Author: sHq_LoGiNz

Originally published on DICK’S Sporting Goods Sideline Report

Today we’re bringing you the latest quarterly giving series from The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation to highlight the great work being done in support of our mission to help inspire and enable youth sports participation.

In our third quarter of 2025, we:

• Committed up to $2 million in matching funds to The Josh Gibson Foundation to build a new state-of-the-art youth sports facility in Pittsburgh.
• Supported coaching summits in Chicago and New York City to give coaches tools to communicate with and empower youth athletes.
• Put more gear that gives back on store shelves.

Read on to learn more.

Coming Soon: The Josh Gibson Champions Club & Sports Matter Center

The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation will contribute up to $2 million in matched donations to The Josh Gibson Foundation to build a new state-of-the-art youth sports facility in the Pittsburgh area.

The new facility, which will be called The Josh Gibson Champions Club & Sports Matter Center, will be developed and managed by The Josh Gibson Foundation. Designed to promote the mental, emotional and physical well-being of children, the facility will offer modern sports amenities, safe spaces for play and programming to help youth grow both on and off the field.

Read more about this powerful new partnership here.

The Power of Youth Sports Starts With Coaching

The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation and GameChanger recently joined Nike for its coaching summits to Chicago and New York City. Sports Matter grantees in those cities were invited to a free training experience led by the Center for Healing & Justice Through Sport (CHJS). Coaches walked away with tools for communicating with athletes, building team engagement and belonging and empowering youth athletes to be brave, not perfect.

Take a look back at the Chicago summit here.

Meet the Sports Matter Impact League Organizations

This year we launched the Sports Matter Impact League, making three-year commitments to nine incredible organizations in nine cities across the country. Now we want to introduce you to those organizations! Watch this video to learn more about them and all the great work they do to support youth athletes.

Gear That Gives Back

DICK’S Sporting Goods athletes (consumers) helped us turn shopping into support! Through a grant made possible by DSG’s giveback program, The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation’s Sports Matter Program donated a $100,000 grant to Kesem, a national nonprofit organization helping children cope with a parent’s cancer by offering free summer camps, day programs and virtual meetups.

DSG, a DICK’S Sporting Goods vertical brand, contributes 1% of all sales directly to The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation’s Sports Matter Program.

dditionally, new Maxfli golf balls are driving impact with every purchase! A portion of every Sports Matter box of Tour, Tour S and Tour X Max Align golf balls goes to help fund youth sports programs nationwide.

Supporting Schools

Sports Matter provided a $500,000 grant to DonorsChoose in support of a classroom match campaign this back-to-school season. Educators across the country can apply for grants through DonorsChoose to put towards school sports and physical education programming that motivates students to get active and play!

Follow the Cause. Fuel the Impact.

The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation’s Sports Matter Program is now live on social media!

• Follow us on Instagram here
• Follow us on TikTok here
• Follow us on Facebook here

Each of these channels gives us a new outlet to share our impact; highlight inspiring stories; and connect with our community of athletes, coaches and partners who continually support our mission to give every kid a chance to play.

THESE MOMENTS ARE MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SPORTS MATTER FUND. IF YOU’D LIKE TO DONATE, VISIT WWW.SPORTSMATTER.ORG.

Written by Hilary Totin

In the heart of Ohio’s snow belt, Covia’s BEST SAND plant in Chardon, Ohio stands as a testament to adaptability, craftsmanship, and community-focused operations.

As one of Covia’s oldest continuously operating mines, the facility has produced high-quality sand products since 1938. Today, the team continues that legacy with the same tenacity that has defined the plant for generations.

A History of Superior Mineral Solutions

For more than eight decades, the Chardon plant has mined and processed sand that supports commercial, recreational, and industrial infrastructure across North America. The plant employs 45 Covia team members who help produce more than 500 unique products in a wide variety of packaging.

