Around PVCFO

Who said school had to be serious? At PVC Fittings Online, we believe the more fun an educational project is, the more likely kids will remember what they learned. A school in Evansville, IN has this same philosophy. Scott Elementary School recently had their 6^th grade math and science students build a 9 Square game. These students learned engineering skills and got to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

PVC Fittings Online had the opportunity to donate PVC piping and fittings for this educational project. The DIY 9 Square game was a hit among the Scott School students. We’ve shared the details of this project below so you can enjoy it, too. It’s the perfect activity for schools, churches, and camps.

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Sustainability is a huge goal for many industries, including home construction. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has recognized the need for educating students on green practices. They developed a student organization called Illinois Solar Decathlon. This organization competes in Solar Decathlon Build and Solar Decathlon Design competitions. Through participation in these Department of Energy-sponsored competitions, students learn about green building and develop an environmentally sustainable future—while also building livable solar-powered homes for local residents!
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Faced with a startling statistic that workers who have to stand for prolonged hours throughout the day are twice as likely to suffer heart disease, two students – Colin McBride and Elijah Riojas – from Frisco ISD’s Career and Technical Education Center decided to construct a solution to this problem. They used everyday objects to make this simple, yet effective standing stool.

PVC Fittings Online had the privilege of supporting these young students in their hands-on learning experience by providing PVC pipe materials. We’re proud of the result of their hard work, and we wanted to share it with our community to inspire more brilliant ideas. Below you will find the details of McBride and Riojas’s school project.

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At PVC Fittings Online, we care about our community and developing the minds of younger generations. In May of 2019, we had privilege of working with Northern Illinois University in supporting graduating students of the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET). We had the honor of providing PVC pipes, fittings, and valves for one team’s Hydro-Cyclone project for use in recycling applications during their senior project presentation.
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At PVC Fittings Online, we have customers who do everything, from art to DIY projects. Whenever we see an especially creative or fun project one of them has put together, we can't help but share it! It helps when they're for a great cause, too!

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Mom and Pop Shop Day (or National Mom and Pop Business Owners' Day) is March 29th! If you aren't familiar with this holiday, it is a day set aside to recognize and celebrate small business owners. These people are often the heart of a town, working tirelessly to grow a business that they care about. To keep their businesses alive, small business owners often have to leave family and friends out of the equation.

So every March, we celebrate them and all the hard work they do! Here are just a few things you can do online to show your support for your favorite mom and pop shops.

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Winter is ending and spring is on its way! What better way to celebrate the changing of the seasons than with some St. Patrick's Day fun?  This iconic Irish holiday is based on the Catholic Saint Patrick and is held on March 17th each year. Whether or not you're a practicing Catholic, the holiday is a great excuse to watch a parade, a concert, or just have a few drinks with friends.

Each of us at PVC Fittings Online headquarters has a favorite Saint Patty's Day event. So dust off the shamrocks and join us for one of these fantastic events!

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March Madness will be here in a matter of days. And while most see March 17th through April 4th as a time that will test players and ultimately decide the college basketball champions, we see it a little differently. This tournament is a great way to promote team spirit and friendly competition in the office. These values are best promoted when money isn't involved. Betting can make things a little too competitive.

Organizing brackets in an office used to be a mess of pens and papers, but new online sources have made it much easier. The following step-by-step guide will lead you through the process of creating and running your office's March Madness bracket.

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Finding good employees can be difficult, so keeping them is essential to keeping your business running smoothly. Recent studies have shown there is something you can do to retain your employees and keep them happy and productive.

Appreciate them. Employee Appreciation Day, which is on Friday, March 4th, isn't a substitute for showing appreciation throughout the year, but it is a great way to show all your employees how much you appreciate them. If you haven't planned your employee appreciation day yet, here are seven last minute ideas.

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Small business owners have to take on many roles in any given day, and developing a strong leadership style can improve the way that contractors and other professionals implement ideas, tackle challenges and lead their teams to success. Abraham Lincoln is one of our nation's most admired thinkers. As President, he led our country through an incredibly complex and difficult time. There are a multitude of lessons to be learned from his examples, many of which can be used to design or improve one's leadership style within the workplace.

1. The ability to share credit for success

Lincoln was able and willing to celebrate the successful endeavors of others, including his cabinet members. No man is an island, and business owners must be able to set aside their own ego and share credit when others have contributed to a positive outcome. Continue reading →