HAMMOND, Ind. – Longtime union supporter Berey Bros. recently remodeled its interior by using a local area-standard contractor through the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters (IKORCC). Berey Bros. has been selling American-made safety footwear in Northwest Indiana for the past 68 years.

As a family-owned and operated business, Berey Bros. sees immense value in giving back to their community. “Berey Bros. has always shown respect to our community’s workers in any way they can. They have offered discounts to the unions in our area, and they hire local contractors,” commented Jim Slagle of the IKORCC. “We always appreciate it when businesses hire local workers. It’s good for our community’s economy, and in return, we, along with our families, will support them. It’s really a win-win.”

The carpenters on the job worked hard to efficiently get the remodel completed without disrupting store business. “All of the workers on the job were truly great people who enjoyed what they were doing,” commented Richard Koharchik of Berey Bros. “They went above and beyond in making sure that we never had to close our store or open late, even if it meant starting at 6am or earlier so we could open on time.”

Berey Bros. is open seven days a week. Click here for a complete list of store hours.

For more information about this project, please contact Jim Slagle at jslagle@ikorcc.com.

Floor Coverers Local 364 out of Greenwood, IN, enjoyed a presentation and a hands-on learning experience from Schönox Subfloor Solutions Representatives at the Greenwood Training Center.

Greenwood Campus Floor Covering Insructor Adam Williams, along with IKORCC Representative Tim Thieme, invited Schönox representatives to tour the training center and present their product to contractors and installers.

In late September, Schönox began their presentation in a class room setting, starting with a brief history of their product, which included a PowerPoint presentation and an open floor for discussion. Following the presentation, Schönox displayed mockups of six different sub-floor products to demomstrate the application for each type of installation, including self leveling, rapping and tight skim coats.

“We jump on any opportunity we get to bring a manufacturer of a product that our contractors use into our Training Center,” commented Adams. “Not only to give peace of mind to that manufacturer, but also to the contractor so they know the product their using is installed properly, and that the individuals installing the product are as knowledgeable about the product as they can be.”

Schönox is scheduled to return in the 1st quarter of 2016 for a moisture remediation and awareness program.

For more information about the presentation, please contact Tim Thieme at tthieme@ikorcc.com.

 

 

 

Earlier this month, Local 351 Member Action Committee (MAC) of the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters (IKORCC) volunteered time and skills to build a wheelchair ramp for a local family in need.

Lois Aay, a retired secretary of Local 50, Plumbers and Pipefiitters, needed a ramp for her husband Willy who lost his leg as a result of diabetes. Without a ramp attached to their home, Lois was left hauling snowmobile ramps to their front door any time Willy had to go somewhere. It was extremely tough for Lois to move the ramps to and from their front door, and the Local 351 MAC was eager to help the family.

Local 351 MAC worked closely with the Aays to design and draw blueprints of the ramp, and eight total members volunteered an entire day to build a wheelchair ramp for easy access in and out of the house. In addition, the carpenters built a deck area for Willy to be able to go outside and enjoy the sun and fresh air.

“When we found out that Willy and Lois needed a ramp at their house, we didn’t hesitate to offer a helping hand,” said Dan Morey of the IKORCC. “On the day of the project, the weather wasn’t on our side, but our MAC members pushed through the steady rain to complete the ramp. We knew Willy had an upcoming doctors appointment, and we didn’t want Lois to have to use heavy snowmobile ramps again. We are really happy to have made a difference in their lives.”

“Willy and I would like to give a standing ovation to Local 351 for coming to our home and building a wonderful and useful ramp and deck,” commented Lois Aays. “Being only 4’11”, it has helped me so much with getting Willy to doctor appointments by myself. The volunteers were amazing, and they were a true union – wonderful volunteers and dedicated men who will never be forgotten by our family.”

Local 351 MAC members who worked on the project include Luciana Briones, Rodney Dean, Lee Daher, Dan Morey, Jim Powers, Mike Sager, Anthony Santellana and Dave Schertz.