That portfolio of products includes Covia’s signature BEST SAND® golf sand and other specialty solutions for the sports and recreation market. This year, Chardon supplied the turf substrate for the new Buffalo Bills stadium, marking one of its highest-profile contributions to date.

Weathering the Elements

Part of what defines the Chardon plant is its unique geology. The facility is located on the Sharon Conglomerate, a glacial deposit that was formed in northeast Ohio more than 300 million years ago. That deposit is composed of mainly high-purity quartz sandstone that Covia can use to produce high-quality products with outstanding purity.

While an ancient glacial deposit gives the facility a competitive advantage, inclement weather is still a reality for the region in modern times. The plant is situated directly within the Lake Erie snow belt, an area that averages 110 inches of snowfall each year. While many industrial operations slow during severe winters, Chardon adapts with a hybrid schedule:

• Mining from April through November
• Processing throughout the year

This approach ensures consistent, reliable output despite the climate’s unpredictability. According to Senior Plant Manager Jayson Cutler, the team is used to facing, and overcoming, these conditions, and takes pride in producing top-tier mineral solutions despite any inclement weather.

A Focus on Quality and Company Values

The Chardon team’s pride stems not only from what they produce, but also from how they produce it. Employees have active support from management and access to resources to help each other become better every day. Every product is made with an unwavering commitment to quality, along with other core principles.

“Safety is paramount at Chardon,” Jayson said. “Safety First to us looks like going home to your family with all of your fingers and toes.”

Jayson also highlights the active role employees play in social and environmental stewardship. Covia believes in protecting the planet and being a good neighbor, and Chardon team members take that responsibility seriously. For example, the Chardon facility implemented multiple dust management initiatives in recent years to reduce exposure to employees and limit potential nuisances for the nearby community.

A Legacy of Commitment

The The BEST SAND Chardon plant is more than a facility; it’s a living story of resilience, teamwork, and commitment that spans generations. From producing material for high-profile sports venues to navigating annual inclement weather, the plant embodies what it means to deliver quality through challenge and change.

In the heart of Ohio’s snow belt, Covia’s BEST SAND plant in Chardon, Ohio stands as a testament to adaptability, craftsmanship, and community-focused operations.

As one of Covia’s oldest continuously operating mines, the facility has produced high-quality sand products since 1938. Today, the team continues that legacy with the same tenacity that has defined the plant for generations.

A History of Superior Mineral Solutions

For more than eight decades, the Chardon plant has mined and processed sand that supports commercial, recreational, and industrial infrastructure across North America. The plant employs 45 Covia team members who help produce more than 500 unique products in a wide variety of packaging.

That portfolio of products includes Covia’s signature BEST SAND® golf sand and other specialty solutions for the sports and recreation market. This year, Chardon supplied the turf substrate for the new Buffalo Bills stadium, marking one of its highest-profile contributions to date.

Weathering the Elements

Part of what defines the Chardon plant is its unique geology. The facility is located on the Sharon Conglomerate, a glacial deposit that was formed in northeast Ohio more than 300 million years ago. That deposit is composed of mainly high-purity quartz sandstone that Covia can use to produce high-quality products with outstanding purity.

While an ancient glacial deposit gives the facility a competitive advantage, inclement weather is still a reality for the region in modern times. The plant is situated directly within the Lake Erie snow belt, an area that averages 110 inches of snowfall each year. While many industrial operations slow during severe winters, Chardon adapts with a hybrid schedule:

• Mining from April through November
• Processing throughout the year

This approach ensures consistent, reliable output despite the climate’s unpredictability. According to Senior Plant Manager Jayson Cutler, the team is used to facing, and overcoming, these conditions, and takes pride in producing top-tier mineral solutions despite any inclement weather.

A Focus on Quality and Company Values

The Chardon team’s pride stems not only from what they produce, but also from how they produce it. Employees have active support from management and access to resources to help each other become better every day. Every product is made with an unwavering commitment to quality, along with other core principles.

