Louisville Carpenters Help Homeless Vets

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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.

Local 357 Builds Home for Paducah Neighbor

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Volunteers Form Carpenters Local 357 are leading the way in volunteering to help build a Habitat for Humanity home for Paducah resident Tineka Bard Zarlunga. 

Retired member Bobby Miller is serving as construction superintendent over the project and is tasked with coordination of daily work on the house, as well as using it as a teaching opportunity to show local trade school students how a house is planned and built from beginning to completion.

Several members of Local 357 have volunteered to see this project progress and will continue to volunteer their skills and time to ensure that it is completed. 

Special thanks to members Brad Downs, Tom Blevins, Chad Helm, Jacob Barrett, Bobby Miller, Todd Miller, Matt Hall, Ricky Freeman, Richard Blevins, Ronnie Cavanagh, and Jacob Rambeau for their help in building their communities.

 

Carpenters Bring Smiles to Louisville Ronald McDonald House

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Brenna & Jacob – they’re just two of the reasons Louisville carpenters volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House of Louisville last week. Carpenters helped patients and families take a much-needed break from the hospital to build keepsake toolboxes. It’s a simple thing that makes a big difference to families.

The Louisville event is one of many “Carpenters Caring for Kids” events at area Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio Ronald McDonald Houses. It’s just one of the ways our carpenters, millwrights and floorcoverers are building their communities. 

With the help of volunteers, kids at the Ronald McDonald house put together and colored toolboxes where they can store toys, trinkets, and hope – a crucial tool in battling whatever ails them. For many of these families, events like this are some of the only cheerful moments they get to share with each other.

The Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters is proud to partner with the Ronald McDonald House to build toolboxes and memories. 

Carpenters Give Community Scholarships to NW Indiana Schools

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Because of their great work in the community, three elementary schools received extra funding through an award from the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters. Seven years ago the IKORCC began partnering with local elementary schools to promote community involvement and giving back to their hometowns.

The partnership with the Carpenters Union incentivizes elementary students to be involved in their communities by offering an award of $500 dollars to one school in each of the participating counties. Each quarter the schools enter into a drawing based on their project in hopes to win the award and recognition of their community project! The Kids Caring for the Community Initiative has grown to be a highlight at many elementary schools within Lake, Porter and LaPorte Counties.

This week Carpenters Union Representatives, along with Sara Gutierrez, Principal of George Earle Elementary, presented this quarter’s awards. The winning schools include Westville Elementary, Homer Iddings Elementary and Porter Lakes Elementary School.

Homer Iddings Elementary School dedicated their community project to collect resources for their local Humane Society. The students brought in paper towels to donate to the center. Principal Teri Crussen says, “The Kids caring for the Community initiative brings the students at Iddings Elementary School great pride. The students love to bring a smile to someone else through the various community projects. We often get thank you cards from the organizations who have been helped through the projects and we share those with the students and families. Showing kindness to others is always a good thing and the students love having the opportunities to offer assistance and support the community organizations”.

Westville Elementary School is no rookie to community involvement. The school has been recognized in the past for their impact in the community and because of that, raised enough money to build a STEM classroom at their school. The STEM classroom gives students the opportunity to practice creativity, problem solving and life skills. The school received the $500 award this quarter because of an afterschool program called Girls on the Run. The students participated, raised money and made a meaningful contribution back to their community.

Carpenters Help Open New Veteran’s Museum

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Thanks to local carpenters, the doors are now open at the new Veteran’s Museum at the Tri-Town Safety Village in Schererville, Indiana. 

The museum houses a wide array of war artifacts and pays tribute to veterans. The museum will be a learning center where visitors can learn about the many sacrifices made by veterans. Additionally, the museum will provide each visitor with an in-depth look at how soldiers lived during wartime. The objective is to promote patriotism, unity, and to leave each visitor with a lasting appreciation towards veterans and the sacrifices they’ve made.

This would not be possible without the help of the IKORCC and the local Training Center. As part of their classes, apprentices framed and helped side the building. Many journeymen and retiree volunteers also lent a hand.

The Military Order of the Purple Heart has agreed to house their removable memorial wall inside the Veteran’s Museum for all visitors to see. The Military Order of the Purple Heart wall contains the names and pictures of everyone who has received the Purple Heart Medal. The memorial pays tribute to all military personnel who have received the Purple Heart Medal.

The Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters has a history of helping the Safety Village and has taken part in building more than four structures. The next opening will be a Fire Museum.

Pictured are Representative Jim Slagle, Curator and main donator of artifacts Tom Clark, Doctor of the Safety Village Bill Jarvis and Member volunteer John Mosca.

Not pictured but who gave countless hours are retirees Tom Dorsey and Swede Carlson. Thanks to all our members who helped make the possible.

Ashland Members Lend a Hand

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Last week, Ashland members were busy giving back their time and talent to the community. Members built a set of stairs and a handicap ramp for the Ashland Alliance Annual Reception. 

The money for the project was donated by Carpenters locals 437, 472, and Millwright locals 1076 and 1090.

A special recognition goes out to Apprenticeship Instructor, Clinton Young and all the Journeyman and Apprentice volunteers who worked on this project. Thank you to Local 472 for allowing volunteers to use your facilities.

Members who worked on this project are from locals 437, 472,1076, 1090 and 1650.

Educating Indiana Counselors at ISC Fall Conference

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The IKORCC is making a difference as a sponsor for the Indiana School Counselor Fall Conference. The conference was held in Indianapolis, Indiana with nearly 600 attendees from around the state of Indiana eager to learn about opportunities for their students. Attendees of the

conference were represented as public school counselors of all levels, academy recruiters and graduation pathway coordinators. Our goal in sponsoring the event was to make new connections with key contributors to a student’s continued education.

