L.U. 8 (as,em,i,mar,mt,rts,s&spa), TOLEDO, OHIO — 2017 was an exceptional year for Local 8. Our book stayed pretty much clear for most of the year. Many thanks to the hundreds of sisters and brothers from locals near and far who helped fulfill the demand safely and professionally. Most notable projects included the Chrysler-Jeep retooling, GM Powertrain, and Fermi nuclear power plant outage projects.

The work situation should stay consistent throughout 2018 with groundbreaking right around the corner at Oregon Clean Energy Generating Plant 2, and the Cliff's Ore Briquette Refining, to name a few.

Our Local 8 Members Christmas Party is Dec. 18, and the Children's and Unit Christmas parties are scheduled throughout the month. Hope to see you attend.

On behalf of the officers and staff, we wish everyone a merry Christmas and a prosperous new year.

Mike Brubaker, P.S.

L.U. 16 (i), EVANSVILLE, IN — The Labor Day Association's 131st Labor Day Celebration, a four-day event, was held in Princeton, IN, from Sept. 1-4.

This well-established tradition of Labor Day festivities to honor working people included carnival rides, inspiring speakers, a motocross race, a demolition derby, family activities, meals for attendees, and as always, an outstanding parade — allowing everyone in attendance to enjoy the holiday.

IBEW Local 16's own Kim Musgrave and her husband, Bil Musgrave, served as this year's grand marshals for the Labor Day parade. Indiana's Democratic U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, a union supporter, also was present to encourage the crowd. Many thanks to all who worked so hard to make this Labor Day festival possible, especially IBEW Bros. Brandon Gretler and Ricky Rush.

Several volunteers stepped up to make the IBEW's family picnic a great success. This event offered excellent food, games and contests. Younger family members liked the bounce houses and the pedal pulling tractors. Pins for a combined 5,030 years of service to the union were awarded, and opportunities to make new friends as well as build the bonds of brotherhood were enjoyed by all.

Local 16 would like to express its appreciation to all the brothers and sisters who stepped up to help man the massive amount of employment opportunities this area has been given.

Donald P. Beavin, P.S.

L.U. 22 (i,lpt,rts&spa), OMAHA, NE — For the members of Local 22, it's been a very busy year. We've had several special events that clearly define our history and our purpose as a union.

The strength of our union is in our very active membership. Events such the annual picnic and the Labor Day parade are always well attended. The Fallen Brothers Benefit supports the families of deceased members, and the BBQ Smokeout brings the Omaha area trades together for some friendly barbeque competition.

Over the year, Local 22 has enjoyed a period of steady employment. During that time, we have relied on IBEW traveling brothers and sisters to help man our work. To all travelers, past and present, we thank you!

The biggest event this year was the local's 125th Anniversary Celebration. Local members and spouses spent the evening celebrating brotherhood, craftsmanship and solidarity. Perhaps the most memorable moment was the pin ceremony. Unlike traditional pin ceremonies, the pins were presented to the members by IBEW Int. Pres. Lonnie R. Stephenson and Eleventh District Int. Vice Pres. Curtis E. Henke. That is a very distinct privilege and honor for the members who have served this Brotherhood well.

2017 was good to us and we hope the same for you.

Joel Anderson, P.S.

L.U. 24 (es,i&spa), BALTIMORE, MD — The local held its 18th Annual Family Picnic at Conrad Ruth's Villa on Aug. 13 this year. Over 1,200 members, retirees and their families were in attendance throughout the day. The weather was perfect, the food was delicious, the beer was cold and the spirit of brotherhood was strong.

On Thursday, Aug. 24, the local union held its Annual Scholarship Golf Outing. Through the hard work of those involved and all those who donated, we were once again able to award 20 $1,000 scholarships. The recipients were drawn at random at the September union meeting. Congratulations to all the recipients, listed as follows:

Gabrielle Carusos - University of Findlay; Grace Marie Garrett - Loyola University of Maryland; Megan Chaney - York College of Pennsylvania; Natalie Goscinski - Salisbury University; Kaitlyn Cooper - Harford Community College; Megan Lynch - Towson University; Matthew Demchuk - Anne Arundel Community College; Amanda McGowan - Towson University; Emma Dillon - Cecil College; Erin Rae McHale - Salisbury University; Nicole Donovan - Community College of Baltimore County; Christina Mills - Harrisburg Area Community College; Lexi Rae Evelyn - Eastern University; Daniel Pardoe - Anne Arundel Community College; Kevin France - Daytona State; Patrick Phillips - St. John's University; Noah Frankenfield - Salisbury University; Philip Prevosto IV - Green Mountain College; Mitchell Freund - Frostburg University; and Alexandra Siebenhaar - University of Maryland Baltimore County.

Peter P. Demchuk, B.M.

L.U. 26 (ees,em,es,govt,i&mt), WASHINGTON, DC — I'm sure everyone is busy getting ready for the holidays. I hope you have planned to take an evening out for some brotherhood/sisterhood and holiday cheer by attending one of our Local 26 December parties/meetings. The schedule for this year is as follows:

• Front Royal — Friday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m., at Holiday Inn Hotel Front Royal Blue Ridge Shadows, 111 Hospitality Dr., Front Royal, VA.
• Maryland — Friday, Dec. 8, at 8 p.m., at Camelot by Martin's, 13901 Central Ave., Upper Marlboro, MD.
• Roanoke — Saturday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m., at Hidden Valley Country Club, 2500 Romar Rd., Salem, VA.

We celebrated our 125th anniversary at the MGM National Harbor in September and Local 26 Vice Pres. Larry R. Greenhill Sr. kicked off our celebration by singing the national anthem (see accompanying photo).

A new three-year Teledata agreement was ratified by the members in the unit.

Our very active retirees enjoyed a 12-night cruise in August and visited Spain, France, Italy and Montenegro. They also held their annual crab feast in October and had their raffle drawing in November. They hope to cruise to Alaska in 2018.

We wish everyone a very happy and safe holiday.

Several members passed away since our last article: Robbie B. Reed, Nathan J. Jones, Robert L. Terrett, Richard D. Cates, Charles L. Main III, Joseph T. Baldwin, Francis X. Porter and Carl C. Shepherd.

Best wishes to recent retirees: Benjamin R. Spangler Jr., Jeffery E. Lee, Paul L. Borgeson, Patrick I. Main, George H. McIntire, Robert W. Kidd, Justo Ventura-Tola, Bobby C. Jacobs, Gerald A. Alleva Jr., Stephen J. Edwards, William E. Fox, Scott A. Dinneen, David R. Dawson, Paul V. Ploski, Gary W. Sherman and David D. Sherrill.

George C. Hogan, B.M.

L.U. 34 (em,i,mt,rts&spa), PEORIA, IL — As Local 34 eagerly anticipates the upcoming year, allow us to reflect on some 2017 accomplishments.

Congratulations to the following recent IBEW Local 34 retirees: Ken Swanson, Marvin Mathews, Stewart Powell, Rob Hild, Mike Christ, Mike Hall, Barry Campen, Lester Peeples, Steve Gardner Sr., Larry Hamilton, Mike Dean, Dennis Yeske, Clayton Seaton, Phil McCabe, Randy Kleist, Doug Joseph, Don Wiegand, Mike Grzywa, David McCann, Bruce Tritsch, James Mason, Tom Mattson, Emily Hauge, Brian Flemming, Bob Frietsch, John Rhoades, Ronald Hanauer, Edward Light and Darrel McIntyre Jr.

It was an honor to recognize these members at our annual awards banquet with a gold watch to commemorate their dedicated service to the IBEW as well as celebrate nearly 200 members with years-of-service pins. This event was enjoyable as always and well attended. What a great opportunity each year to reunite with familiar faces and catch up.

We also took this opportunity to honor the memory of those brothers and sisters who have gone before us. Please visit www.ibew34.org for a complete memorial list.

On behalf of the officers and staff at IBEW Local 34, we would like to extend holiday greetings to the entire IBEW and wish you a happy and prosperous new year.

Marc Burnap, P.S.

L.U. 38 (i), CLEVELAND, OHIO — Congratulations to all the Local 38 members who recently completed their apprenticeships. A special thank you to the Electrical Training Alliance Platinum Partners — Milwaukee Tool, Klein Tools, Ideal Industries and Graybar — for their continued support of the IBEW Local 38 top electrical and telecommunication graduating apprentices. Please support these vendors when making your next tool purchases.