“Safety is paramount at Chardon,” Jayson said. “Safety First to us looks like going home to your family with all of your fingers and toes.”

Jayson also highlights the active role employees play in social and environmental stewardship. Covia believes in protecting the planet and being a good neighbor, and Chardon team members take that responsibility seriously. For example, the Chardon facility implemented multiple dust management initiatives in recent years to reduce exposure to employees and limit potential nuisances for the nearby community.

A Legacy of Commitment

The The BEST SAND Chardon plant is more than a facility; it’s a living story of resilience, teamwork, and commitment that spans generations. From producing material for high-profile sports venues to navigating annual inclement weather, the plant embodies what it means to deliver quality through challenge and change.

Authored by Baker Tilly’s Meghan Loomis and Ed Ricks

Healthcare organizations are under increasing pressure to improve outcomes, manage rising costs and operate more efficiently, all while navigating data that lives in fragmented clinical, financial and operational systems. Oracle Health Data Intelligence brings these pieces together, creating a connected, cloud-based foundation that helps organizations understand performance and make more informed decisions.

What is Oracle Health Data Intelligence?

OHDI is an electronic health record (EHR) agnostic, modular platform built on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. It centralizes data from across the healthcare ecosystem and applies analytics, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) to help teams use information more strategically. At its core, the platform supports cleaner, more complete data; visibility into performance trends; and decision-making tools that guide quality care and operational improvement.

Oracles Health Data Intelligence integrates data from EHRs, claims, care management platforms, social determinants of health and operational systems to create one standardized, longitudinal view of relevant data. With a comprehensive record of patient and population activity, healthcare organizations can see the full patient journey and track performance without navigating disconnected systems. Its scalable, interoperable design allows clients to integrate data at their own pace while reducing silos and strengthening the foundation for advanced analytics.

Turning data into insights

Once data is unified, Oracle Health Data Intelligence provides tools that help leaders interpret what it means and act on it. Together, these capabilities help healthcare organizations turn raw data into actionable insights that strengthen both patient outcomes and operational performance.

• Analytics dashboards: Visualizing trends in quality, utilization and cost. Teams can identify care gaps, monitor performance metrics over time and prioritize initiatives based on real data.
• Predictive models: Identifying high risk patients and supporting earlier interventions. By flagging high-risk individuals, care teams can tailor outreach with the aim of reducing avoidable complications or hospitalizations.
• Population health and cohort management tools: Segmenting patient populations based on risk, conditions or social factors to target interventions and allocate resources.
• Performance insights: Supporting value-based programs, regulatory reporting and financial planning. Leaders can monitor trends across departments, anticipate needs and connect clinical performance with cost and operational efficiency.
• AI-enabled features: Summarizing patient histories, supporting care management decisions and reducing administrative burden for clinicians.

Oracle’s growing role in healthcare

Oracle Health Data Intelligence reflects Oracle’s broader effort to build a more connected, intelligent healthcare environment. Through advancements in cloud technology, interoperability and AI, Oracle is working to simplify how data flows across systems and how teams use that information to guide care. Recent enhancements such as expanded analytics libraries and AI-enabled summarization tools highlight Oracle’s push toward predictive insights and more coordinated, proactive care.

Looking ahead: A more connected, insight driven future

Healthcare is evolving, and organizations must move beyond data to actionable insights that support better outcomes, operational efficiency and patient experiences. Oracle Health Data Intelligence provides a scalable foundation for connecting clinical, operational and financial information, helping teams make informed decisions in real time.

By unifying data, surfacing key trends and enabling predictive insights, the platform supports both immediate priorities and long-term transformation. For healthcare leaders focused on improving analytics maturity, strengthening care coordination and elevating performance, Oracle Health Data Intelligence offers a practical path forward.

Technology is always changing, however, your mission to create excellent patient experiences while maintaining broader operational outcomes is not. Let Baker Tilly’s Oracle Cloud and healthcare experience help you modernize your systems to deliver better patient experiences while keeping up with your broader operational outcomes.

