L.U. 8 (as,em,i,mar,mt,rts,s&spa), TOLEDO, OH — In early fall, members of our local's Sisters' Committee completed work on another all-Women's Build with Habitat for Humanity. This is the third home in which our sisters have volunteered their already shortened weekends — and for such a worthwhile cause. Way to go, sisters!

Local 8 will need certified instrumentation techs and welders for a few industrial outages this upcoming winter. Techs can be ISA or EPRI certified. If interested, please call our referral office to leave your contact information.

Did you know five times as many construction workers will die by suicide than from a work-related injury? In fact, the construction industry has the second-highest rate among all other industries.

Even worse, these are pre-pandemic statistics. Mental health is the elephant in the room, a common issue, yet least talked about. Let's all step up and be vigilant of one another's well-being, as we're all in this together. Take a moment to know your company's Employee Assistance Program, and be aware of the national suicide prevention lifeline: 1-800-273-8255.

Business Manager Roy Grosswiler and the staff of Local 8 would like to wish all IBEW brothers and sisters a most joyous holiday season and prosperous new year. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Mike Brubaker, P.S.

L.U. 16 (i), EVANSVILLE, IL — The 135th Labor Day Association's celebration was held in Princeton, Ind. The theme for 2021 was "Unions, the Heartbeat of America." This well-established tradition of honoring working people included carnival rides, a bierstube, contests, meals and another outstanding parade, allowing everyone there to enjoy the holiday. Many thanks to all who worked so hard to make this festival possible, especially Brothers Brandon Gretler and Ricky Rush and Sister Kim Musgrave.

Several volunteers stepped up to make the local's family picnic a great success. This event offered excellent food, games and door prizes. Younger family members liked the pedal tractors. Pins for years of service to the union were awarded. COVID-19 safeguards were observed; and, after a year's hiatus due to the pandemic, it was a great opportunity to make new friends and build the bonds of brotherhood that were enjoyed by all.

Local 16 would like to wish Brother Chris Thorsen the very best in his new position of "Retired JATC Training Director." Chris readily demonstrated his selfless devotion to the program through more than 40 years of service to the IBEW and the JATC. Thank you!

Donald P. Beavin, P.S.

L.U. 24 (es,i&spa), BALTIMORE, MD — We congratulate Brothers George Marshall and Rico Albacarys for their recent appointments to the Executive Board and Miles Morris for his appointment to the Examining Board, filling the vacated spots of Brothers Jerome Miller (appointed financial secretary), Tony Decint (retired), and Rico Albacarys (appointed to Executive Board). I look forward to working with them as we continue to advance Local 24.

We wish Brothers Tony Decint and Jack Ryan well in their retirements. Over his 43-year career Tony has served on the Entertainment Committee, at the Children's Christmas Party and as steward, foreman, assistant business manager and Executive Board member. Over his 44-year career, Jack has served the local by teaching our apprentices since 1988, becoming a full-time instructor in 2007. Jack's high energy and knowledge of controls and their application has helped hundreds of apprentices not only understand these systems but also succeed in the field. Thank you both for making our local union stronger.

The local's annual picnic and 60th-anniversary celebration was a huge success with over 1,400 attendees, the largest ever. Thanks to all the volunteers that took time to get involved, making the day great for everyone else.

Live Better — Work Union!

Michael J. McHale, B.M.

L.U. 26 (i,es,ees,govt,em&mt), WASHINGTON, DC — Happy Holidays! We hope everyone had a blessed and safe Thanksgiving. We wish everyone the best in 2022 and hopefully we can get back to our annual events as soon as possible.

The Retired Members' Club was able to hold its annual crab feast in October, but it was held at a different location this year. The event was held at the Knights of Columbus in College Park, Md., at their outdoor pavilion.

Please continue to check our website (www.ibewlocal26.org) or the quarterly magazine for all of the most up-to-date information.