Work has picked up in our area with the start of the Amazon fulfillment center being built at the old North Randall Mall site. Ullman Electric has the project and may have up to 100 Local 38 members working on the nearly 1 million-square-foot building. The crane is up at 515 Euclid Avenue as the new 28-story Beacon apartment building is being erected on top of the existing parking garage. Plans call for the start of the 34-story Playhouse Square apartment building to start this year as well as the renovation of the Cleveland Athletic Club, which is slated to be converted into 177 apartments.

The family Christmas party will be Sunday, Dec. 10, at the Masonic Hall. Doors open at 1 p.m.

Dennis Meaney, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 40 (em,i&mps), HOLLYWOOD, CA — Local 40 closed the summer season with a strong showing of solidarity at our annual Los Angeles Dodgers group outing. Over 80 people attended the game, and represented the local by wearing IBEW 40 themed Dodger shirts. Special thanks to our partners at Los Angeles County Chapter NECA (LA/NECA) for supporting this event. This event has continued to grow, and has provided us an opportunity to build relationships within the membership and to show others in the community what the IBEW is about.

With the holidays coming up, the local is giving back to the community, as we have continued our holiday season food and toy drives. We have challenged ourselves to help those in need. Local 40 wishes everyone in the IBEW a happy and safe holiday season, and will be celebrating the holidays at our annual "That's a Wrap!" event on Dec. 9.

Stephan Davis, R.S./B.R.

L.U. 42 (catv,em,govt,lctt&o), HARTFORD, CT — The membership of Local 42 elected Michael Treadwell as business manager on July 14, 2017.

Bus. Mgr. Treadwell has been a member of Local 42 for 20 years. He has served as an officer of the union for seven years, including six years as the local's president and referral agent. Congratulations to Bus. Mgr. Treadwell and all the newly elected officers of Local 42.

Ebony DeJesus, P.S.

L.U. 46 (as,c,cs,em,es,et,i,mar,mo,mt,rtb,rts&st), SEATTLE, WA — Seattle's SR 99 Tunnel Project began boring the 9,270-foot tunnel with "Bertha," the largest tunnel boring machine ever manufactured with a cutter head 58 feet in diameter, in July 2013. In December 2013, tunneling stopped after failure of the main bearings. Two years later, in December 2015, Bertha was repaired and tunneling resumed. Tunneling for the project was completed in April 2017 and Bertha was fully dismantled and removed by the end of August.

There is still a large amount of work on this project for our wiremen. The tunnel will have 16 electrical rooms along the 1.7-mile route. As of September, nine of these electrical rooms were under construction. Local 46 has just over 100 wiremen on the project working for two electrical contractors. The estimated completion date is early 2019.

The SR 99 Tunnel Project is being constructed under a project labor agreement (PLA). We have found that negotiating PLAs for public works projects is an excellent tool for promoting quality and ensuring that union labor is used.

If IBEW travelers are interested in working out of Local 46, please take the necessary steps to get your Washington state Journey-Level Electrician certificate before you come out. Washington does not reciprocate with any other state and there are no temporary electrical licenses. Please contact us and we will assist you with getting your Washington state license.

Warren Shill, V.P.

L.U. 50 (u), RICHMOND, VA — IBEW Local 50 Bus. Rep. Doug Williams, who also serves on the local union Executive Board, recently was honored to receive the United Way of South Hampton Roads "Labor Union Member of the Year" award.

Brother Williams is an operations mechanic and 25-year employee at Virginia Natural Gas. He is also an Eastern Virginia Labor Federation member, and serves on the Virginia AFL-CIO Executive Board.

For his entire career at VNG, Brother Williams has participated in numerous volunteer events sponsored by VNG and IBEW Local 50, including the March of Dimes Walk, the annual Polar Plunge in support of the Virginia Special Olympics and the American Heart Association, just to name a few.

As a business representative for Local 50, Brother Williams is steeped in leadership. He is committed to helping his union brothers and sisters connect to the resources they need when emergencies occur. Brother Williams inspires his fellow co-workers and union members to join in the fight for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community. He is committed to improving his community and advocates volunteerism and participation through the United Way of South Hampton Roads.

John Albert, Treas./B.R.

L.U. 58 (em,i,rtb,spa&t), DETROIT, MI — The second annual Local 58 Poker Run was held Saturday, Sept. 9. Each year we honor a fallen member who has helped change our local for the better. This year we honored Ed "Gator" Wojno.

Our 110-mile journey took us around Anchor Bay, up the St. Clair River, and to Lake Huron before ending at our Labor Temple in Port Huron.

Volunteers cooked food and held raffles for the Benevolent Fund. Bro. Jay Fiondella's band, "Crossing Woodward," provided entertainment on this beautiful Saturday. Last year the run was hindered by rain, with only 20 bikes showing up. This year there were 43 bikes, and some participants drove in their cars.

This event is an opportunity for sisters and brothers from all aspects of the trade to enjoy a ride together. Our plan is to alternate routes around town so everyone gets a chance to participate. Please look for more information as next summer approaches.

Andy E. Dunbar, Pres.

L.U. 68 (i), DENVER, CO — Greetings, brothers and sisters. Local 68 held its annual picnic on Aug. 19. It was well attended, with approximately 600 members and their families at the event. Thank you to those who donated gifts for the door prize giveaways. On behalf of Local 68, a special thanks to all those who volunteered, especially Zeb Clemenson, Chris Loza, John Michelli and John Vaticano, who helped out from start to finish. Volunteers help to make events like this successful.

On Sept. 21 and 22, the local was host to the Colorado AFL-CIO 2017 Biennial Constitutional Convention. About 150 brothers and sisters from various locals from across the state were present to help elect the leadership team that will guide our state federation for the next two years.

The Denver JEATC held a Completion Ceremony on Aug. 12 for the apprenticeship graduating class of 2017. We are glad to welcome 36 new journeyman wiremen. Congratulations to all!

We extend deepest sympathy to the families of our recently deceased brothers: Keith Liss, Joseph Slemin, Larry Shull, Richard Peck, Steven Schultz, Edward Frain, Fenton Fockler, Fred Slavsky, Norman Venard and Terry Brauch.

Morgan J. Buchanan, Pres.

L.U. 80 (i&o), NORFOLK, VA — Greetings, brothers and sisters. Local 80 would like to congratulate all our members who received their IBEW service award pins at the September union meeting. Thank you to everyone for all your service and hard work throughout the years.

Our Annual Oyster Roast was Friday, Oct. 13. We always look forward to getting all the retirees, brothers and sisters together at this event for some great food and conversations.

Our local had a slow summer this year with a lot of our work being delayed, but as of this writing we are expecting that work will pick up soon. We look forward to ending this year strong! Thank you to all our sister locals that have provided work to our brothers and sisters during this lean time.

Wil Morris, A.B.M.

L.U. 124 (ees,em,i,mar,rts,se,spa&t), KANSAS CITY, MO — The Missouri governor signed into law a "right to work" bill in February, making Missouri the 28th right-to-work state.

This happened just four weeks after the governor took office. Lightning speed for legislation to become law, but RTW has been the Republican goal for decades. Gov. Eric Greitens did campaign on passing right to work. The ink was barely dry on the RTW bill when a petition for referendum was filed. The governor awoke a sleeping giant.

Labor worked together to gather 90,000 signatures to force a statewide referendum on the issue for the November 2018 ballot. The signatures had to be gathered before the law went into effect on Aug. 28, 2017.

With large help from the IBEW, organized labor gathered more than 300,000 signatures. The signatures were delivered just 10 days before the law was scheduled to take effect.

We have secured a place on a 2018 ballot to let all the people decide on RTW, not just one man. This is going to be an expensive campaign and will take a lot of volunteers. The IBEW is once again stepping up to defeat RTW or any other legislation that strips workers' rights.

[Editor's Note: To read more, see August 2017 news article, "In Missouri, Fight Against Right-to-Work is Far from Over," posted on IBEW website at www.ibew.org/media-center/Articles.]

Steven Morales, P.S.

L.U. 126 (catv,lctt,o&t), PHILADELPHIA, PA — IBEW Local 126 welcomes 27 new apprentice line workers (pictured below). Thanks to a strong work outlook, and the demand from both existing and newly organized contractors, these apprentices are the third group of new apprentices we have indentured in 2017. Several of these apprentices have quit jobs at nonunion electrical contractors to start their new career, knowing they will be receiving better all-around training along with a strong financial package, better benefits and working conditions as members of IBEW 126. We thank all the instructors who sacrificed their weekends to provide training for these apprentices, the future of the IBEW.

