haag Engineering: a day of service

​By Dakota Woodlands Representative
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What does drywall compound, paint, skill, and Day of Service all have in common?  Haag Engineering, a global company of Forensic Engineers and Consultants.

A Day of Service is a day when employees of Haag Engineering can dedicate their time and skills to help those in need in the community.  To find that need, Tami Fugle, Haag Engineering Branch Coordinator for the Burnsville, Minnesota location contacted local nonprofit organizations to offer a helping hand.  Dakota Woodlands (DW) was one of the lucky nonprofits to receive that offer.  DW is very familiar with Haag Engineering.  In 2017, the corporation did repairs to the Shelter's playground equipment and replenished mulch in the backyard. 

​The current need:  The Shelter’s stairwell ceiling finish had to be replaced.
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On February 27, 2019, Engineers: Richard Herzog, Haag Engineering Branch Manager/Principal Engineer/Meteorologist; John Ortenblad, Senior Consultant; Dan Behrens, Senior Engineer; and Dave Ey, Civil Engineer tackled the project with efficiency and smiles.  The main challenge was the height and working above the stairs. They scraped, applied mud, sanded, and applied a smooth coat of paint to the ceiling.  No doubt, this was a dirty job.  However, they controlled the dust from the sanding and left a pristine area when finished. 
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Dan Behrens prepares the next batch of drywall compound.

Left to right: Richard Herzog and John Ortenblad apply drywall compound to the Shelter's stairwell ceiling.

Left to right: Richard Herzog and Dave Ey peel paint from furniture.

To make best use of the company’s time, other projects were adopted as stages of the ceiling were being done.  Ey repaired furniture and peeled paint from dressers.  Peeling paint is as tedious as watching paint dry.  With this said, regardless, Ey was happy to help.  Herzog floated between jobs from ceiling resurfacing to helping Ey peel paint. ​
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​The engineers, who were laden in dust, gathered their tools to leave DW for the day, vocalized their gratitude for the great work DW does for the homeless. While heading out to help the next organization in need, they stopped in their tracks and took a moment to pose for a picture to capture their day at DW. ​

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Haag Engineering

​Left to right: John Ortenblad, Dan Behrens, Richard Herzog, Dave Ey

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​This group of volunteers helped in a significant way. Their good deeds improved the look of the facility and saved DW money in repair costs. This act of kindness helps DW to be good stewards of resources and the savings will continue to help financially support DW in providing direct services to clients.
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