Community service is a value that runs deep in union members. This is especially true in Louisville, Kentucky where they have just completed their third home renovation for Operation Victory.
Operation Victory is a coalition of Greater Louisville Area Unions, Non-Profit/Community Organizations, and Local Area Businesses joined together to rehabilitate vacant and abandoned homes for Homeless Veterans.
On a foggy Thursday morning in April, Adam Stampley boarded a flight from Indianapolis to Las Vegas. He took his seat and smiled. This was a huge moment in his career with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, a culmination of three years of hard work and dedication.
Union officers selected Adam to attend the Journeyman Leadership Program at the Carpenters International Training Center, a recognition of his leadership potential and dedication to the brotherhood. “Everything is coming together,” he thought as he glanced at his phone hoping to hear from his wife Erica before the flight.
This holiday season Locals 2 and 1090 in Cincinnati made sure no child was left behind. As part of their ongoing partnership with St. Joseph’s Orphanage, IKORCC carpenters and millwrights made sure kids in the home had something to wake up to this Christmas.
The orphanage often gets toy donations for the younger kids but struggles when it comes to making teens’ wishes come true. That’s where IKORCC members stepped in to help. Locals 2 and 1090 donated a total of $1,000 to help.
The Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters is proud to have a partnership with seven Ronald McDonald Houses across Indiana, Kentucky & Ohio. What started as building the houses has turned into much more in our efforts to build communities. Check out all the smiles and history of the IKORCC’s partnership with Ronald McDonald Houses.
Local 175 and Industrial Local 2501 out of Louisville are working together to gather donations for an area foster home. Uspiritus is a foster home working to “provide greater care for vulnerable children and families throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky”.
The Local Sisters are combining efforts to collect daily necessities and a Christmas list to support the foster home. Local 175 SIS Chair Amanda Wigge and Co-Chair Meah Jessup and Local 2501 SIB Chair Shannon Porter and Elaine Osorio visited Target to set up a registry for the charity drive.
“It’s all about giving back to the community or those in need – letting them know that we’re here for them”, Shannon Porter told IKORCC about setting up this drive.
Some everyday items in need include:
The Christmas wish list includes gifts such as:
If you would like to help support these efforts, you can visit: http://www.target.com/gift-registry/gift/SIBS1752501. You can ship donations to the Louisville Training Center at 1245 Durrett Lane, Louisville, KY 40213.
The last day to donate through this IKORCC charity drive will be December 9th, 2019.
Learn more about Uspiritus here: http://uspiritus.org/about/history-mission/.
IKORCC Business Rep Kyle Gresham works with students at the launch of Project Blueprint in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
When the Boys & Girls Club of Fort Wayne began their quest for a blueprint for great futures for their students, we knew it was a perfect project for the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters.
Not only did union carpenters help build the new Boys & Girls Club in Fort Wayne, Indiana, we’ve also helped plan, build & introduce curriculum for a one-of-a-kind program called Project Blueprint.
Project Blueprint exposes kids to careers in skilled trades like carpentry, flooring, welding, electric, manufacturing and more. The idea is to show kids career options after high school other than the traditional four-year college pathway.
“That’s the key, exposing kids to careers early on so they can really dream about what is that they really like doing. This is what this program is all about,” says Boys and Girls Club of Fort Wayne CEO Joe Jordan.
Project Blueprint is the first of its kind in the country. Kids utilize the curriculum and learn to plan, layout, and build structures. A special room in the new Boys & Girls Club will make it easier for students to focus on their projects. The Project Blueprint room features workstations, tools, welding and more.
IKORCC Business Representative Kyle Gresham says, “From its very inception, we’ve been involved. From serving on the advisory board, helping create a curriculum, to working on projects with students.”
“It really recharges me to see how excited these young people are to try something new and realize that they can do anything they set their mind to,” Kyle adds.
Community partners are also excited for the project, on Tuesday night the Boys & Girls Club received over $200,000 in donations for materials to keep the project moving.
Signatory union contractors MKS (Michael Kinder & Sons) built the Boys & Girls Club of Fort Wayne with interior work by Rosema.
The Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters (IKORCC) Membership Action Committee of Carpenters Local 175 Louisville, KY hung drywall in a home slated to be donated to a homeless Louisville veteran. This is one of three homes Kentucky Carpenters have helped renovate to help homeless veterans.
The project is a part of Operation Victory, affiliated with the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs. IKORCC contractors and suppliers graciously donated the drywall, screws, mud, tape, misc supplies, and even the finishing to make the project a success. Over a dozen members and their families came out to volunteer their time, knowledge and tools to help give this veteran a safe place and a fresh start.
“Our local has a lot of veterans and Helmets to Hardhats members. They put their lives on the line to protect us while serving, they should have a place to sleep when they get back home. It’s why our local is a proud partner in remodeling this home,” says Local 175 member and IKORCC business representative Noah Grimes.
Operation Victory is a coalition of Greater Louisville Area Unions, Non-Profit/Community Organizations, and Local Area Businesses joined together to rehabilitate vacant and abandoned homes for a Homeless Louisville Veteran. Veteran homelessness is an issue that is important to the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters because veterans put their lives on the line to protect us, and we believe they should have a home to come back to. The Operation Victory coalition plans to help at least four more homeless veterans this year with some help from area businesses and the IKORCC.
Special thanks to all who helped the veteran get back on his feet, including: Tony Dobson, Shea Dobson, Ron Gibson, Andrew Kayla Faulkner, Robert Johnson, Kelly Davis, Gleen Koenig, Stephen Sites, Ben Ganote, Ben’s son Angelo Moore, Mike Blevins, Thomas Hacker, Quality Interiors, L&W Supply Louisville, and Intex Systems.