Currently our members are staying very busy on several large transmission, distribution and commercial projects with overtime available for many of our members. Line clearance members have been doing a great job keeping up with the demand from our customers, while also dedicating manpower to storm relief efforts.

Michael Simmonds, B.R.

L.U. 146 (ei,i&rts), DECATUR, IL — Our collective hearts go out to all the victims of hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, as well as those affected by the earthquake and aftershocks in Mexico, and the people involved in the horrific event that took place in Las Vegas in early October.

We at Local 146 had a good spring and summer with the outage at Clinton Power Station, the windmill farm, and several other smaller projects in and around the Decatur area. More projects are yet to come in the near future.

The annual John V. Workman Steak Fry ended the summer season for us as 37 members participated in a celebration of brotherhood. Larry Lawler and Gary Eades received their 60-year service pins at the event. It is always wonderful to see the retired members and cherish the memories with them.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving with family and friends. We are embarking on yet another festive holiday season. Our December will be filled with our apprentices, and some caring and giving journeymen, lighting Decatur's Central Park. Also, we will be in the festive mood with our apprenticeship and local union Christmas parties.

Please attend as many meetings and functions as possible. We at Local 146 wish all our brothers and sisters throughout this great nation of ours a happy and safe holiday season.

Steve Tilford, R.S.

L.U. 150 (es,i,rts&spa), WAUKEGAN, IL — Come on down to the Christmas union meeting and have a chat with some of our retirees and enjoy a nice repast. This time of year is so special for so many reasons. Let's show our retirees we haven't forgotten them and the enormous contributions they have made to the success of Local 150. As always, service pins will be given to our retirees who have 50 years or more of membership in the IBEW.

Depending on when this publication arrives there may still be time to sign up for a continuing education class with the JATC. Being offered in December are classes in Building Automation II and Electrical License Exam Prep. The latter class is good for 12 CEUs upon completion.

This year we lost the following retired members: Bob West, Mickey Witten Sr., John Rivi, Chuck Conrad, Larry Mason, Eugene Timmer, Tom Repp, Russ Koch, Jim Holst, Mark Schulz, Denis Berggren, Bill Bock, Don Houghton, and Eddie Hood. We also lost active members: Eric Herman and Mark Early. We thank them for their many years of service to Local 150 and Godspeed.

Best wishes to all for a great year in 2018.

Wendy J. Cordts, P.S.

L.U. 164 (c,em,i,o&t), JERSEY CITY, NJ — As 2017 winds to a close, we would like to express our gratitude and appreciation for all the hard work and effort by the members of Local 164 to meet again, as always, the standards of excellence of quality and production that Local 164 and the IBEW are known for.

We are also grateful that this year has seen a continued improvement in our work picture and we look forward to that continuing into the new year as well.

As this year concludes and we look to 2018, Bus. Mgr. Dan Gumble, Pres. Tom Sullivan, the officers and staff of Local 164 would like to wish all our members and their families, as well as all our brothers and sisters throughout the IBEW and their families, happy holidays and a safe, happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

Warren Becker, V.P.

L.U. 212 (i), CINCINNATI, OHIO — Our local opened our own medical clinic. Members and their families have access to two Activate Healthcare medical centers. This was a joint venture with the Plumbers & Pipefitters. The clinic will provide primary and preventative care as well as free select labs, and generic drugs are also available.

Our work outlook continues to be strong. Work continues at the Ford plant and should resume at Amazon. There is also a major expansion expected at Children's Hospital.

The RENEW committee continues public outreach, and community service projects include wiring Habitat for Humanity houses and installing smoke detectors with the Red Cross.

From all the officers and staff at Local 212, we wish everyone safe and happy holidays.

Phil Bovard, P.S.

L.U. 234 (i&mt), CASTROVILLE, CA — Our local is honored to note that despite a very busy summer schedule, Bus. Mgr. Andy Hartmann was able to fit in a trip to the National Training Institute (NTI) in Ann Arbor, MI. He was able to congratulate our 2017 Outstanding Apprentice, Chris Olsen, for his week well spent there. Local 234 member Derek Webster proudly completed an NTI training program and graduated as an instructor. Additionally, we are proud of the local's joint NTI sponsorship with our Monterey Bay NECA Chapter.

We also wish to thank the Electrical Training Alliance for all they have done to provide superior training for the IBEW and NECA.

Stephen Slovacek, P.S.

L.U. 236 (catv,ees,govt,i,mo,rtb&t), ALBANY, NY — It seems that not only the summer of 2017 went by in the blink of an eye, but the entire year has gone by just as fast. But before we turn another page in our calendars, I would like to take a step back into early summer and say congratulations to the Tri-City JATC class of 2017.

On June 2, 2017, we gathered at the Desmond Hotel to honor 32 young men and women who, after five years of hard work, determination and dedication, graduated from our apprenticeship program to become our newest journeyman wiremen. Awards were presented to the following apprentices for their achievements: Clayton Wood was recognized for his service to our country, having served in the U.S. Army; Daniel Giardano received an award from the Adirondack Chapter of the International Association of Electrical Inspectors for exemplifying the highest ideals of scholarship and citizenship. Both Liam Tracy and Thomas Zink were recognized as outstanding apprentices and Kevin Clemente, with a five-year GPA of 95.65, was presented with an IBEW watch for maintaining the highest grade-point average for five years.

We wish the entire class of 2017 the best of luck and hope they enjoy a long and prosperous career in the IBEW.

Michael Torres, P.S.

L.U. 246 (ees,i,rts&spa), STEUBENVILLE, OHIO — On Aug. 5, Local 246 held its annual picnic. Attendees enjoyed great food and camaraderie with family and friends. There were multiple activities and games for the kids, as well as the adults. Pres. Frank Redmond extended a thank-you to Treas. Rob Biacco for all his help putting things together and organizing the event. Also, special thanks to Jason Ferguson, secretaries Becky Biacco and Christy Hardwick, and all the apprentices who donated their time to make this happen.

On Saturday, Sept. 30, the Steubenville JATC headed to Pittsburgh, PA, to take part in the Eaton Power Systems Technology Experience. Here our apprentices and staff took part in an interactive tour, learning some of the newest advances in electrical technology, power quality, safety, testing and performance. Asst. Training Dir. Brian Ferguson said this was a great learning experience for all and thanked all the staff at Eaton for their professionalism and making this possible.

Local 246 wishes everyone a happy holiday season!

Eric Nutter, R.S.

L.U. 266 (u), PHOENIX, AZ — Congratulations to our recent apprentice graduates as they begin their career. The graduates include nine linemen, six electricians, four metermen, four plant mechanics, one machinist, one auto mechanic, two C&M men and two cable splicers. Our 2016 Outstanding Apprentices were: Randy Carroll, Jeffrey Mutchler, Bradley Overson, Joseph Peloso and Justin Pine.

Our members have ratified a four-year contract extension with a 3 percent raise the first year and a 2.7 percent raise each year after with a wage opener only in the fourth year. We had a great turnout from our members to vote and it was passed by an overwhelming margin. Thank you to everyone who took time to vote on the contract!

During the month of September, we gained nearly 60 new members and we need everyone's help to continue to bring in new members. Strength in numbers! Please come to our monthly union meetings and get involved.

Jerry Long, B.M.

L.U. 280 (c,ees,em,es,i,mo,mt,rts&st), SALEM, OR — Solar work continues to be steady in our jurisdiction. We are finishing up the biggest solar project in Oregon — the Gala Solar Power 56-megawatt project is located southwest of Prineville. A 10-megawatt project south of Redmond off Highway 97 has also just begun construction. Mass. Electric Construction Co. from the East Coast has begun seven microgrids in the North End of the Willamette Valley at 3 megawatts per site. One will be in Local 48's jurisdiction and six in Local 280's jurisdiction. These locations include: Grand Rhonde, Salem, Turner, Woodburn, Sheridan, Silverton, McMinnville and Colton. Mass. Electric has partnered well with Local 280 brothers and sisters and the projects are off to a good start. Projections for next year are for even more solar projects by Cypress Creek Renewables, the developer.

The work picture for next year looks promising. Work at the Facebook data center could start in March, as well as the $200 million Science Research buildings next to the University of Oregon campus. Manpower will be at a premium by the spring. Our organizing continues to be strong and we are making progress in the central Oregon market. Newly rented space in central Oregon will help better train our workforce locally, keeping an eye on the future needs of this area.