Best wishes to the following new retirees: Freddy S. Bautista, Bradley H. Behm, Luis A. Aranguren Belandria, Michael J. Brunelle, James J. Carroll, Owen G. Carroll, Louis D. Chevalier, Stanley K. Clum, Nicholas B. Corts, Jeff W. Henry, Charlie D. Johanning, Garth A. Kelly, James K. Kieffer Jr., Robert B. Klopfer, Glenn G. Martin, Charles R. McClay Jr., James M. McDonough Sr.; Dennis E. Murphy; Michael L. Rethford, Kirk E. Riner, Richard J. Stenberg, Michael C. Whittington and Robert B. Wood Jr.

The following member has passed away since our last article: Clarence L. Lewis.

George C. Hogan, B.M.

L.U. 34 (em,i,rts&spa), PEORIA, IL — As we wrap up another year, our local has much to be thankful for. The year 2021 has been prosperous for Local 34 and its members. Despite the pandemic, work remained strong, and we don't anticipate any slowdown in 2022.

Thank you to our traveling brothers and sisters who manned work; we hope to have more available for you in 2022.

Congratulations to all Local 34 members who received a years of service pin or retirement watch at this year's awards banquet. The yearly banquet is a great opportunity to celebrate the local, its membership and their many years of dedicated service. Members were happy to see the event return after a year off and enjoyed reuniting with familiar faces and catching up. All those in attendance also took time to remember those members who have gone before us; see "In Remembrance" on ibew34.org for a complete list of names.

On behalf of the officers, boards and staff of Local 34, we extend our most sincere holiday greetings to the entire IBEW and wish you a happy and prosperous New Year.

Marc Burnap, Treas.

L.U. 38 (i), CLEVELAND, OH — Several smaller contractors have been doing some hiring including Wolf Creek, D.E. Williams Electric, ANR, VIP, South Shore Electric and J. Lombardo Electric. Sherwin-Williams is planning on breaking ground in January on their downtown building. The new owner of the ArcelorMittal Steel Mill, Cleveland-Cliffs, plans to start several construction projects after the first of the year. There is a large remodel coming for the Celebrezze Federal Building that is under a PLA, and Einheit Electric has the electrical and VDV contract. The Library Lofts, a $65 million-dollar job that is being financed by union-pension dollars, was awarded to Gateway Electric.

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

L.U. 46 (as,c,cs,em,es,et,i,mar,mo,mt,rtb,rts&st), SEATTLE, WA — Greetings and Happy Holidays! Our local has been blessed with a lot of work these past few years. COVID-19 did cause us to stall for a moment, but we are back in the swing of things.

Our apprenticeship program paused on accepting applications or doing interviews at the start of the pandemic. That too has returned to full force. We are currently at a record high for the number of apprentices in our programs. We have 1,432 apprentices across our three programs: Inside Wireman = 1,207; Limited Energy = 205; and Residential = 20. Of those, 114 are women and 181 are veterans.

This year we've had 15 inside wireman and seven limited energy bootcamps. We've received 1,701 applications and have conducted 772 interviews. For September and October 2021 alone, we conducted 179 interviews.

We were fortunate to have our two annual local picnics this year, one in Kitsap County and one in King County. We had a great turnout by members with their friends and families.

We restarted our leadership classes and our intern program! Our leadership classes are a series of 16 courses that cover topics from negotiations to organizing and everything in between, and are open to all our members. Our first interns are Brothers Wayne Horton and Dave Camden. They will rotate through organizing, representation and dispatch to get a feel of how the union functions from within. It is a great way to find and promote leadership amongst the members.

In short, Local 46 is open for business! We have open journeyman calls and welcome travelers who want to come and enjoy our beautiful cities.

Together We Stand!

Stephanie McPherson, P.S.

[Editor's Note: See our story on Local 46's leadership classes and intern program in this issue.]

L.U. 48 (c,em,i,ptc,rtb,rts,st&tm), PORTLAND, OR — The construction industry has among the highest rates in any industry for suicides. Our local has joined forces with other local unions to address this serious concern. The project is called "Construction Suicide Prevention Partnership." It's coordinated by the local non-profit Lines for Life. We joined after learning that several apprentices and JWs took their own lives.

