Yesterday was a snow day for some of us, but not for 'essential employees' at some of our member institutions.

These are just two examples of what for sure were many people fighting the elements to get to their jobs on Tuesday. Our collective hats are off to you and thank you for your incredible dedication!

BCH Security Officer Terrian Lakes walked to work from Dorchester.

This week, President Obama's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll named Wheelock College its Presidential Award Winner in the Education Category. The award is the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement. Additionally, Wheelock has been selected as one of only fourteen finalists in the general community service category. 

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Boston Children's awarded coveted 2014 Leapfrog Top Hospital distinction. 

For nearly 13 years, Lisa Rosowsky, Professor of Graphic Design at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, has partnered with local non-profit organizations to produce printed projects while giving her students exposure to real clients with communications needs.

Being sick is not fun, and it is particularly no fun when you are a kid. Hospitals can be intimidating and daunting places, with all the monitors, alarms, beepers and tubes. Not exactly an ideal children's playground.

Renowned entertainer and producer Ryan Seacrest wants to change that. 

As we celebrate our Veterans this week, MASCO is thrilled to announce that our Travel Partner, JetBlue, has added its newest custom livery, “Vets in Blue.”  

Emmanuel College's Political Forum, a student group, recruited volunteers to plant 2,997 flags on the lawn near the college's Wilkens Science Center. The flags represent the lives lost on September 11, 2001. This is an annual event for the student group. 

Hundreds of people in the LMA stopped by MASCO's Fleet Fiesta to celebrate the new MASCO Shuttle Buses.

Boston's Baddest Burger Truck served lots of burgers and sandwiches and CupCake City provided the sweetest desserts. People toured the new shuttle bus, took a "selfie with the shuttle" to win a new iPad, took a photo with the Red Sox World Series Trophy and enjoyed the tunes by DJ Tim Joyce and Party Pro Productions. 

Overheard on the shuttle tours:  "These are AWESOME!!"

"OMG I can't wait for reliable A/C!"

It’s a little past 9 am on a beautiful spring morning in the LMA. The streets are brimming with commuters, students, patients and visitors. As you settle into your morning routine, fire up the computer, grab an extra cup of coffee, your cell phone starts buzzing madly with emergency alerts and emails.

“There’s an active shooter in the LMA.”

But most importantly, THIS IS A DRILL.

Go Green! Reduce! Reuse! Recycle! Compost!

Those are definitely the buzzwords of the decade.

All around us organizations are making sustainability a key priority in their operations, and sustainability is a cornerstone of the work that MASCO does throughout the LMA. Late last fall MASCO hosted a panel on the opportunities and challenges of Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP).