August 2018
WTS SW Idaho 
Chapter Newsletter
Issue No. 33
In This Issue
TransportationYOU

TranportationYou recently participated in the Empow(HER) Summit held by One Stone.  This free full-day female empowerment event was for 7 th  to 12 th  graders and include activities, speakers, opportunity fair, food and more.  During the lunch, Megan Kautz (LHTAC) was able to discuss with the girls at her table quality friendships.  She was able to share with them why they are important, and how beneficial those friendships can be. 
 
During the action fair at Empow(Her), Laura Bond (TO Engineers), set up a table where the girls wandered between tables and talked with the organizations that were there to connect with them.  Laura took the chance to speak with several girls about the tours and resources that exist to help get girls into the transportation fields and support them once they are in the workforce.


 
2018 NORTHWEST REGION CONFERENCE
September 26 & 27, 2018
Little America Hotel  -
Salt Lake City, Utah
 
Registration Now Open for WTS Northwest Region Conference!
Join colleagues from Utah, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Alaska, Wyoming and Montana for the 2 nd Annual WTS Northwest Region Conference. Also - there's not a more beautiful time to visit Salt Lake City!

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Wednesday, Sept. 26
1 - 4 p.m. - Technical Tours (Free!)
5 - 7 p.m. - Welcome Reception at  Squatter's Brewery

Thursday, Sept. 27
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Conference program at   Little America Hotel

Friday, Sept. 28
8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Technical Tours (Free!)
          
REGISTRATION OPEN!  -  Sign up soon as conference space limited to 150 attendees.
-       Early bird registration finished July 20th
-       Regular registration starts at $175 (July 21 - Sept.10)
-       Late registration starts at $225 (Sept. 11 - 21)

Registration link:

QUESTIONS
Please contact us via email at   WTSNorthwestRegion@gmail.com  or by calling our chair, Elizabeth Faulkner, at 206-931-0815. 



 
SCHOLARSHIP AUCTION COMING UP!
 
WTS SW Idaho Chapter will be accepting auction items soon! Keep your eyes open for an upcoming notification email requesting auction items. In the meantime, start collecting items to donate to the auction!

What can I donate? 
Items of all kinds and sizes are appreciated. Popular auction items in past years have included books, jewelry, home goods and decor, electronics, toys, and more -- so anything works!

With your donation please include a few sentences describing the item and an estimated value to start the bidding.

WHAT WE'RE RAISING MONEY FOR
Early education is key to encouraging interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). P roceeds from this online auction go towards funding STEM scholarships and Transportation YOU educational activities. 

Thanks to ever increasing involvement, the  WTS SW Idaho Chapter continues to award two scholarships of $1,500 each year.  Transportation YOU works with girls (13-18) who are interested in STEM.
 
Thank you for everyone's continual participation, especially Kittelson & Associates for donating their time and the use of their online auction website every year - we couldn't have such successful auctions each year without you! 

If you have any questions feel free to email us at  wts.swidaho@gmail.com  
 
July Lunch & Learn
  
On July 24th, the WTS SW Idaho chapter hosted a Lunch & Learn at MotivePower to learn about their projects, locally and internationally. 
Twenty-four WTS members and non-members attended the lunch with 22 participating in the tour of the MotivePower manufacturing facility. Our thanks to Motive Power for such an engaging talk and tour.
If you have a topic suggestion or want to contribute an article for our next newsletter, please contact Cristina Brischler
WTS International Board Meeting in Boise in September

The WTS International Board is having their board meeting in September on Wednesday, September 12th and Thursday, September 13th. All members are welcome to attend these meetings, on either or both days. We would especially like to see you at the SW Idaho Chapter Reception on Wednesday evening at the Cottonwood Grille.

The preliminary schedule is:
 
Wednesday, September  12th
8:00-11:00 am Foundation Board

11:30 am-2:00 pm  Lunch for Foundation and International Board Members Only

2:30-5:00 pm International Board

5:30-7:30 pm SW Idaho Chapter Reception

Thursday, September 13th

8:30 am-2:00 pm WTS International Board


August 25th Adopt-A-Highway Litter Pick Up Event
  
We had another strong turnout and we were able to finish the task in 2 hours, gathering 12 bags of trash, plus several larger items too big for the trash bags. 

In the picture, from left to right are:
Regina Cunningham, ACHD
Mac McOmber, AECOM, retired
Amy Luft, COMPASS
Dick Jacobson, CH2M, retired
Donn Canahan, Keller & Associates
Meagan Duneman, Terracon
Liisa Itkonen, COMPASS, and her daughter, Miia

Missing from the picture were David Wallace, ACHD and his wife Jan, and Dave Butzier, AECOM.

One more opportunity to help with the Adopt a Highway program for this year will be on October 27th, 2018 .

Thanks to all that helped make quick work on the clean-up!
August Lunch & Learn

Fifty-three people attended the WTS August 23rd Lunch and Learn held at LHTAC to learn more about the State Street Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Plan. Our presenters were Darren Fluke, City of Boise, and Stephen Hunt, Valley Regional Transit. Darren and Stephen discussed how a coalition of nine public agencies have come together to study and prepare plans for a viable approach to improve State Street. 

For more on Corporate & Event Partnerships contact Donn Carnahan