Our time at the conference was full of genuine conversations educating attendees on the opportunities within the IKORCC. During on of the breakout sessions, we had the privilege to meet April Sanchez a School Counselor from Zionsville West Middle School. April was just one of many attendees that thanked us for being part of the event and was thrilled to see the Union Trades being represented at the conference.

“It is essential that my students learn about fulfilling, high-paying career opportunities that do not require a 4-year degree. Many of our fastest growing jobs are in fields that do not require a bachelor’s degree, but do require industry-specific skill sets. The trades offer students a unique opportunity in that they offer education and employable skills through their Apprenticeship Programs. It is important that our trades be represented at ISCA because kids deserve choice. Many counselors may not feel comfortable discussing the trades because they are not overly familiar with Apprenticeship Programs. Therefore, outreach needs to continue in order to educate the educators who have direct contact with our next generation of skilled labor force.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            – April Sanchez, ZWMS School Couselor

We look forward to the many more opportunities recruiting from local high schools and building relationships with schools administrators. It is our mission to educate our community to build a stronger Union for the future. If you were an attendee of the conference and would like to visit a local training center please contact Marcos Martinez at info@ikorcc.com

IKORCC Partners with American Heart Association

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The Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters supported an evening of giving and education on the effects of heart health in the construction industry. The IKORCC was the presenting sponsor at the American Heart Association Hard Hats with Heart networking event. We value this partnership because our members face many of the health risks related to cardiovascular diseases on a daily basis. May it be the level of stress they face on a jobsite or the lack of healthy eating options in the surrounding areas, they are all risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. As we move forward in our efforts to keep our members heart healthy, we will be implementing a wellness program that will focus on how to live a healthier life. We will educate members on many topics such as how to maintain blood suagr levels, eating better and reducing blood pressure, to maintaining a healthy weight and stop smoking.

The American Heart Association launched Hard Hats with Heart two years ago in order to focus on heart health within the construction industry. According to the American Heart Association, direct and indirect costs of cardiovascular diseases and stroke total more than $316.6 billion. That includes health expenditures and lost productivity. In order to improve the overall heart health of our membership we must educate ourselves on the risks we may face in our day-to-day activities. The risk factors for construction workers vary from smoking, the lack of a well-rounded diet and high blood pressure, to diabetes and high cholesterol. The widespread presence of heart disease in construction is slightly higher than all other industries. This research comes as a surprise because on average construction workers tend to be younger and they experience physical demands daily. We are flooded with statistics of the risks factors we face as workers in the construction industry. As we are educated on these risks, it is our job to make a change in our own lives so we won’t become another statistic.

Hard Hats with Heart is here to provide companies in the construction-related field with free resources and tools that can help improve the health of their employees. We are working as a team to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. We look forward to the many lives that will be changed because of the education and resources they will acquire through Hard Hats with Heart.

Indianapolis Carpenters Bring Smiles to Ronald McDonald House

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Nicholas & Olivia – they’re just two of the reasons Indianapolis carpenters volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House of Indianapolis last week. Carpenters helped patients and families take a much-needed break from the hospital to build keepsake toolboxes. It’s a simple thing that makes a big difference to families.

The Indianapolis event is one of many “Carpenters Caring for Kids” events at area Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio Ronald McDonald Houses. It’s just one of the ways our carpenters, millwrights and floorcoverers are building their communities.

10-year old Nicholas and his mom traveled all the way from Chicago to Riley Hospital for an appointment with his neurologist. His mom is excited about the recent progress he’s made in learning to walk, the neurologist in Indianapolis really helped with that. With her other children hours away and a limited income, the ability to stay at the Indianapolis Ronald McDonald House is crucial to Nicholas’ continued progression. There she can stay for free, have a nice meal with her son and on days when the carpenters are around, she gets to see Nicholas smile while doing something he loves.

Watch the video below to see just how much this event meant to her and other families staying at the Indianapolis Ronald McDonald House.

IKORCC Brings Trades to Junior Achievement of KY

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The Junior Achievement Center of Kentuckiana is looking a little more diverse this school year with a new storefront that explores skilled trades in carpentry, floorcovering and as a millwright. 

It’s a perfect time for students, to learn more about the high paying careers in skilled trades, an area that is experiencing a nationwide shortage of skilled craftsman. The Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters is proud to introduce Union Trades into the Chase JA Finance Park.

The Chase JA Finance Park will be a sight to see and you won’t want to miss it! The walls of the space are designed to take students through the stages of being a Union Tradesman. As you make your way through the space you’ll see descriptions of milestones, salaries, great benefits and the opportunities for growth. We are thrilled to be part of the Junior Achievement Center of Kentuckiana.

Chase JA Finance Park sets the scene for middle and high school students to live a day in the life of an adult with a career, job, family, and a background that creates their lifestyle. Based on many factors the students create and use their personal budget while in JA Finance Park. Students will be assigned a job working for the IKORCC and will learn to live life as a Union Carpenter.

The IKORCC represents more than 32,000 professional tradespeople in 33 locals in Indiana, Kentucky, and parts of West Virginia and Tennessee. A proud affiliate of the

United Brotherhood of Carpenters, which has a century-plus tradition of representing the best of building trades.

The IKORCC has proudly partnered with local schools in the area to provide Career Connections Curriculum for the building trades instructors. The provided Career Connections material will prepare their students for their future Apprenticeship Program with the IKORCC. The new partnership with the Junior Achievement Center represents the dedication the IKORCC has to building a strong community.