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Carpenters Give Community Scholarships to NW Indiana Schools

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

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.