Global Community Day 2025: Going the #JMextraMile

Since 2018, Johns Manville employees around the world have come together each year to make a difference. Not because they have to, but because they want to. No question that JM’s Global Community Day has become more than a date on the calendar; doing the right thing and helping others is part of who we are and a living expression of JM’s culture.   

In 2025, more than 2,000 JMers from 29 plants, WHQ, and the JM Technical Center rolled up their sleeves for 61 community projects, building playgrounds, supporting shelters, helping the elderly, cleaning up parks, and restoring dignity to people in need. From August through October, teams across North America and Europe volunteered thousands of hours to make their communities stronger. 

Among the many inspiring stories, we’ve chosen to highlight three projects from our Engineered Products plants in Waterville, Ohio and Wertheim, Germany. Just a glimpse into the creativity, passion, and community spirit that JMers demonstrated across all locations.  

Waterville, Ohio: Building Playgrounds and Restoring Dignity 

In Waterville, Ohio, Global Community Day looked a lot like teamwork in action with a dash of heart and a splash of color.  

A Playground for Everyone 

For months, the Stranahan Elementary Parent Teacher Association had been dreaming of something the community didn’t yet have - an inclusive and accessible playground where children of all abilities could play side by side. When it came time to build it, the JM Waterville team showed up ready to help bring that vision to life. 

Led by Ryan Brueshaber, Advanced Research Technologist, a large group of JM volunteers joined on the first day of the build, digging, lifting, assembling, and staying long past their scheduled shifts to make sure the project got off to a strong start. 

Their extra hours paid off. The playground’s progress leapt ahead of schedule, and organizers couldn’t say enough about the dedication, skill, and teamwork of the JM crew. When the final pieces came together, they had a place where every child could belong, built by a community that cares. 

Restoring Dignity, One Pair of Socks at a Time  

The Waterville team also took part in a very different kind of giving. One that started with a simple question from an eight-year-old girl: “Mommy, won’t his feet be cold?” 

That moment in 2004 sparked Hannah’s Socks, an Ohio-based nonprofit dedicated to providing new socks to those in need. Twenty years later, the organization delivers more than 55,000 pairs each year, and this September, JM Waterville joined their mission. 

For two weeks, collection bins filled with color and care, from classic black crew socks to Bob Ross prints, Twizzlers patterns, and bright rainbow designs. When the final count came in, 1,380 pairs of socks were ready to donate. 

Each pair meant more than warmth. It meant dignity. And in true JM fashion, it meant doing something small that makes a big difference. 

Wertheim, Germany: Running Together, Giving Together 

Across the Atlantic, JM’s Wertheim team celebrated Global Community Day with running shoes, team spirit, and a little friendly rivalry. 

For them, the ‘Wertheimer Messelauf’- an annual race held alongside the town’s folk festival - has become a tradition that combines running with local pride and giving back. And of course, a chance to defend the title of largest participating company. 

This year, 107 JM runners took to the course wearing their JM blue. Together, they finished strong and secured the trophy for the third consecutive year. But the real win wasn’t measured in miles, kilometers or trophies. 

The Wertheim team dedicated their efforts to support two local organizations close to their hearts: 

Malteser International Hospice and Palliative Care Service, which provides comfort and support to people through life’s most difficult moments and The Women’s and Children’s Shelter Main-Tauber-Kreis, offering safety and assistance to those affected by domestic violence. Both groups received €500 donations, made possible through the team’s participation. 

And as the sun set over the Wertheimer fairgrounds, teammates gathered for a well-earned celebration.  

A Global Effort, A Shared Purpose  

From playgrounds in Ohio to finish lines in Germany, JM’s Global Community Day 2025 showed once again what happens when thousands of employees around the world take action together. 

Whether it’s building, donating, or running for a cause, every JM volunteer contributes to something larger. Because community is what connects us and drives us forward – and not just where we work.