As of Jan. 1, 2018, our scale will be $41.85 on the check. Hopefully this will help to man the work and continue to take on unrepresented workers into the Brotherhood. I thank the entire Local 280 membership for what they do to help our mission as organized labor.

Best wishes for the new year to all!

Drew Lindsey, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 292 (em,govt,i,rtb,rts&spa), MINNEAPOLIS, MN — IBEW Local 292 wishes to recognize Bro. Ted Swenson for 39 years of service as an IBEW member, including three years as a business representative. Fellow Bus. Rep. John Kripotos said it best: "When Ted was running work, we never needed to appoint a steward to his jobsite." We welcome Dave Frary as Ted's replacement as business representative.

Derrick Givens was hired as Local 292's Limited Energy representative and will also oversee several stand-alone contracts.

Congratulations to Derrick Atkins, who was appointed director of our Inside JATC. He is a wealth of knowledge and will undoubtedly be an invaluable asset moving forward.

Our work picture continues to be strong due to many solar farm projects and work leading up to Super Bowl 52.

Eric Peterson, B.R.

L.U. 300 (govt,i,mt&u), MONTPELIER, VT — I would like to congratulate all the women and men of Local 300 and their respective bargaining groups for their ability and leadership during the many successful negotiation sessions this past year. Don't worry, we still have many to follow. We have had a number of groups enlist the next generation of union leaders within their respective bargaining units to train, educate, enlighten and in some cases pass the torch so that we may continue to thrive, prosper and support our fellow sisters and brothers in our pursuit of a better America. Job well done.

"Be, Know, Do" (BKD) is a holistic goal of leadership developed by the military which focuses on character and values (Be), competencies (Know) and decision and actions (Do). This system conveys the concept that people act and react in situations and perform tasks or feats of heroism because of the belief that others would do it for them. What an amazing feeling. This model continues to thrive outside the traditional military realm into our business focused society.

Have an amazing holiday season and see you in 2018.

Jeffrey C. Wimette, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 302 (i,rts&spa), MARTINEZ, CA — On Sept. 15 this year, our local had its 67th Annual Old Timers Dinner. We had many members in attendance. That night at the dinner, two months after his 100th birthday, retiree Al Kuchins was presented his IBEW 75-year pin. He was accompanied by his son Dave, who is also a member of our local.

Also at the dinner was one of our retired business managers and former international representative, John Hunter. John received his 60-year pin. He spent many years serving our local and the IBEW. Thank you, John, for all the great things you've done as a member of Local 302.

On Oct. 27 one of our secretaries, Joan Courtney, retired. Joan came to work at our local in June of 1996. Joan has spent over two decades helping our members and making all our lives easier. All our members would like to thank her and wish her a very happy and well-deserved retirement.

Also in October at our local meeting we obligated a new class of inside wireman apprentices. Congratulation to all our new apprentices and those who became members of the IBEW this year.

Tom Hansen, B.M.

L.U. 332 (c,ees,i&st), SAN JOSE, CA — During Local 332's recent election season, 38 brothers and sisters accepted nomination for leadership positions within the local. We are very fortunate to have this level of participation and thank each of those members for their dedication to the future of our local. After the ballots were cast and counted, we welcomed a new business manager, president and vice-president, as well as some new members on our Executive and Examining Boards, to their respective leadership positions.

Like many locals, our demographic is changing. To ensure stability and growth, we are working to get our younger members more involved in the union. Engaging the next generation of leaders and promoting the values of unionism and our IBEW Code of Excellence are paramount to the future of our local and our union. To help accomplish this, we continue to embrace national-level programs such as EWMC and RENEW. Additionally, to further strengthen the bonds of brotherhood, we also have established a Building Unity Group and a Veterans Committee. We hope that with these extra efforts we can continue to promote a shared community within the local.

Andrew Rogers, P.S.

L.U. 340 (i,rts&spa), SACRAMENTO, CA — Sacramento is on the move. Our employers have procured contracts over the next 18 months that will need anywhere from 300 to 500 additional electricians. We are also in the process of solidifying $2 billion to $3 billion worth of work under project labor agreements (total construction) just in the greater Sacramento area alone. That should give you an idea of how fast Local 340 is growing and will continue to grow.

With that growth in mind, we recently received approval to purchase a new building and property to fit our expanding needs. Our current building at El Centro Road has served us very well over the years, but we have outgrown it and it just has too many structural problems to justify costly repairs due to the rapidly shifting ground in the Natomas area. We hope to move the business offices and local union hall into the new building by the start of the second quarter of 2018. It consists of over 40,000 square feet of very usable space and will comfortably house not only our local team, but also the Trust Office, the LMCC office and hopefully within the next year, the JATC offices and Training Center.

Rest in peace to Brothers Ron Manas, Walt McCurry, Jack Melton, Zachary Pugh, Chuck Row and James Valentine.

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season and much success in the new year.

Robert D. Ward, B.M.

L.U. 350 (i), HANNIBAL, MO — Congratulations to Local 350 retired member William Oltman, who received his 70-year IBEW service award in August this year.

His son Terry Oltman and his grandson John Oltman are also Local 350 members. The three Oltman family members have a combined total of 127 years of service with the IBEW.

William Tate, B.M.

L.U. 364 (catv,ees,em,es,i,mt,rts&spa), ROCKFORD, IL — IBEW Local 364's annual Kid's Christmas Party was scheduled for Dec. 2 this year with well over 300 members and their families anticipated to attend. This event is one of 364's most highly attended events, as well as our special visit by Santa Claus, performed by retired Bro. Howard "Tyler" Hillman. "San Ty" Claus handles his role with perfection, taking time to visit with each child and pose for all photographs, and we are very thankful for his dedicated service doing this over the years.

Work remains strong in Local 364. We completed a successful refuel outage at Byron in October and have both OSF and Mercy Health hospitals moving along. The work picture for 2018 remains solid as these projects will carry over into 2018, as well as an expansion planned for our third hospital, Swedish American. We thank all our traveling brothers and sisters who have worked in our jurisdiction during these busy times.

As we close out 2017, IBEW Local 364 has celebrated throughout the year its 100th anniversary with a picnic, a formal dinner and gift bags commemorating our first 100 years. For our members it truly was a historic year and here's to 100 more!

Brad Williams, P.S.

L.U. 474 (em,i,lctt,o,rtb,rts,spa&u), MEMPHIS, TN — The road to journeyman wireman status in Memphis now includes a new state-of-the-art training facility.

Instructors, board members and officers gathered on Sept. 8 for the grand opening of the new Memphis JATC Training Center to present their hard work. Local 474 officers, contractors, vendors and local dignitaries explored the classrooms and labs before enjoying a generous buffet. The main event was a series of speakers against a backdrop of hand benders and conduit vices; the audience sitting at tables dispersed among fabrication tables topped with sidewinder benders and various other tools of the trade.

Attendees heard from local leadership, including Pres. Glenn Greenwell, Bus. Mgr. Paul Shaffer and Training Dir. Clovis Brown. The International Office was represented with remarks by Int. Pres. Lonnie R. Stephenson, Int. Sec.-Treas. Kenneth W. Cooper and Tenth District Int. Vice Pres. Brent E. Hall. The opening was a great success, but a shadow hung over the celebration as we took time to honor the memory of longtime IBEW member and training committee member Bro. Allen Anderson, who died the previous week. Bro. Anderson's committee position was rightly filled by his best friend, Bro. Lee Jolly. [Editor's Note: To read more, see news story "Memphis Local Celebrates New Training Center," posted on the IBEW website at www.ibew.org/media-center/articles.]

Young electricians are also looking forward to the advent of this local's Renew/NexGen Chapter, which will be up and running by the time this article is published. Local organizer Noel Sherman spearheaded an effort to get our very first class of construction electricians (CEs) training to achieve journeyman wireman classification.

Jay DeWitt, P.S.

L.U. 530 (i,o&rtb), SARNIA, ONTARIO, CANADA — With the Christmas season fast approaching, our local is once again collecting nonperishable goods for The Inn of the Good Shepherd. We have all had a good year so let's do our best to help the less fortunate in our community. All donations can be dropped off at the hall during regular business hours.

