”. This high-tech chemotherapy treatment center offers kids a giant screen television and comfy lounge chairs to watch movies and play larger than life video games all while receiving chemotherapy treatments. Since the inception of the “Infusionarium”, parents are excited that kids are not focusing so much on the treatment, but on the fun and excitement of what is happening on the big screen. This experience has been touted in easing the onset of post-chemotherapy sickness one may encounter after treatment. For more information, please read the following: CHOC Hospital http://www.choc.org/about/ CHOC's pediatric cancer institute http://www.choc.org/cancer/index.cfm?id=P00635 ![]() As you begin pondering when to start Spring Cleaning, do you ever wonder about the origin of this phrase? Long ago, before electricity and gas operating appliances, people used fire and oils to warm their houses. After a long, cold Fall and Winter season of burning oils and wood, a buildup of soot and sticky residue blanketed the inside of the houses. As the weather warmed, the cleaning would ensue and the darkened, dingy houses would be aired out and scrubbed from top to bottom, giving birth to the term “Spring Cleaning”. Although we have modern amenities, our houses and contents can still use some attention as Spring closes in upon us. Yes, we are thankful for how much easier are lives are, compared to our predecessors when it comes to keeping warm throughout the winter. However, there are some Spring Cleaning tips that can aid our appliances in running more efficiently, safely and save us money. · Clean air vents and replace air filters. · Dust light fixtures and ceiling fans. · Line dry clothes. · Rinse off screens. · Clean and defrost freezers. · Check electrical outlets for loose connections. · Consolidate cords and wires, check extension cords to ensure they are in good working condition. · Give kitchen appliances a break and BBQ. · Turn off the television and electronics and enjoy outdoor activities. As a family business, Griff's Electric, Inc. knows the importance of community and the importance of giving back. In order to honor those values, Griff's Electric, Inc. employees donated funds to help purchase turkeys for a local Long Beach shelter. Turkey donations will go to needy families for holiday meals. Click below to browse photos of Griff Slatten dropping off turkey donations to shelter employees. |
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