The effort starts by teaching union reps, supervisors and co-workers to recognize the warning signs of suicide; then it focuses on how to get help for someone in crisis. We use a training program called QPR, which stands for Question, Persuade and Refer. Similar to CPR, this training can turn bystanders into lifesavers. The training isn't intended to make anybody a therapist. Instead, it prepares participants to have a conversation that can connect a person in crisis to necessary resources that will help them.

The subject has been elevated to the IBEW leadership level by International Representative Jim Watson in the Education Department. "Mental Health — A Labor Perspective," a mental health workshop, was also presented at the Ninth District Progress Meeting. September was Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month.

The business manager is eagerly wanting to see you all again face-to-face, but it looks like the holiday banquet and awards luncheon at the Hilton Downtown Vancouver, Wash., will be canceled again this year. Please stay safe. Stay well and question, persuade and refer.

Donna J. Hammond, B.R.

L.U. 68 (i), DENVER, CO — Greetings, brothers and sisters: On Aug. 17, our local hosted five leaders from BeneSys to explain to our members 1) how to maneuver around the website to access their different accounts; 2) some of the different applications for the pension and annuity funds; and 3) a few of the health and welfare issues that they were dealing with. Eighty-seven members and spouses attended the roughly two-hour session, which was well-received by those who attended. We try to schedule one of these sessions every year, so watch for the next one and get your questions ready.

Agent Robert Delgado, along with International Office Reps. Dean Grinstead and Mike Ham, have been conducting onsite diversity training for our members. To date, 338 members, 14 contractor staff and 24 non-bargaining staff have been through the training.

Local 68 held its annual picnic on Aug. 21. Because of the pandemic, we were not able to do some things, but brotherhood and fellowship were still on full display. Approximately 515 members and their families were able to attend, 115 of them children. As usual, the horse-shoe tournament was one of the highlights of the picnic, and it was won this year by Brother Joe Duran. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped to make the picnic a success. The Christmas party is scheduled for Dec. 11.

We extend our deepest sympathy to the families of our recently deceased brothers: James Barclay Jr., Jerry Hansen, Alan Koch, Laurence F. O'Neill, Lloyd Sayer, Felix C. Trinidad and Thomas Tyler.

Morgan J. Buchanan, Pres.

L.U. 72 (i&u), WACO, TX — The summer here has been very busy and looks to stay that way for quite some time. We are currently still working at the Amazon Fulfillment Center with Electrical Corporation of America (ECA), employing more than 90 members. Also, East Penn Battery Factory with Big State Electric is still adding members. We are very thankful to the traveling brothers and sisters who are helping us man this work.

With this work picture, we have welcomed many new members to our local, which has resulted in growing our membership by 25%.

As 2021 comes to an end, we look forward to a prosperous new year with membership growth through organizing and our apprenticeship, giving us the ability to support our growing local contractors and welcome traveling contractors.

Craig Miller, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 80 (i,o,&govt), NORFOLK, VA — We would like to welcome our new Apprenticeship Director Molly Spencer. Molly has taken on this role and has hit the ground running.

Our work picture remains strong, and we are still in need of manpower. A majority of the labor force is working overtime. This includes two Amazon projects, Microsoft and some local contractors with spotted overtime. We have some upcoming projects that will need to be manned up as well.

Organizing has been one of our primary goals. Even with the pandemic still present, we have been successful, bringing in over 100 new members since January through advertising, radio ads and job fairs. Work safe, brothers and sisters.

Wil Morris, A.B.M.

L.U. 82 (em,i,mt&rtb), DAYTON, OH — Labor Day is a time to celebrate the American worker and to reflect upon how far this nation has come. During the peak of the Industrial Revolution, the average American would work twelve hours a day, seven days a week, and children as young as 5 years old would do the same labor-intensive work.