Interested in learning more? Connect with a Baker Tilly specialist.

Authored by Baker Tilly’s Meghan Loomis and Ed Ricks

Healthcare organizations are under increasing pressure to improve outcomes, manage rising costs and operate more efficiently, all while navigating data that lives in fragmented clinical, financial and operational systems. Oracle Health Data Intelligence brings these pieces together, creating a connected, cloud-based foundation that helps organizations understand performance and make more informed decisions.

What is Oracle Health Data Intelligence?

OHDI is an electronic health record (EHR) agnostic, modular platform built on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. It centralizes data from across the healthcare ecosystem and applies analytics, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) to help teams use information more strategically. At its core, the platform supports cleaner, more complete data; visibility into performance trends; and decision-making tools that guide quality care and operational improvement.

Oracles Health Data Intelligence integrates data from EHRs, claims, care management platforms, social determinants of health and operational systems to create one standardized, longitudinal view of relevant data. With a comprehensive record of patient and population activity, healthcare organizations can see the full patient journey and track performance without navigating disconnected systems. Its scalable, interoperable design allows clients to integrate data at their own pace while reducing silos and strengthening the foundation for advanced analytics.

Turning data into insights

Once data is unified, Oracle Health Data Intelligence provides tools that help leaders interpret what it means and act on it. Together, these capabilities help healthcare organizations turn raw data into actionable insights that strengthen both patient outcomes and operational performance.

• Analytics dashboards: Visualizing trends in quality, utilization and cost. Teams can identify care gaps, monitor performance metrics over time and prioritize initiatives based on real data.
• Predictive models: Identifying high risk patients and supporting earlier interventions. By flagging high-risk individuals, care teams can tailor outreach with the aim of reducing avoidable complications or hospitalizations.
• Population health and cohort management tools: Segmenting patient populations based on risk, conditions or social factors to target interventions and allocate resources.
• Performance insights: Supporting value-based programs, regulatory reporting and financial planning. Leaders can monitor trends across departments, anticipate needs and connect clinical performance with cost and operational efficiency.
• AI-enabled features: Summarizing patient histories, supporting care management decisions and reducing administrative burden for clinicians.

Oracle’s growing role in healthcare

Oracle Health Data Intelligence reflects Oracle’s broader effort to build a more connected, intelligent healthcare environment. Through advancements in cloud technology, interoperability and AI, Oracle is working to simplify how data flows across systems and how teams use that information to guide care. Recent enhancements such as expanded analytics libraries and AI-enabled summarization tools highlight Oracle’s push toward predictive insights and more coordinated, proactive care.

Looking ahead: A more connected, insight driven future

Healthcare is evolving, and organizations must move beyond data to actionable insights that support better outcomes, operational efficiency and patient experiences. Oracle Health Data Intelligence provides a scalable foundation for connecting clinical, operational and financial information, helping teams make informed decisions in real time.

By unifying data, surfacing key trends and enabling predictive insights, the platform supports both immediate priorities and long-term transformation. For healthcare leaders focused on improving analytics maturity, strengthening care coordination and elevating performance, Oracle Health Data Intelligence offers a practical path forward.

Technology is always changing, however, your mission to create excellent patient experiences while maintaining broader operational outcomes is not. Let Baker Tilly’s Oracle Cloud and healthcare experience help you modernize your systems to deliver better patient experiences while keeping up with your broader operational outcomes.

Interested in learning more? Connect with a Baker Tilly specialist.

At Trane Technologies, you can make an impact and benefit from being part of a global company with large-scale opportunity. Learn how Electrification Engineer, Farris Al-Humayani, has found “the right fit” and is making a difference through both his electrification work and culture-focused community-building.