Our Health and Welfare Committee recently coordinated Local 530's purchase of a new building, hence a new home for our local's office. It is located at 128 Kendall St., Point Edward. The new building has greater room for offices, storage, and training facilities. After renovations the move will take place, hopefully in the spring of 2018.

With our recent short-term excess of work, we'd like to thank the members of other locals helping us man our jobs.

Local 530 is saddened by the recent passing of Bros. Kenny Ladouceur and Ray Roy.

Al Byers, P.S.

L.U. 558 (catv,em,i,lctt,mt,o,rtb,rts,spa&u), SHEFFIELD, AL — Greetings, brothers and sisters.

On Aug. 26, 2017, the Annual Chris Williamson Wild Game Fest was held in Florence, AL. This is an event that not only brings honor to our fallen brother Chris, but also raises money for many needy families. The event this year raised over $29,000, which should bring assistance to over 500 local families.

But more importantly for this article, one of the 11 objectives of the IBEW Constitution was fulfilled by Bro. John Hirleman of Pittsburgh, PA, IBEW Local 5.

Bro. Hirleman had the distinct honor of hanging a lantern in honor of Chris at a Fallen Lineman Ceremony the year Chris passed. Subsequently, Bro. Hirleman also contacted our local and provided photographs of the ceremony commemorating this event. Last year he made a donation to the event and this year he drove from Pennsylvania to north Alabama and met the Williamson family.

This is a clear display of brotherhood, respect and honor. Our local union and the Williamson family will forever be grateful for this man's courage and sacrifice, but more importantly, the lesson to assist each other in sickness or distress. There are no jurisdictional lines, nor any borders that should restrain any member from fulfilling his/her obligation to those in need.

Tony Quillen, Pres./A.B.M.

L.U. 636 (as,catv,em,spa&u), TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA — On July 12 this year, Local 636 Vice Pres. Tim Stratichuk and Executive Board Rep. Steve Air presented Rob Ellis of MySafeWork with a cheque for $13,400.

On June 10, Local 636 along with co-host Nexans held our annual Local 636 golf tournament in Guelph, Ontario, at the Springfield Golf and Country Club. Benefit proceeds were donated to MySafeWork,

At the age of 18 David Ellis, son of Rob Ellis, was killed in a nonunion workplace accident. He was given limited training and zero supervision. It was his second day on the job. After his son's death, Rob Ellis founded MySafeWork, a non-profit organization and registered charity, and started educating young workers about their rights.

Local 636 has been raising money for MySafeWork since 2007. Local 636 would like to thank Nexans for co-hosting the tournament. We also thank all the hole sponsors, donors of items for the raffle table and the Local 636 staff and members who organized the event. We look forward to another successful event in 2018!

Melissa Ellis, P.S.

L.U. 640 (em,govt,i,mo,mt,rts,spa&u), PHOENIX, AZ — Greetings, brothers and sisters. On Sept. 29 and 30, Local 640 and NECA held our second job fair this year, which once again was a success. With the help of our fellow Seventh District locals and the International, we had around 90 applicants.

We had our Local 640 scholarship drawing Aug. 21 and the winners were: Lauren Hutchinson, Ivannah Reveles, Zeanna Hawk, Adrian Rice and Kaylyn Cissne. The alternates were: Sarah Sanchez and Nicolas Tarango.

The work picture in our jurisdiction is very strong, and the books should stay pretty open for the foreseeable future.

Tim Wilson, B.R./P.S.

L.U. 666 (i,mt&o), RICHMOND, VA — The Annual Awards Ceremony at the end of September was the 51st for our local! Thirty-four more apprentices topped out — congratulations to them all! For the December 2016 graduating class, the Outstanding Apprentice was Clifton I. Robins. Rebecca J. Dickerson was the Outstanding Apprentice for the June 2017 class.

Fifty-eight members were awarded IBEW service pins this year — and 40 of those were for 40 or more years of service! Members with 70 years of service: William A. Bigley and Hugh S. Warinner. Awarded 65-year pins were: Raymond L. Carlton and Kessler M. Shelton. Nine members had 60 years of service: Richard D. Johnson, Kenneth W. Keeton, William K. Mooney, W. Joseph Nash, Charles M. Page, Albert J. Powell, Earl A. Sale, William H. Walton and Vallie E. Wilkinson. The 55-year members were: James E. Atkinson, Richard D. Donovan, Robert T. Massie, Thomas A. Turner and James A. Weaver. Cecil K. Kimble marks 50 years of service this year.

Charles Skelly, P.S.

L.U. 692 (i,mt&spa), BAY CITY, MI — Merry Christmas, brothers and sisters. This year is almost done. I hope all is well with everyone, as the time has rushed by us once again.

All I want for Christmas is a Democratic victory in 2018. How much more hatred can we endure? Trump has nothing to call an accomplishment — it's just attack, attack, stirring up simmering racism and hatred, instead of trying to unite our country. He says his tax plan won't benefit the rich at all; well, read it and you will see that the rich get almost all the benefit, adding trillions to the deficit. Don't believe what he says, watch what he does, and see which America he wants to make great again.

Congratulations to our local's shooting team at the Union Sportsmen's Alliance 5th Annual Michigan State BCTC Sporting Clay Shoot. The following Local 692 members took second place in Class B: Kyle Crete, Nick Tobolski, Jeff Wilcox and Mike Haskins.

We regret to inform you of the death of retired member Michael "Mike" Arnold, who passed away Sept. 23, 2017.

Mark Thompson, P.S.

L.U. 702 (as,c,catv,cs,em,es,et,govt,i,it,lctt,mo,mt,o,p,pet,ptc,rtb,rts,se, spa,st, t,u,uow&ws), WEST FRANKFORT, IL — On Sept. 21, we were honored to host the inaugural Union Sportsmen's Alliance Southern Illinois Conservation Dinner. It was a great success with over 300 attending, and netted $95,000, due to the terrific support of the Illinois IBEW locals through table sponsorships and participation.

On Sept. 8, our Ameren Illinois membership ratified a new three-year agreement by a 66 percent margin, with annual wage increases of 2.5 percent, retroactive to Aug. 1 of this year.

In a bid to retake a seat in the Illinois House of Representatives, Local 702 Bus. Rep. Jason Woolard has announced his candidacy for the 117th District. Jason is the right voice for working families in the area, and our local is proud to support his candidacy.

Bro. Scott Kerley continues developing the local's Lineman Training Facility. The property has been brought to grade, gravel roads installed, the ground seeded, and over 20 poles set for use.

On Aug. 26, Local 702 held a Journeyman Lineman Graduation Ceremony to recognize members who completed their apprentice lineman training in 2016 and so far in 2017. Twenty graduates topped out in 2016, and 21 have topped out thus far in 2017, as of this writing. Attending the graduation ceremony (see accompanying photo) were: 2016 graduates Ethan Robinson, Kye Worthen, Andrew O'Connor, Ryan Pyatt, Mark Uhles, Adam Hagen, Brian Dirden, Wayne Taylor and Kyle Merkel; and 2017 graduates Billy Hofman, Logan Tripp, Ethan Fulk, Chris Benefield, Justin Marks, Jared Brown, Ryan Barrett, Tyler Lashbrook, Tyler Cole, Ryan Fraulini, Timothy Wiley, Kenny Sprehe, Lloyd Billingsley, Tyler Meseke and Derek Hagen.

At this writing, our referral books are: Inside Construction — 109, Outside Construction — 3, Line Clearance — 2.

Mark Baker, B.R./P.S.

L.U. 760 (i,lctt,o,rts,spa&u), KNOXVILLE, TN — A special thank you goes out to former president Lonnie Hunley, along with good wishes for a happy retirement.

The local thanks Bro. Hunley for over 50 years of loyal service to the IBEW and Local 760. He has been and will always be a part of the labor movement that helped secure the cornerstones of the middle-class security that bear the union label. You will be missed, Bro. Hunley, but you will always be part of the Brotherhood and your contributions will always stand out. "No man who continues to add something to the material, intellectual and moral well-being of the place in which he lives is left long without proper reward." – Booker T. Washington

Jason Leary, A.B.M./Organizer

L.U. 968 (catv,i,mt,o,rts,spa&t), PARKERSBURG, WV — Local 968 held its Annual Picnic Saturday, Sept. 16. Over 100 attended, enjoying the food and activities. Special thanks to Boy Scout Troop 129 and their leader Allen Lloyd, a Local 968 member, and his wife, Denise, for taking charge of the children's games. Retired member Jack McCoy of the Nemesis Shriners Clown Unit entertained all attendees. This year's winners of the Corn Hole Tournament were Dave Lamp Jr. and son Aaron Lamp. Bingo players won a lot of prizes. Doug Spears was presented his retiree watch. Jason Boudreau was recognized as the Outstanding Apprentice for the apprenticeship graduating class of 2017. It was also great to see many Local 968 retirees at the picnic (see accompanying photo).