Each year our brothers and sisters of Local 82 march in Kettering, Ohio's annual Holiday at Home Parade to honor those who stood before us. Members and their families will meet to pound the streets in solidarity showing union pride and support. It is an honor to be part of the parade as the crowds watch, cheer and thank you for all that you do for their communities.

I would also like to take a moment to honor the brothers who passed this month: John Bair, Michael Rowe and Charles Turner.

Ryan Brown, P.S.

L.U. 130 (i&ptc), NEW ORLEANS, LA — Hurricane Ida reminded us to never let your guard down during the season. The New Orleans area was spared the flooding that Katrina brought, but the winds proved to make twigs of our trees and utility poles. The city was without power in some cases for weeks while others were more fortunate.

Our members in the surrounding areas, however, were less fortunate, enduring flooding and major wind damage; and, as of this writing, many are still without basic utilities.

The response and professional actions of many of our IBEW brother linemen can be credited for our quick recovery. It was like watching a well-orchestrated event: Dozens of trucks cut trees, erected poles and built a grid in days. It made me proud to see their dedication and devotion to their craft. Thank you, brothers and sisters, for your help.

We would also like to thank all IBEW members who contributed supplies, foods and funds for our members in need. It is time like these when you know you belong to one of the greatest organizations in the world. Special thanks to our sister locals who arrived early with assistance and support.

Billy Buckel, P.S.

[Editor's Note: See our story on the Gulf hurricane recovery effort in last month's issue of The Electrical Worker and at IBEW.org.]

L.U. 134 (catv,em,govt,i,mt,rtb,rts,spa&t), CHICAGO, IL — Powering Chicago and our local hit the road in an eye-catching interactive truck to visit local schools on Career Day. The truck is outfitted inside with tools and corresponding workstations so that students can engage in the role of an actual electrician. Students participate under the guidance of EJATT teachers and are introduced to the electrical industry as a career through this technical outreach program. The next generation of potential electricians is given a glimpse of the types of jobs a Local 134 electrician will encounter throughout their professional career. The goal is for students to look beyond high school and realize the opportunities that the electrical industry has for them. This interactive vehicle has quickly become our No. 1 recruiting tool as we travel throughout the Chicagoland area. Local 134 remains dedicated to being at the forefront of recruiting a highly skilled workforce for many generations to come.

Donald Finn, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 158 (i,it,mar,mt&spa), GREEN BAY, WI — Our local has had a busy summer and work will continue into fall. This was good news, especially coming off the banner year we had in 2020.

Two of our larger projects that ended this year, the new paper machine and ancillary work at Green Bay Packaging Company and two solar farms at Point Beach Nuclear Plant, were large sources of work hours in 2020, one being a 150-MW and the other a 100-MW project.

Besides these two projects, we had work at six schools, at the Marinette Marine, the Point Beach Nuclear Plant and a large-number apartment complex and multiple-story office building at Titletown Village, part of the Lambeau Field experience. Our local negotiated lucrative three-year agreements with multiple contractors this June, and we have the largest five-year cycle of apprentices the local has ever seen — a pretty good year so far.

Donald C. Allen, B.M.

L.U. 212 (i), CINCINNATI, OH — Work remains steady in our area. At the time of this writing, there were six on Book 1 and Book 2 is clear.

Our RENEW committee has rebounded after a lull due to COVID-19. They have many opportunities for outreach planned. The Women's committee celebrated its second anniversary and is still going strong.

Apprenticeship Director Charlie Kenser congratulates new apprentice Samuel Gunther (both pictured) on his many accomplishments thus far. Samuel is a local graduate of Oak Hills Local School District and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Prior to transitioning from active duty, Samuel completed the Veteran's Electrical Entry Program, or VEEP, which enables members of the U.S. Armed Forces to take the first-year curriculum and enter into an apprenticeship with advanced academic standing. We are proud to be a part of this partnership and pathway that leads veterans to our industry. Samuel is the second veteran to come to us through VEEP; prior to Samuel, Nathan Spicer, originally from Columbus, Ohio, and a veteran of the U.S. Navy, also joined us this year. Thank you both for your service, thanks for choosing our industry and welcome to the brotherhood!

