Marathon Petroleum joins community in city-wide rebuilding event

Community News

Jul 14, 2022

Marathon Petroleum employees (L-R) Barry Stevens, Brian Childers, James Roark, Robert Linton, Kevin Mitchell at City of Ashland’s Repair Affair

After a two-year hiatus, Ashland, Kentucky’s Repair Affair returned this year for its 20^th anniversary. The all-volunteer event, postponed in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, brings together members of the community, including volunteers from several of Marathon Petroleum’s operations along the Kentucky—West Virginia border, to help neighbors in need.

This year’s event took place in late May and included about 150 volunteers. Participating from Marathon were employees from the Catlettsburg refinery, Logistics & Storage (L&S), Terminals, Marine and Refining Analytical Development (RAD), as well as retirees and family members, helping take on more than two dozen projects around town.

“We really look forward to this event every year, so to play such a big part in its big return this year makes it that much more special,” said Nicci Triche, a RAD supervisor, who along with fellow Marathon employee, Bill Bloss, helps organize the company’s role in the annual event that puts volunteers together in teams based on their skillsets. Projects included yard cleanup, mulching, and painting, as well as larger jobs like rebuilding a resident’s front porch.

“As one of the larger teams to participate in this event, we are able to put our care and commitment to this community into action,” said Triche. “Then to see the appreciation on the faces of those our work is directly supporting, it doesn’t get much better than that.”

Founded in 2001, Repair Affair mobilizes local resources and volunteers to assist those who otherwise wouldn’t have the means or abilities to make home or property repairs themselves. According to the City of Ashland, of the 30 projects completed as part of the 2022 event, most of the recipients were over the age of 65, and many of them were over 85.

“Repair Affair is all about neighbors helping neighbors,” said Repair Affair Coordinator, DJ Rymer. “We can't thank Marathon Petroleum enough for their participation in this event, and throughout the year to better our community.”

Marathon Petroleum also made a $2,500 donation to help cover the costs of the repairs.