Community Services Report Highlights
January 2012
On Saturday January 21, 2012, the Bloomington-Normal Trades & Labor Assembly will sponsor an AFL-CIO/Red Cross Blood Drive. The drive will be hosted by I.B.E.W. Local 197 at 2407 Beich Road in Bloomington. Donating blood is the ultimate gift of life from one person to another. Unfortunately, blood donations drop drastically during the holiday season. Many people are busy with shopping, traveling, and other activities. Schools and universities are not in session and blood drives held in those locations do not happen. In addition, churches and businesses tend to decrease their involvement in the blood program due to holiday events and employees taking vacation time. The result is generally a very low blood supply after the first of the year. That is precisely why the AFL-CIO urges all affiliates to schedule blood drives in January. You can help, call your local union or 309-828-7383 for a donation time and give the gift of life. Walk-ins are very welcome. The blood drive starts at 7:00 a.m. and concludes at 11:30 a.m. Red Cross blood services is a United Way of McLean County funded program.
As a union member do you wish that you better understood…
- The value of being a union member?
- The history of organized labor?
- Why political involvement and advocacy is important to workers?
- How community service benefits all of us?
If you do, then the Union Community Activist Network training classes are for you. UCAN is a tool that will help educate union members on the importance of political, social and economic involvement in our community. Classes begin Saturday, February 4, 2012 and continue for the next two Saturdays. Highlights include labor history, political and legislative issues to promote a working family objective, economics and United Way’s Community Impact work. For more information contact: Gary Leake, AFL-CIO Community Services Liaison at 309-828-7383 or e-mail: gleake@uwaymc.org
The holiday season is a special time and our union brothers and sisters lent their time, energy and skills to several programs that attempt to alleviate the pain and suffering of those less fortunate this past month. The members of Laborers Local 362 helped the Salvation Army by ringing bells at the donations kettles, helping with the holiday food baskets and the Toys for Tots campaign. In addition they put together over 90 holiday food baskets for their own retirees. UAW Local 2488 members collected food items for Clare House, monetary donations for the Toys for Tots campaign and then purchased and delivered the toys. In addition to that, several members donated blood at the Mitsubishi plant blood drive in December. ATU Local 752 members helped Stuff the Bus for the Crisis Nursery at The Children’s Foundation, a United Way of McLean County partner agency. IAFF Local 2442 members once again participated in Operation Rescue Run, where the fire fighters raise money; purchase needed household items for families identified by The Baby Fold, a United Way of McLean County partner agency, and then deliver those items to the families. Local 2442 members also assisted the Festival of Trees, a fundraiser for The Baby Fold and participated in holiday parties at local schools. Local 2442 recently learned that they collected the second highest total donations to MDA in Central Illinois this past year. Finally, literally scores of union members helped plan, organize and manage the 28th Annual Christmas Party for Kids that benefits children of unemployed/underemployed families. Members of Laborers Local 362, I.B.E.W. Local 196 UAW Local 2488, Sheet Metal Workers Local 1, I.B.E.W. Local 51, IFT Local 6038 and I.A.T.S.E. Local 193 all lent a hand.
Become a PATH Hotline Volunteer: Adult volunteers are needed to answer phones on the 24- hour hotline. Volunteering your time on the hotline offers a rewarding experience and a great opportunity to give back to your community. A complete training program and professional back-up is provided. Our training program teaches you everything you need to know, including communication techniques and community resources. The next 8-week training class begins January 26th. If interested, the volunteer application is available on-line at www.pathcrisis.org. Classroom training meets on Thursdays from 6 to 9 pm. Questions? Call Jared at 834-0541. PATH is a United Way of McLean County partner agency that links people to services in Central Illinois as well as providing services for seniors and the homeless.