Phil Bovard, P.S.

L.U. 292 (em,govt,i,rtb,rts&spa), MINNEAPOLIS, MN — As we head towards winter, calls have been few but steady, and the number on the out-of-work book has been stagnant.

Local 292 members have been involved in negotiations throughout the summer and fall for several contracts that affect an overwhelming majority of our membership. The majority of the contracts have now been settled. Altogether the negotiation teams did quite well, considering the current economic situation we are all in.

A proposed 460-MW solar generating facility has been on the minds of many Local 292 members. This facility would be installed in Sherburne County near the city of Becker. Though there are many regulatory hoops to jump through, construction is predicted to begin in the late summer/early fall of 2022. We are providing updates on the project on our website, ibew292.org.

As the 2022 Minnesota Legislative session nears, we will be at the Minnesota Capitol to remind legislators to keep intact supervision ratios, licensing, inspection and Minnesota electrical standards and regulations. We will be supporting work-creating legislation like prevailing wage, EV-infrastructure, energy efficiency and building electrification.

Andy Snope, P.S.

L.U. 294 (ees,em,i,rts,spa&u), HIBBING, MN — Our local celebrated our annual summer picnic with a pin ceremony that included a 70-year pin to Brother Don Brown. We also gave a 65-year pin to James Knight; 60-year pins to Mark Blagoue and John Nivela; and 55-year pins to Gary Bautto, Al Bozicevich, Ed Bozicevich, Larry Depaulis, Wayne Dubbin, Vic Koivisto, Elmer Lahde, Loren Larson, Ralph Nelson, Ron Nessett, Bill Pariseau, Robert Pratt, William Spelts and Vern Tuomela.

Local 294 is very busy and can use all the help we can get, and 2022 looks to be another busy year with a variety of commercial and industrial jobs.

May the rest of 2021 be safe and prosperous.

Dan Hendrickson, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 302 (i,rts&spa), MARTINEZ, CA — In 2005, discussions started about taking part of a military base, closing it down and converting it for civilian use. So started our story with the Concord Naval Weapons Station and our efforts to sign a Building Trades PLA for the property. After many years of planning, the city began the process of choosing a master developer. In 2016, the city began negotiations with Lennar, and we engaged in getting a PLA with them for the project. After 2 years of efforts, Lennar refused to enter into a PLA.

Thankfully, our friends on the Concord City Council would not allow Lennar to do the project without an agreement with the Trades. Because of this, the city again started the process of choosing a developer, and this time there were three developers that signed PLAs with the Contra Costa Building Trades. We now have a 30-year project of 2,350 acres and 13,000 homes with 6-million square feet of commercial space. It is all covered by a project labor agreement. This proves that developers can build their projects and pay union wages. See www.concordreuseproject.org/148/Overview-of-the-Reuse-Project for more information.

Tom Hansen, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 540 (i,t&r) CANTON, OH — Wishing all our brothers and sisters a Merry Christmas and a joyful New Year. Hopefully, as we look towards 2022, work will be plentiful and everyone will be healthy. We would like to wish our retired president, Fred Miller, a well-earned and enjoyable retirement. Also, we would like to welcome Erik Hann as our new president, wishing him the best of luck in his new role.

Rick Waikem, P.S./R.S.

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

Our local is extremely grateful to say at this time that work is still plentiful in our jurisdiction. With the Mazda-Toyota Manufacturing facility winding down, the Facebook Data Center in Huntsville, Ala., is steadily increasing manpower every week, with over 300 IBEW members currently working at the facility.

Due to the increased work in the jurisdiction, the Electrical Training Alliance has taken on another large class this year, consisting of 84 apprentices. This newly welcomed class increased the total tally to 340 future inside journeyman wiremen.

