Community Corner
Shell Martinez Gets A Website
The refinery's communication crew brings the operation into the 21st century with a blog, Facebook and Twitter, too.
The Shell Refinery in Martinez is in many ways a paradox. It's ubiquitous in that it's all you see from Interstate 680, and its presence is felt in many parts of Martinez life. Yet the various donations, volunteer efforts and cash contributions the company makes to the city are largely out of sight. And its operations are a mystery to most of us.
That era is over, according to public affairs representative Erin Hallissy. The refinery recently launched a Website, has developed a presence on Facebook, YouTube, and has a Twitter account. The point, Hallissy said, is to let people in the city what is going on behind the fence line. And it turns out that there's quite a lot going on.
"I've lived near Shell for years, and I didn't know what was going on there," Hallissy said. "We want to be open with the neighborhoods and community. People want to know what's going on."
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Hallissy, a former newspaper reporter with the Contra Costa Times and San Francisco Chronicle, noted that there are fewer traditional media outlets these days covering news in general, which means that "the only coverage we're likely to get will be negative."
That's where the Website comes in. For instance, when the 8.9 earthquake in Japan generated a tsunami earlier this month, Shell posted a blog entry about safety precautions the refinery was taking in case the water level rose here. The video that comes up on the home page is a litany of "thank you's" from various civic and community leaders to Shell for its ongoing assistance and support for everything from the Beaver Festival to the Muir Heritage Land Trust.
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There are also stories about refinery employees. For instance, Joe Silva received a medal from the Army for his spearheading a collection drive for U.S. troops. Silva's efforts wound up garnering over 500 boxes of items for overseas troops, including socks, water, toothbrushes, iPods, and other goods.
Community projects like the refurbishing of the Boys and Girls Club, the Senior Center and the Veteran's Hall are noted on the Website, Hallissy said.
"There are so many good stories to share. And Shell has been shy about telling its story," she said.
In addition to feature stories, Hallissy said that the site will serve as a community resource for contacting the refinery, and will be used for emergency notification. Talks are underway with Contra Costa County to cross-link Shell's emergency notification system with the county's.
"A lot of the city grew up around the refinery," Hallissy said. "We have so many neighbors who can see us from their yards. People wonder what's going on in here, and we hope this Website, and our other social media tools, will help them find out."
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