In November of 2023, Evergreen Safety Council received a handwritten letter in the mail. Penned in neat, sloping handwriting on notebook paper, the letter was from Derek Wilson, who was serving time at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center in Connell, WA, which is in Eastern Washington between Moses Lake and the Tri-Cities.

“I hope this letter reaches you in the very best of heart, mind, body, and spirit,” he wrote. Wilson explained that he was working on earning an Automotive Maintenance degree from Walla Walla Community College, but he was also looking for further chances to learn and develop his skills. “We currently do not have any sort of flagger certification course being offered,” his letter continued, “but I am optimistic. With this in mind I’m trying to inspire many and create opportunities for people to change inside a place like this. If this is something the Evergreen Safety Council would like to offer us men at CRCC, we would love to have you.”

Evergreen’s Executive Director Michelle Kind was excited about the idea of providing education to incarcerated individuals. “Our mission is to empower people to achieve their potential,” she said. “Getting training to people who otherwise don’t have access to it is a great match to that mission and we’re thrilled to be able to partner in this way.” With the help of ESC Sales Specialist Leigh Wright and Coyote Ridge’s Correctional Program Manager Kristen Williams, we were able to schedule two free classes for men at the facility. So in March of 2024, Master Trainer Tina Bacon traveled across the mountains to help them earn their flagging certifications.

“The guys I trained were all so appreciative. I heard so many thank you’s,” said Bacon. “It made me feel good to provide a service that could help them have a head start when they get out into the real world again, and it’s something that can be applied pretty quickly. It felt really nice knowing that I had a part in possibly helping someone take the next step in their life.” Wilson was also thankful that an outside agency listened to his request. “I made him feel like he had a voice and that he made a difference,” Bacon explained. “He thought of it, he pursued it, and people heard him.”

Wilson’s thoughtfulness and dedication in pursuing education for himself and his peers led Evergreen Safety Council to select him as the winner of the 2024 Governor John D. Spellman Safety Award. The award honors businesses or individuals who have made a positive contribution to safety culture in their workplace. The Board of Directors was excited to be able to recognize an individual who went out of their way to promote safety while also providing a path forward for people to pursue financial and personal stability.

For Bacon, who has been with the Council for 29 years, it was a highlight of her career as a safety educator:  “I’ve taught hundreds of people, and with these classes, I felt we were really meeting our objective of empowering people to achieve their potential.”