Other work in the jurisdiction is due to the building of new combustion turbines at the TVA/Colbert Steam Plant site. This is another welcome long-term project in the area for our membership.

Best wishes throughout the brotherhood for a safe and happy holiday season!

Mac Sloan, Pres./Mem. Dev.

L.U. 640 (em,govt,I,mo,mt,rts,spa&u), PHOENIX, AZ — Hello, brothers and sisters: Our local work picture is very good. We welcome our traveling brothers and sisters to come and help with the work.

The weather is great, and there are several customers adding incentives for their projects.

Due to the latest COVID-19 surge, we have postponed our local picnic and apprentice graduation for this year. Please follow the CDC's COVID-19 guidelines and stay safe and healthy.

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

L.U. 666 (i,m&o), RICHMOND, VA — The work outlook in our jurisdiction continues to be strong with several large projects. Thank you to all of the travelers who helped man the work during the summer and fall.

In mid-August, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger took a tour of the Richmond Joint Apprenticeship Training facilities as part of the Build Back Better plan proposed by President Joe Biden. Special focus was placed on the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training program, which offers valuable training in electric-vehicle charging station installations.

Please contact the apprenticeship for more information on future training opportunities.

We extend a warm welcome to the newly sworn in officers of our local, especially incoming President Chris Ball. The new Executive Board members have their work cut out for them as they extend the proud tradition of Local 666 into the future. We also thank the outgoing board and past President JD Jenkins for all of their hard work in bringing us this far.

As the weather gets colder and COVID-19 uncertainties abound, look out for your fellow brothers and sisters in the field and finish 2021 stronger than ever.

J. Davis, P.S.

[Editor's note: See our story on Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm's visit to Richmond in the October issue of The Electrical Worker.]

L.U. 756 (es&i), DAYTONA BEACH, FL — We would like to welcome our first-year apprentices who completed orientation at Daytona State College in August.

We are very proud of these apprentices, and we are very excited for their new endeavors. Welcome to Local 756's Electrical Training Alliance Apprenticeship program!

Robert Cruz, Training Dir.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, WESTCHESTER/PUTNAM CHAPTER — On Sept. 9, a few members and many friends got together for a fishing trip on Long Island Sound. The weather was not very cooperative, with intermittent rain all day. However, we were able to catch a ton of porgies and a few weakfish, despite the inclement weather.

We had hoped that our regular monthly meetings would resume a normal schedule in September, but, unfortunately, that did not happen. We are still operating with a very limited (20 members) attendance. Thanks to the efforts of retiree Bill Hightower, we were able to incorporate our October meeting with a Zoom session online, allowing for a dozen or more additional members to join.

We are trying to revive our annual Christmas/Hanukkah Party, which was canceled last year; but with the limited access to our membership, it's proving to be a more difficult task than ever. A few of our board members will meet next week to finalize plans and arrange to contact members with details.

Dick Mills, Treas.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 35, HARTFORD, CT — Retirees Club President Dennis Machol and myself were pleased to meet with the first-year apprenticeship class to explain to them the benefits of being an IBEW member. We also emphasized what a wonderful career can be had as an IBEW electrician, including the many benefits we receive such as pension, annuity and excellent health care. We also met with the second-year apprenticeship class because we were unable to last year due to COVID-19. We enjoy meeting with the new apprentices each year to show them that eventually they will be as fortunate in their retirement as we are.

Local 35 held our annual members' outing at the end of August. We had a great turnout with a lot of retirees in attendance. At the outing, we presented a plaque to retired Business Manager Ken Leech, thanking him for his many years of leadership.

We hope to see our retired members at the annual holiday Retirees Club meeting on Dec. 8 at the Elks Lodge in Rocky Hill.

Best wishes for a safe and healthy holiday season.