Electrification team offers opportunities

When it comes to the hiring market, the “big name” tech companies attract equally big crowds at university career fairs, according to Farris, who joined Trane Technologies and its Thermo King electrification team three years ago. “During my time as a student, most of my peers were determined to land jobs at huge company names that their friends and family would recognize,” he said. “My priorities were a bit different. I wanted to feel like an essential contributor towards an important group effort, while also honing my skills in my day-to-day work.”

“It’s important to love the specific team you’re working in. For me, the opportunity to work in electrification was important,” he said. He also noted that while many of his peers want to work in the automative or tech industry, he found electrification innovation opportunities at Thermo King to be intriguing as well. “We work on products that exceed the mileage expectation of a car by a significant order of magnitude,” he said. “Our products are also intended to survive longer and under harsh conditions – and that’s a fun design challenge,” Farris says.

Farris joined the Thermo King business after graduating from the University of Minnesota with a Master’s in Electrical Engineering. While studying there, he served as the Electrical Team lead for the University of Minnesota Solar Vehicle Project, a respected student design group. “The vast majority of my engineering skills are from that group, and it makes job interviews much easier to navigate when you can provide solid examples of your work. The team provided opportunities for us to rise to the challenge,” he said.

Empowered in product development

In his current role, Farris focuses on new product development, where he frequently works in a lab setting and completes project work to identify which components best fit the requirements of a specific project.

He feels supported in his role. “I’m lucky to have really great leaders and managers,” he said. “We have a lot of say in how our products are designed, and we can deliberate with the product managers to understand how a product is going to be used in the field to impact the customer,” says Farris.

“I think this level of inclusion really empowers us to think deeper about the product and not just feel like a cog in the wheel. That makes me want to stay,” he explained.

Environmental and community sustainability play key roles

Farris appreciates that sustainability plays a big role at Trane Technologies. “I have the luxury of working in the Electrification team, which is closely tied to the sustainability goals of the company,” he said. “Many customers are looking to us to help address their sustainability metrics, so we keep that close in mind during our product development work,” he said. 

Beyond his focus on environmental sustainability, Farris is committed to creating an internal sense of community within Trane Technologies. He currently leads the local Team Konnect inclusion network, which he joined two years ago. “I joined Team Konnect because I was looking for a place to add to the company culture, and this seemed like a good way to do it,” he said. “Our site hosts engaging events like family picnics, ping pong tournaments, Halloween decoration contests, and a whole ton more. Being able to empower each other helps build our uplifting culture,” he said. “It’s important to make all employees feel appreciated for all the work they’ve done. That very mindset transforms people from being passive helpers to active contributors.”

Farris is pleased to have landed in the Thermo King business. “I love the size of the group and the company I’m working with. As part of the larger Trane Technologies enterprise, we have the resources we need,” he said. “This company’s size makes it a great spot for new product design in the electrification space. When I present an idea, I will usually see those ideas at least discussed – and potentially implemented.”

Explore careers with impact at Trane Technologies.

At Trane Technologies, you can make an impact and benefit from being part of a global company with large-scale opportunity. Learn how Electrification Engineer, Farris Al-Humayani, has found “the right fit” and is making a difference through both his electrification work and culture-focused community-building.

Electrification team offers opportunities

When it comes to the hiring market, the “big name” tech companies attract equally big crowds at university career fairs, according to Farris, who joined Trane Technologies and its Thermo King electrification team three years ago. “During my time as a student, most of my peers were determined to land jobs at huge company names that their friends and family would recognize,” he said. “My priorities were a bit different. I wanted to feel like an essential contributor towards an important group effort, while also honing my skills in my day-to-day work.”

“It’s important to love the specific team you’re working in. For me, the opportunity to work in electrification was important,” he said. He also noted that while many of his peers want to work in the automative or tech industry, he found electrification innovation opportunities at Thermo King to be intriguing as well. “We work on products that exceed the mileage expectation of a car by a significant order of magnitude,” he said. “Our products are also intended to survive longer and under harsh conditions – and that’s a fun design challenge,” Farris says.