Apprentice graduates for 2017 are: Brandon Boso, Jason Boudreau, William Cates, Jeremy Cunningham, Michael McGee, Josh Payne and William Westbrook.

Lynford C. Lovell, B.M.

L.U. 1116 (em,lctt&u), TUCSON, AZ — Organizing was a focus for us this year, and as of this writing, we are up by 24 members. We will continue to work on organizing new members in 2018.

Several members from all units traveled to conferences this year, including the District Progress Meeting and Women's Caucus, Line Clearance Council, Membership Development Conference, Gas Conference and the CSR Summit. Members who attended conferences brought their newfound knowledge back to their co-workers.

At press time, negotiations are finishing up for TRICO and Asplundh. Tucson Electric Power (TEP) and Unisource Energy (UNS) contracts will be negotiated in 2018. We successfully organized an additional Asplundh unit in 2017, and we welcome them to our brotherhood.

Both TRICO and TEP sent teams to the International Lineman's Rodeo this year. This is a first-time event for the TRICO members.

We want to recognize our UNS Gas Inc. members, who worked so diligently to keep their systems safe and operational during the summer 2017 forest fires and subsequent flooding in northern Arizona. We also thank TEP members who traveled to the Turks and Caicos Islands to assist with hurricane recovery; we appreciate their willingness to go and share the IBEW's commitment to excellence outside of their regular lives and jobs.

Regular unit meetings are at 6 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month. Our members are the fuel that make the IBEW car run. Please attend meetings when you can. Springerville unit meetings are at 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month.

We wish all our members and their families a wonderful holiday season. Have a safe and happy new year.

Sharon Williams, P.S.

L.U. 1466 (u), COLUMBUS, OHIO — Local 1466 would like to thank all our members and their families who came out to our annual Fall Family Gathering in September. Despite the unseasonably warm weather, we had a great turnout. This event continues to grow and is always popular with our membership. We also thank the Executive Board for planning the gathering and making sure everything went off without a hitch. It truly would not have been the success that it was without your hard work. We hope everyone had a great time and enjoyed the event!

We also want to say how much we appreciate everyone working safe this year and looking out for each other. For our members, taking care of each other is something we live by and practice every day.

We wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy holiday season!

Jimi Jette, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 1, ST. LOUIS, MO — Holiday greetings from St. Louis Local 1 retirees.

Congratulations to all involved for getting enough signatures to put a referendum on the November 2018 ballot to overturn the so-called "right-to-work" law that was passed by the Republicans in the Missouri Legislature. Remember to make sure your family and friends are registered to vote. [Editor's Note: To read more, see August 2017 news article, "In Missouri, Fight Against Right-to-Work is Far from Over," posted on IBEW website at www.ibew.org/media-center/Articles.]

The 2017 Labor Day parade and the picnic afterward were a great success. Thanks to all who helped with the festivities. Reminiscing with brothers and sisters I've worked with over the years was amazing.

I hope everyone attended the health fair that Local 1 had in October.

Stay warm and good wishes to all for 2018. Talk to you next year.

Neal McCormack, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, NORTH NEW JERSEY CHAPTER — Greetings! Our group enjoyed a great summer, followed by a busy, fun, warm fall season! Many of us took a lovely three-day bus trip to Boston in October, which included visits to locations such as the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum, Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, the ship USS Constitution ("Old Ironsides"), and many historical sites such as Lexington, Concord and Minute Man National Park! Great, fun trip!

We also enjoyed our fall luncheon at Bellisimo's Ristorante in Montvale, NJ, and a great bus trip to the Mount Airy Lodge in Pennsylvania. We enjoyed a great show there as well, "A Musical Tribute to Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons!"

We extend belated congratulations to member Joseph L. Petrucci on receiving his 50-year service award honors at the IBEW awards luncheon.

We look forward to our Holiday Gala Celebration at the beautiful Season's Catering facility in December.

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season and new year!

John Krison, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, WESTCHESTER / PUTNAM CHAPTER — This year's visit to the Long Island Educational Center turned out to be a huge success, despite threatening weather on the Tuesday we were there.

The classes on general wellness and nutrition presented on Tuesday and Wednesday were, as always, educational and informative. Joint Industry Board (JIB) Wellness Coordinator Judy Blades and nutritionist Erica Vinas are extremely knowledgeable in their respective fields, and were quite entertaining.

Bill Hightower and his crew, as always, did a terrific job with the barbecue. We all enjoyed a dinner of barbecued chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, sausage and peppers, and assorted salads. Fortunately, the weather held up, which allowed for a very enjoyable evening.

Our spare time was spent visiting the highly acclaimed local wineries and restaurants.

Dick Mills, Treas.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 11, LOS ANGELES, CA — We would like to invite our local retirees and guests to the Retirees Club Winter/Holiday Luncheon scheduled for Dec. 13 this year, at 11 a.m., at Taix French Restaurant in Los Angeles. The cost of the luncheon is $25.

For additional Information about the luncheon or information about the Retirees Club, contact us by email at RetireesClubIBEW11@gmail.com or attend a 10 a.m. meeting at the ETI on the second Wednesday of every month.

Al Etherton, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 26, WASHINGTON, DC — Yes, we did it! The local celebrated its 125th anniversary, and the Retired Members Club was there with members — and with gifts in the "goodie bag" as a reminder from us to them. We also visited the MGM National Harbor hotel and casino, built by Local 26!

In October we celebrated at our Annual RMC Crab Feast with 130 retired and active members, their families and friends. If you plan to be in the area on the second Saturday in October 2018, please contact us and join us!

Also at the Crab Feast, we celebrated the 89th birthday of Annie Gregory, a faithful member of the club, as was her deceased husband, retired member Greg Gregory.

We are already filling cabins for the next cruise to Alaska! Limited space is left, but if you are still interested, please contact our travel coordinator, retired Bro. Rick Warner at 240-272-0438.

At this writing, we were making plans to draw the winner of our raffle at our November meeting and celebrate the holidays. We wish all IBEW members happy holidays! Wonderful regular volunteers help us set up, serve and clean up after our meetings. You are very much appreciated!

News from our local's recent Union Sportsmen's Alliance dinner, which our club helps support: Ann Stokes, wife of retired member Ron Stokes, won one of 50 chances (nationwide) to attend the Super Bowl game. We hope she wins! Also at that dinner, retired member Mike Shoemaker (former Local 26 financial secretary) won the 50/50 drawing.

Susan Flashman, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 35, HARTFORD, CT — As the holidays approach, let us think of our loved ones, past and present. Please take the time to show them how much you appreciate them in your daily life.

Dennis Machol, president of the Retirees Club, and I were invited to speak to the first-year apprentices when they started classes this year. We explained to the apprentices the excellent benefits of being a part of the IBEW and that the electrical trade is one of the best. We discussed the spirit of brotherhood, the value of helping each other during work and school, and respecting each other. With their hard work and dedication, they will reap the benefits of the union such as pension, annuity, and excellent health coverage in their career. The people sitting in their class will be the future of this local.

Congratulations to our Retirees Club members who received their 50-year pins! They are: Concetto "Sal" Puzzo, Cliff Good, Charlie Agnew, Carmen Scollo, Greg Buell, John "Skip" McCue, Dennis Machol, Richard Dion and Tom Coffey.

The Retirees Club celebrated our annual luncheon at Adams Mill Restaurant on Oct. 25. We thank Local 35 for their generosity in hosting the luncheon.

Kenneth R. White, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 53, KANSAS CITY, MO — Well, brothers and sisters, it's hard to believe, but another year has come and gone. It was a good year for the most part. However, our Republican state senators and representatives passed so-called "right to work" legislation and the Republican governor couldn't wait to sign it. Through a lot of hard work by all the unions to gather enough petition signatures, we were able to stop RTW from going into effect and get it put on the November 2018 ballot to allow the people to decide whether we become a "right-to-work" state. Now the real work begins, educating the people on what this anti-worker legislation really means: Right to Work for Less! [Editor's Note: To read more, see August 2017 news article, "In Missouri, Fight Against Right-to-Work is Far from Over," posted on IBEW website at www.ibew.org/media-center/Articles.]

