Our Business

Quilting for a Cause

A Rossland resident gifts artwork to benefit the Teck Acute Care Centre.

Giving back was easy for Karen Thatcher as a paramedic, but that was more than two decades ago. After a head-on collision left her with a serious head injury, the Rossland resident needed to find a new purpose. 

She found quilting not only helped her heal, it also had the potential to inspire others to do the same. Her husband, Tim Thatcher, a fire captain with more than 40 years at Trail Operations, has helped her stay focused along the way.

“As part of my rehab I had to set goals and follow through, and I still do. It helps me continue to feel successful,” Karen explains. 

Quilting has helped her regain hand-eye coordination, balance and focus, and today, Karen is an award-winning quilter who donates her pieces to various organizations, most recently gifting her large silk ’B.C. Fishing’ creation to the new Teck Acute Care Centre, which will open at BC Children’s Hospital this October. 

Karen’s quilt will be displayed on the third floor, home to procedure suites and the renal dialysis unit, as a part of the Children’s Healing Experience Project, which aims to make the new eight-storey centre a calming space for families and children undergoing treatment. 

Circle of Giving

In addition to her donation to the Teck Acute Care Centre, Karen has a long tradition of supporting BC Children’s Hospital through her quilting, previously also gifting a child-friendly quilt series, featuring a super hero theme. 

Now, Karen has set her sights on supporting Mining for Miracles, the B.C. mining industry’s charity of choice in support of BC Children’s Hospital, by donating a quilt to the 2018 Mining for Miracles Silent Auction.

To create her quilts, Karen often relies on donations of silk ties, recycling the material. If you have a new or used silk tie you would like to donate for her next project, please send it to the attention of Catherine Adair, Community Relations Leader at Trail Operations or Shane Dekker, Executive Assistant, Corporate Affairs, Vancouver office.

Thank You

Download Connect Volume 19

Many thanks to those who contributed to and participated in this issue of Connect:

Catherine Adair, Community Relations Leader, Trail Operations; Ken Andersen, Mine Technical Supervisor, Highland Valley Copper; Mohammad Babaei, Senior Technical Analyst, IS+T Operational Technology, Line Creek Operations; Marsha Bradcoe (retired), Haul Truck Driver, Fording River Operations; Barbara Brice, Senior Human Resources Generalist, Pend Oreille Mine; Pamela Chait, Manager, Corporate Affairs, Santiago office; Rebecca Edwards, Communications Coordinator, Sparwood office; Francisca Gregorio, Communications Specialist, Corporate Affairs, Santiago office; Gord Kavaloff, Senior Reliability Specialist, Trail Operations; Hadden Kelloway, Blaster, Elkview Operations; Brian Kennedy, Project Director, Project Development and Engineering, Vancouver office; Peter Martell, Superintendent, Environment and Community Affairs, Highland Valley Copper; Cole Massaro, Equipment Operator, Greenhills Operations; Anna Mihalj, Technician, Mining, Engineering, Greenhills Operations; Nic Milligan, Manager, Social Responsibility, Sparwood office; Rick Plovie, Support Equipment Planner, Highland Valley Copper; Marisol Reategui, Executive Assistant, Exploartion (Americas), Surco office; Mark Richards, Manager, Mining Technology, Applied Research and Technology; Jacqui Schneider, Senior Community Affairs Officer, Highland Valley Copper; Herman Urrejola, Manager, Social Responsibility, Santiago office; Fritz Westlake, Community Relations Coordinator, Public Relations, Red Dog Operations; Richard Weymark, Dam Construction Manager, Highland Valley Copper; Alexa Young, Manager, Federal Government Affairs, Vancouver office

Man in hard hat and safety vest smiling, monochrome photo.

On the Cover

Sebastian Malagueño, Plant Manager, Quebrada Blanca Operations

Submissions

Have a story that you would like to share through Connect? Submit your article and high-quality photos to: connect@teck.com