Recently, a group of apprentices, along with Training Center Coordinator Donnie Smith and Instructor Bob McFadden, put their minds and skills together to complete four projects that made a meaningful difference in the lives of those they helped.
Helping a friend of the Local
Last year, when Pops McCann set up his whiskey cart for a function at the Local, he mentioned to President Bryan Bush that his cart needed some repairs.
“Bryan told him to swing by the training center, and they’ll help you out,” Smith said.
Apprentices Kyle Clark, Shane Coslove, Nick Reilly, and Thomas Crossland installed custom steel countertops on the cart. The countertops were fabricated and installed at the training center.
Repairing and Restoring The Rock
Rock Ministries, known as simply The Rock as it is known in Kensington, is an affiliate of Calvary Chapel and is an oasis in an area of overwhelming blight and rampant drug use. Its attraction is its boxing program, which it uses to pull kids off the streets and into a safer environment. It also has a drop-in center to connect people with drug treatment, housing, and other services.
Buddy Osborn is the founder and pastor of the Rock and is also the chaplain of the Building Trades. He approached Assistant Business Manager/Business Agent Jerry Gontz about some repairs needed at the building at 2755 Kensington Avenue.
Apprentices Daniel Dewitt, Evan Joyce, Zachary Gardner, and Jaimie Kurtz worked together to install duct, an exhaust drop in the bathroom, and open the roof to install an exhaust fan.
Improving Life at Home for a Retiree
Local 19 retiree Wayne Wilkerson and his wife live in Somerdale, NJ. Wayne is confined to a wheelchair, and his wife has trouble navigating steps, so apprentices Eric Anthony, Kyle Clark, Shane Coslove, Thomas Crossland, Jose Escobar-Huertas, John Gorbig, and Nick Reilly built and installed a ramp to improve their mobility and independence. “They were very thankful,” Smith said. “They said it was going to change their lives.”
Supporting Women Who Served Our Country
The Women’s Veteran Center, located at 4th and Vine Streets, helps women who served our country get back on their feet. Along with McFadden, apprentices Evan Joyce and Christopher White installed new exhausts in both the kitchen and bathrooms.
These four projects are just the latest examples of Local 19 showing up for its community—proving once again that the union’s commitment to service goes far beyond the job site.