We had another great Crappie Tournament and Fish Fry this year. If you have never attended one, you need to come next year, on June 9, for our 30th annual.

We also celebrated the 100th anniversary of Local 53 this year. A big thank you to all our brothers and sisters who made our first 100 years so successful, and best wishes to our current and future members who will lead us into the next 100 years.

On a sad note, we lost three retired brothers: Dick Williams, Paul "Hillbilly" McGowan and Cliff Santanen. RIP.

Best wishes for the holidays!

Duane Pearce, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 60, SAN ANTONIO, TX — Our club's first meeting after the summer break was Sept. 14. After reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and the prayer, everyone enjoyed a lunch of barbecue chicken and sausage. A business meeting was conducted by club Pres. Coy Rogers after lunch, outlining the agenda for the next nine months and asking for volunteers to perform certain duties.

Club members voted for this year's Christmas project to be "Construct a Kids Christmas," headed by chairperson Betty Cannon. After the November meeting, Miss Cannon delivered all the unwrapped gifts donated by the members to the Construct a Kids Christmas headquarters.

Sometime in late April next year, the club will host its annual fundraiser golf tournament at Devine Golf Course in Devine, TX. Details are still in the planning stages and will be posted in Local 60's newsletter when finalized. Club members are extremely thankful for the help of all those who donate toward the tournament, making each year a bigger and better experience.

If you are a retired member from Local 60, please join us on the second Thursday of each month at 12 noon, at the Plumbers and Pipefitters training building, 3630 Belgium Lane.

Happy holidays!

Sandy Rogers, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 90, NEW HAVEN, CT — On Oct. 5 this year, our local honored seven gentlemen who officially retired from the IBEW Local 90. The dinner was held at the WoodWinds in Branford, CT, where the following members were honored: Stephen Corrone, John Deschamps, David Garstka, Gary McGowan, Garry Moran, Michael Piersanti and Robert Seaman. We thank them for their service and wish them good health and good fortune in the years to come. We would also like to invite them to join our Retirees Club. We meet the first Tuesday of each month, except July and August, at 2 North Plains Industrial Rd., Wallingford, CT, at 1:30 p.m.

At this writing, we were looking forward to our Annual Retirees Holiday Luncheon, scheduled for Dec. 5 this year at Fantasia in North Haven, CT. This is always a great event enjoyed by all. Many thanks to Pres. Robert Mantovani, Rose Kirby, the officers and committee for a great time.

In closing, we wish all our brothers and sisters everywhere a happy and joyous holiday season and a prosperous new year.

Richard Launder, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 105, HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA — By the time you read this, it will be December. Merry Christmas to all our brothers and sisters and wishing each of you the very best in 2018!

We have good news and sad news to share. Our longtime Local 105 Retirees Club president, Harry Allan, has decided to step down. The good news is that he will stay on as vice president and assist our new president, Bro. George Gower (to be pictured in our next article).

We recently have enjoyed many activities and look forward to many upcoming activities and outings scheduled for the winter months. They are far too numerous to mention here, as we are a busy group. All these activities are outlined in our newsletters.

At the time of this writing, we are electing a new Executive Board for our Local 105 Retirees Club. This is an exciting time for all of us as we enter this new chapter!

Remember our motto: "Don't Wait … Participate!"

All the above-mentioned club events were made possible by our hard-working local members and Executive Board, past and new. Our sincerest thanks to every one of them!

Eden McLean, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 134, CHICAGO, IL — Happy holidays to all IBEW members and their families.

A gracious lady, Mrs. Gerry White, wife of electrician retiree Allen White, has stepped down from our Retirees Clubs Program Committee. For the past 12 years, Gerry has worked hard setting up our parties, getting interesting speakers for our monthly meetings, and planning our fun and educational field trips and outings. On behalf of the entire Retirees Club … we all thank you for doing such an outstanding job these past 12 years, Gerry!

This has been a year of many tragic events, and my heart goes out to all the people affected by the hurricanes that devastated several southern Gulf Coast states and tropical islands. The forest fires in the West destroyed thousands of homes, beautiful vineyards, and acres of forestry. The senseless loss of life and injury caused by mass shootings, which have affected so many innocent people and their families, has also been heartbreaking. Our country needs more love and peace.

Best wishes to everyone for a safe holiday and a happier new year.

Sue Kleczka, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 212, CINCINNATI, OHIO — Our Club Picnic and the Local 212 Annual Summer Picnic have both come and gone, and I trust everyone had a great time at them. Check out the Local 212 website for pictures of the events at www.ibewlocal212.com.

Dec. 6 is the date of our Annual Christmas Party at The Meadows in Addiston. This is always a great time to renew old friendships and make new friends. Attendees are encouraged to bring a toy for the needy children in our area.

Our deepest sympathy to the families and loved ones of recently departed longtime brothers, as follows: Donald Pape, who was an IBEW member for 71 years; Howard Stapleton, a member for 66 years; Herbert Messer, for 58 years; John "Pat" Brennen, 57 years; Benjamin Harris, 22 years; and Daniel Hennegan, a member for 22 years. We will miss them all. May God grant them eternal rest.

Welcome to new members: Dan Scheilder, Bob Doerger, Tom Doerger, Barry Gay and Bob Scherpenberg.

I wish all IBEW families a merry Christmas and a healthy, happy new year.

FYI - January is a great time to join the Retirees Club. We meet the first Wednesday of every month, at 11 a.m., at the local union hall in Sharonville.

Bob Schaefer, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 257, JEFFERSON CITY, MO — The Retirees Club met for our monthly luncheon meeting on Oct. 31 at the Claysville Store Restaurant in Claysville, MO. The restaurant is owned by Local 257 member Mark Hooibrink and his wife, Laura. We appreciate them letting our group come, and we look forward to it every year.

On Aug. 18, Missouri unions and allies marched at the Capitol in Jefferson City and submitted 311,000 petition signatures to the Missouri Secretary of State's office in a campaign to repeal the Missouri "right-to-work" law passed by the Missouri legislature. Approximately 100,000 signatures were needed to force a statewide referendum on the issue for the November 2018 ballot. [Editor's Note: To read more, see August 2017 news article, "In Missouri, Fight Against Right-to-Work is Far from Over," posted on IBEW website at www.ibew.org/media-center/Articles.]

In September we participated in the Labor Day parade. Thanks to Jerry Rehagen for the use of his truck and trailer and to all members who handed out candy.

The annual Local 257 picnic was Sept. 16. Several retirees received service pins at the picnic: 65-year member Herbert Bruemmer; 50-year members Kenneth Schulte and Fredrick Vanloo; 45-year member Mark Trippensee; and 40-year members Ronald Martin and John Sudbrock.

Our membership collected enough money to purchase a brick engraved with the name "L.U. 257 Retirees Club" to be installed at the Henry Miller Museum in St. Louis.

Sadly, our member Della Faye Pauley passed away July 22. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family.

The Christmas luncheon and auction is Dec. 5 this year.

Delores Melloway, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 353, TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA — The Local 353 Retirees Club enjoyed a very successful 2017. Events included two Kidney Clothes Drives, spring and fall, to benefit kidney patients and their families, as well as a Kidney Walk team sponsored by Local 353 that raised over $2,800.

We enjoyed the Kitchener Local 804 Retirees Oktoberfest. At this writing we were looking forward to the St. Catharines Local 303 Dinner/Dance.

Our Annual Christmas Dinner/Dance will entertain approximately 700 retirees and guests including those from Hamilton Local 105, London Local 120, St. Catharines Local 303, and Kitchener Local 804.

These cooperative events started from friendships developed many years ago and have become highlights on our annual events lists.

Now that our local's new office/training centre in Oshawa has opened, it is hoped that the Local 353 retired members who reside in the East area will have enough interest to also start a group similar to that in the North unit that meets monthly.

This new facility not only brings quality training to the east area but also provides growth opportunities for the future.

The Local 353 Retirees Club, supported by our working members and officers, wishes all IBEW locals and their retirees a merry Christmas and a happy, healthy new year.

Robert Rynyk, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 530, SARNIA, ONTARIO, CANADA — As I wrote in my last article, our Retirees Club members enjoyed several good outings this summer. In particular, the tour of the Fairbank Oil Fields was very educational with everyone coming away with a thorough knowledge of how Oil Springs, Ontario, played a major role in the oil industry in its infancy.

