Making Time to Re-Energize: Renua Energy’s Lake Day at Lake Saint Catherine
At Renua Energy, hard work and family come hand in hand — and that balance is exactly what inspired this summer’s Lake Day. Founder Dave Byrne believes that rest is just as essential as effort, so after weeks of pushing through hot, humid summer weather, he invited the whole Renua team and their families out to Lake Saint Catherine in Castleton, Vermont, for an afternoon of picnicking, play, and well-earned relaxation.
For a team accustomed to busy job sites, demanding projects, and long summer days in the field, Lake Day offered an opportunity to slow things down, spend time together, and enjoy a different kind of summer afternoon.
“We understand that work is an important part of life, and we don’t live to work — we work in order to live more fully. At Renua, we endeavor to keep things as stress-free as possible for our team, because that empowers our team members to show up in the best way possible for their family members and loved ones outside of work.”
— Dave Byrne, Owner of Renua Energy
A Day Built for Unwinding
The goal was simple: give employees a chance to step away from the job site, enjoy some good food, and spend time with the people who matter most.
Picnic tables filled up with picnic fare and snacks, games of hacky-sack and frisbee broke out in the field, and a few dedicated anglers tried their luck fishing. Even the four-legged members of the Renua family joined in the fun, with Luna the Husky and Mala the Pomsky making the rounds and soaking up the attention — and trying to sneak in some food from others when their owners weren’t looking.
Out on the water, Jim — Renua Energy’s Project Manager and Safety Officer — took on double duty as the day’s unofficial boat captain, giving tube rides to anyone brave enough to hop on. True to his role as Safety Officer, Jim made sure everyone had fun — though a few tube riders might say he had a little too much fun trying to shake them loose.
Between the food, games, fishing, and time on the water, there wasn’t much of an agenda for the afternoon — and that was exactly the point. It was simply a chance for the team and their families to enjoy being together without project schedules or the next job on the mind.
Weathering a Little Rain
Vermont summer weather had other plans, and the afternoon shifted from sunshine to scattered showers. But that didn’t put a damper on the day.
A dedicated group of employees and families stuck it out, setting up a pop-up canopy and carrying the celebration forward with more snacks and plenty of laughter-filled conversation.
The rain may have changed the plans a little, but it didn’t end the gathering. If anything, crowding together beneath the canopy provided another opportunity to slow down, talk, laugh, and enjoy the company.
More Than a Day Away From Work
For Renua Energy, bringing everyone together for Lake Day was about more than simply taking an afternoon off. The people behind each project are an important part of what makes the company what it is, and creating time for employees to recharge is part of building a team that can continue doing its best work.
It was also an opportunity for spouses, children, and families to spend time with the coworkers they may normally only hear about at home. Bringing everyone together outside of the workplace helped make Lake Day feel less like a company event and more like a gathering of the extended Renua family.
Why It Matters
Lake Day is a reflection of something Renua Energy takes seriously: if you work hard, you should also take the time to recharge.
Whether it was a game of frisbee, a boat ride, or simply catching up with coworkers and their families under a canopy in the rain, the day was a reminder that a strong team is one that knows how to rest together, not just work together.
After plenty of long days spent building and supporting energy projects throughout the region, an afternoon at Lake Saint Catherine offered the Renua team a well-earned chance to do exactly that.
Here’s to more days by the lake — rain or shine.