Farris joined the Thermo King business after graduating from the University of Minnesota with a Master’s in Electrical Engineering. While studying there, he served as the Electrical Team lead for the University of Minnesota Solar Vehicle Project, a respected student design group. “The vast majority of my engineering skills are from that group, and it makes job interviews much easier to navigate when you can provide solid examples of your work. The team provided opportunities for us to rise to the challenge,” he said.

Empowered in product development

In his current role, Farris focuses on new product development, where he frequently works in a lab setting and completes project work to identify which components best fit the requirements of a specific project.

He feels supported in his role. “I’m lucky to have really great leaders and managers,” he said. “We have a lot of say in how our products are designed, and we can deliberate with the product managers to understand how a product is going to be used in the field to impact the customer,” says Farris.

“I think this level of inclusion really empowers us to think deeper about the product and not just feel like a cog in the wheel. That makes me want to stay,” he explained.

Environmental and community sustainability play key roles

Farris appreciates that sustainability plays a big role at Trane Technologies. “I have the luxury of working in the Electrification team, which is closely tied to the sustainability goals of the company,” he said. “Many customers are looking to us to help address their sustainability metrics, so we keep that close in mind during our product development work,” he said. 

Beyond his focus on environmental sustainability, Farris is committed to creating an internal sense of community within Trane Technologies. He currently leads the local Team Konnect inclusion network, which he joined two years ago. “I joined Team Konnect because I was looking for a place to add to the company culture, and this seemed like a good way to do it,” he said. “Our site hosts engaging events like family picnics, ping pong tournaments, Halloween decoration contests, and a whole ton more. Being able to empower each other helps build our uplifting culture,” he said. “It’s important to make all employees feel appreciated for all the work they’ve done. That very mindset transforms people from being passive helpers to active contributors.”

Farris is pleased to have landed in the Thermo King business. “I love the size of the group and the company I’m working with. As part of the larger Trane Technologies enterprise, we have the resources we need,” he said. “This company’s size makes it a great spot for new product design in the electrification space. When I present an idea, I will usually see those ideas at least discussed – and potentially implemented.”

Explore careers with impact at Trane Technologies.

No one should have to choose between keeping the lights on and paying for food or medicine.  However, we understand that many of our older adult customers and customers with disabilities live on low or fixed incomes. Through Entergy’s The Power to Care program, employees and generous customers throughout our service territory help provide emergency bill payment assistance to these customers to help bridge the gap.

Through partnerships with local nonprofit agencies, the program has already supported more than 1,200 Arkansas families this year, providing an average of $327 in assistance per household.

Entergy Arkansas Customer Service Manager Barbara Merrick has worked for the company for nearly 30 years and talks to customers on a day-to-day basis. In that time, she has seen the need firsthand She says being able to share that help is available gives customers a sense of comfort. That’s why she’s been contributing to The Power to Care throughout her career.

“It was great to be able to tell them about the program and how to get help,’” Merrick said. “I could hear the relief in their voices, that there is someone out there trying to help them.”

For Barbara, the program reflects Entergy Arkansas’s commitment to caring for those who have spent their lives caring for others.

“That’s what gets me the most, is how we are able to help some of our elderly customers because they have worked their whole lives,” Merrick said. “I want them to be able to enjoy their golden years and not have to struggle.”

Entergy Arkansas Senior Manager Drew Clem echoes that sentiment, looking back to the customers he met early in his career working in power restoration.

“Working in low-income areas, I saw how tough things could be,” Clem said. “It definitely gives me some pride knowing I’m helping our customers make ends meet.”

For Clem, it’s more than just a donation, it’s a promise to help customers through life’s most difficult moments.

“It’s a wonderful program that gives back to our communities,” Clem said. “If you step up and do it, hopefully others will follow and every little bit helps.”

Thanks to employees, non-profit partners and supporters statewide, The Power to Care continues to offer comfort, stability and dignity to families in need. To learn more about The Power to Care program, visit our website.

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