Looking ahead, we have our Annual Christmas Dinner on Dec. 14. This event always follows our regular December retirees meeting and is always well attended.

To cap off our year, we are invited to attend the Local 530 Annual Dinner Dance banquet. At this event service pin awards are presented. This year we have 17 men receiving 50-year pins, one man receiving a 55-year pin, and, most noteworthy, two men receiving 65-year pins: Maurice Auger and Ross Smith. Congratulations to all recipients.

On behalf of the Local 530 Retirees Club, Merry Christmas to all and good wishes for health and happiness in the new year. Until next time.

Nancy Stinson Philbin, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 570, TUCSON, AZ — On Oct. 12, 2017, Southern Arizona NECA sponsored a luncheon for the Retired Members Club to celebrate the life of one of our departed retired members, the late Bro. Ed Gilbert.

Bro. Gilbert became an IBEW member in 1962. He worked in the trade until 1968, when he became the sole proprietor of Gilbert Electric and signed a Letter of Assent. In 1974, Gilbert Electric became a corporation and is an active union contractor to this day.

Bro. Gilbert sold Gilbert Electric and in 1993 became the NECA chapter manager and the apprenticeship training director, serving until he retired in 2008. Bro. Gilbert passed away on April 8, 2017, and would have received his 55-year membership pin this year. The service award was presented posthumously to his wife, Debbie.

Bus. Mgr. Chuck Grube also awarded service pins to: 50-year members Bro. Dale Simpson and Bro. David Pear; 55-year member Bro. George Cooper; and 60-year member Bro. Donald Roussard.

A large turnout for the occasion included: members, contractors, NECA representatives J. T. Osborn and Cindy Flowers, Apprenticeship Training Dir. Karen King, retired Local 570 business mangers Horace Bounds, Jack Scott and Bill Turner, and longtime Local 570 office manager Mary Brown, now retired.

Bill Turner, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 595, DUBLIN, CA — We had a fabulous summer of activities including monthly day trips, themed lunches and an awesome summer barbecue. We had our incredible day on the bay for Fleet Week. We enjoyed a champagne buffet aboard our Hornblower yacht and a show from our Navy pilots, the Blue Angels, as well as their counterparts from Canada, the Snowbirds. Pres. Jim Abreu and Treas. Linda Bratset, along with our secretary and Executive Board, are all doing a great job leading our club.

Our Christmas luncheon will be at the Fremont Elk's Lodge on Dec. 11, just a few days after Old Timer's Night, two "must-attend" events. Centerpieces are being designed and Jim Baker has sold thousands of chances to win the many prizes procured by our shopping elves for the big raffle.

Linda announced our upcoming trips for the winter including: a visit to the Guide Dogs for the Blind campus, Poinsettia's, Cheese and Chocolates in December, Santa Clara Crime Lab in January and a trip in February to the Boudin Bakery Museum at Fisherman's Wharf. We will cap off the winter with our annual three-day train trip to Reno.

Our hearts go out to all who suffered losses from the floods and hurricanes as well as the recent fires near our jurisdiction. We passed the jar and sent funds through the Red Cross to those affected. Members also brought needed items to the union hall to assist with our young active members' project to deliver a truckload of supplies to fire victims. We pray for a swift recovery for Executive Board member John Jagels. Get will soon, John.

Tom Mullarkey, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 611, ALBUQUERQUE, NM — Local 611's Summer Picnic at the Jemez Cooperative Picnic Grounds in September was a great success. Attendees enjoyed music, raffle gifts and food. Our own Local 611 Pres. Ruben Romero won a large TV at the end. It was good to see the kids and families enjoying the games and events, and good to see so many retirees, although not all wanted their picture taken. I was impressed to witness our younger local union members assisting older members and their families with food, chairs, etc. — a great example of "brothers helping brothers." Thanks to all who went out of your way to help others — this made everything perfect.

We hope any of our IBEW members and their families who were affected by the latest hurricanes are surviving and getting their lives back to order, and helping each other along the way. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you in your struggle.

Our condolences to the families of retirees who recently passed on: W. Kay Reynolds, Ronald D. Farless, Joe McCarson, John Bridges, Felix J. Quintana, Herman B. Trujillo and John B. McGee.

We wish everyone a merry Christmas and a safe, healthy and prosperous new year. Hopefully, in the coming year, our country's president, Congress and elected officials will find a way to come together to find peace that everyone can live with.

Tracy Hall, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 666, RICHMOND, VA — One of the best parts of regularly attending union meetings is hearing the speeches retirees give as they come to the podium. After a recent speech at our October meeting, I asked Bro. Leroy VanFossen Jr. if I could share his speech, which follows: "I would like to thank all the electrical contractors that put in calls so I could help my family. Teachers in the apprenticeship and electricians that shared their skill with me. All the electricians and others on jobs I got to know all these years. All I worked directly for and with every day, sharing and trading knowledge, tools, whatever it took to do a job and a few laughs along the way."

Short and to the point, but it really says so much. Thank you, Bro. VanFossen, and thank you to all our retirees for your years in the trade and the things you have done for our local.

Don't forget, the Retirees Club meeting is the first Friday of each month, 11 a.m., at the Brookdale Imperial Plaza, 1717 Bellevue Avenue.

Charles Skelly, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 702, WEST FRANKFORT, IL — The Retirees Club met on Aug. 3 and Oct. 5 at the Golden Corral in Carbondale, IL. At both meetings, Pres. Gary King opened the event at 11:30 a.m. with a welcome to those in attendance, followed by the reading and approval of the minutes from the previous meetings and the financial reports. Deaths for all previous months were read, followed by a moment of silence.

In August, the club moved to purchase Solidarity Tickets after a brief presentation by Bus. Rep. Tate Wright. A pocket knife donated by Logan and Carolyn Marlow was won by Dave Dittmer. The 50/50 drawing of $30 was won by Bro. Matt Glasser and a total deposit of $30 was announced.

At the October meeting, a thank-you was issued to all who volunteered at the Fair; the Labor Day event was held at Rent One Park in Marion. It was announced that the Christmas party would be on Dec. 7 at Golden Corral. A knife donated by Tate Wright was won by Matt Glasser, while a knife donated by Mr. and Mrs. Marlow was won by Joe Smith. There was no 50/50 or deposit at this meeting.

Both luncheons concluded at 2 p.m.

Mark Baker, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 756, DAYTONA BEACH, FL — We want to welcome you all back! We got a late start this fall with Hurricane Irma forcing us to cancel the September Retirees Club meeting. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this storm. Our October meeting was well attended with Greg Stone cooking some great barbecue ribs. We hope to see more of you at our upcoming meetings.

With sadness, since our last article we have had several members pass. We send our condolences to the families and friends of: Richard R. Lee, Jerry D. Faircloth, Frederick C. Symons, and Robert E. Murphy.

We invite any retired and unemployed brothers and sisters and their spouses who are in the area to come and join us. Our meetings are the second Thursday of each month, 11:30 a.m., at the Local 756 union hall in Port Orange, FL.

Diane Gibbs, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 804, KITCHENER, ONTARIO, CANADA — The Local 804 Retirees Club in central Ontario continues to be active with our monthly meetings (except for July and August), which include a lunch and usually a guest speaker.

This year, we attended the theatre in Cambridge to see "Joseph and His Technicoloured Dreamcoat," and also enjoyed the following events: Local 105's Spring Fling; "Amish Vows" at the Walter's Theatre; a cruise on the Grand River, which included live music and a hot meal; "Guys and Dolls" musical in Stratford; hosting Oktoberfest for the Retirees Clubs from Locals 804, 105 and 353; participating in Local 804's 75th anniversary celebrations; "Country Christmas" in Brantford; Local 804's annual Christmas banquet; "The Sounds of Christmas" musical in Waterloo, where all proceeds go to "Kidsability;" and finally, the Local 353 retirees Christmas banquet and dance in Toronto.

Our members continue to volunteer at Habitat for Humanity by installing the electrical work. At our September meeting, a representative from Habitat presented a plaque to the club for continuous years of service. We have been volunteering for 12 years and in Kitchener alone have completed 66 homes.

We have lost many members this year, but one in particular needs special mention. Retired Int. Vice Pres. Ken Woods, who was a founding member of the Retirees Club and club president until he became ill, passed away this year. We are grateful to Ken for his many years of contribution.

Jerry Wilson, P. S.