For more information, please contact Dan Morey at dmorey@ikorcc.com.

PICKERINGTON, Ohio – On Labor Day, Carpenters Local 200 of the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters (IKORCC) participated in the 67th annual Pickerington Labor Day Parade, sponsored by the Pickerington Lions Club, for the second consecutive year.

Representing Local 200, 25 total members, apprentices, retirees, family members and friends handed out candy and frisbees at the parade. Participants in the parade included Troy Woodyard, Kevin McConahan, Nate Hall, Doug Soma, Nate Davis, Mike Mask, Mark Moen, Debbie Ziaden, Mike Freeman, James Van New Kirk, and spouses, daughters and grandchildren of Local 200.

“This is our second time participating in the parade, and we foresee this as an annual tradition for Local 200 and our families,” commented Mike Freeman, IKORCC Representative. “We love having the chance to show our support for our community, especially on Labor Day, while representing everything the IKORCC stands for: fair jobs with fair benefits, a living wage that can support our families, a safe and secure work environment, supporting our communities and producing the highest quality and maintaining the highest standards of work in everything we do.”

Following the parade, the Lions Club held its annual fish fry with all proceeds going to optical research and blindness prevention. “The money we raise through our parade and fish fry stays local,” commented Cherie Koch, Pickerington Labor Day Parade Chair of 15 years. “Having the Carpenters in the parade helped us draw in more spectators, which ultimately generated more money we can put to good use in our community.”

The Pickerington Labor Day Parade is one of the largest spectated parades in Central Ohio. This year marked the city’s 200 year anniversary.

For more information, please contact Mike Freeman at mfreeman@ikorcc.com.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Gaining access to an affordable education and a hands-on, in-the-field apprenticeship have been made possible through the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters (IKORCC) Training Center in Louisville.

Out of the approximate 35,000 IKORCC members throughout the three-state span, 5,000 millwrights, carpenters and floor coverers live and work in Kentucky, and the Louisville Training Center is home to nearly 500 apprentices working in the field.

The 100,000 square foot training center – recently visited by elected Kentucky representatives and senators on a tour that was led by instructor Hope Harp – offers a four-year apprenticeship program where students spend a minimal amount of time in the classroom – they are required to attend week-long classes four times per year – and a bulk of their time being trained and mentored by experienced journeypersons on job sites. While on the job, students are compensated for their work.

Out-of-pocket expenses for the students are also kept to a minimum, averaging about $100 annually for text books.

Apprentices in carpentry, millwright work and floor covering who complete the four-year program graduate with an associate’s degree in Applied Science from Ivy Tech State College, an education valued around $17,000, and hit the ground running with a career as a journeyman.

Graduates can further their education by pursuing a bachelor’s degree through an established educational facility with an apprenticeship program. Other graduates have obtained high-level and advanced manufacturing positions at Fortune 500 companies, including Ford and GE.

“Apprentices are the future of our industry, and it’s so important they have access to the right resources and education,” commented Richard Fouts, Senior Manager of the IKORCC. “The Louisville Training Center apprenticeship program is a one-of-a-kind program that offers students an invaluable experience that couldn’t be taught in the classroom. We’re starting to notice a deficit in the workforce due to older generation retiring or leaving, and projects that used to take 12 weeks are taking 20 weeks to complete. That’s why it’s so important to educate the younger generation and provide them with the tools necessary to succeed.”

Individuals seeking to become an apprentice through the Louisville Training Center program are required to have a high school diploma or GED and must pass a written exam distributed by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) and interview at the training facility. For direct access into the program, veterans can go through the Helmets to Hardhats program. The Training Center also recruits through various minority organizations, including the Bridges to Opportunities Workforce Training Program, the Youthbuild Louisville Program, Job Corps and SkillsUSA Kentucky.

The training center also offers continuing education for current IKORCC members seeking to improve skills and abilities.

For more information, please contact the IKORCC Louisville Campus, 1245 Durrett Lane, 502.375.8667, email info@ikorcc.com or visit www.IKORCC.com.