Kenneth R. White, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 58, DETROIT, MI — We held our annual picnic (a month late) on Sept. 22. The weather didn't cooperate; we expected 50, but the official attendance was 31, with some hardy souls coming out and braving the rain and cold weather. We had a fire, which kept us comfortable enough to have a good time. It was great to get together after 17 months. Board meetings have resumed, and we started having luncheons again in October. We will have our Christmas party in December.

Things have been wild politically these days, with voter suppression, women's issues and folks refusing to vaccinate. Those in power who are working to control women's bodies but themselves refuse mandates to be vaccinated or be masked: Can they have it both ways? Where do the rights of one individual mean something? In our Constitution. Why are some of our elected officials having such a difficult time keeping their oaths to our Constitution? We must stop appeasing the opposition and suggest they get on the same page with our founding fathers and those of us who love our democratic country. America has always been great! Support those who support us! Let's continue the work! Happy Holidays!

Pat Nuznov, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 60, SAN ANTONIO, TX — The meetings for club members remain on hold until the coronavirus variant rates greatly decrease in San Antonio. At the time of this writing, the number of reported cases is diminishing. Club President Coy Rogers is very hopeful the start-up date will be in Jan. 2022. The presentation of service pins will be the first order of business for club members once the meetings resume.

Currently, the practice of in-person brotherhood is not possible, and members receive news and happenings through email. You might call it the practice of "cyberbrotherhood."

If you are not one of the 40 members on our email list and would like to be included, please send a request to sandyrogers24@hughes.net.

Keeping our members and families safe and well is the first order of business for this club. The pandemic has taken away some members of Local 60 and some of the members' loved ones; our prayers and thoughts are with each and every one of you.

Sandy Rogers, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 105, HAMILTON ON — Merry Christmas to each and every one of you, and all the best for 2022! These last two years have been very challenging for all of us due to the pandemic; and as I write this, I have no idea where we'll be and what will be going on at the time this is published. We give thanks to all health and essential workers who have contributed so much to keep us safe. We truly are grateful for your sacrifices. We pray that this pandemic will end and that we'll all be healthy and celebrating with each other once again.

Sadly, due to the pandemic, we here in Hamilton at the IBEW Retirees Club have still not been able to participate in any group gatherings and consequently there isn't any news to report.

During these difficult times, please remember that all the events we have been able to enjoy in the past and look forward to enjoying in the future are made possible by our tremendously hard-working local members and Executive Board, past and present. Our heartfelt thanks to all of you!

Eden McLean, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 134, CHICAGO, IL — Season's greetings to all of you from all of us. Since our meetings have resumed as of July 2021, we have been working hard to catch up. By the end of last September, our lives have felt almost back to normal. Our Sept. 8 luncheon meeting was held to honor our members with 50 to 75 years of service with the IBEW. A delicious lunch was served and there were two guest speakers: Jean Ryan from the Electrical Insurance Trustees, who touched on insurance benefits for retirees; and Jim Valleyfield, who pointed out how donations of clothing and other items needed for homeless veterans are important and can help a great deal.

On Sept. 15, the John Cummins Annual Golf Outing was a huge success, with a record number of 56 players in attendance. On Sept. 30, Drury Lane Theater reopened for the first time since the COVID-19 shutdown, and we were entertained with an enjoyable lunch and play, "Forever Plaid." Mask mandates were in place, but it was still fun to enjoy a good play once again.

With heavy heart, I bring to our attention the loss of two of our Executive Board members. Donald Leo Mahoney passed away at 93 on Sept. 1. Don served as an IBEW representative for decades. He dedicated his life to helping families through his skills as a union organizer. He spent almost 70 years with the IBEW, including 25 years on the pension and retirement committees, and his passion was serving others in the interests of fair working conditions, pay and benefits. Don retired in 1993 and was the secretary for the Retirees Club for more than 20 years, and he remained on the Executive Board through this year. RIP, Don.

Richard J. Connolly passed away at 85 on Sept. 27. He attended our Sept. 8 meeting and was honored for his 65 years of service with the IBEW. He served on the Retirees Executive Board for eight years. Rich was a former coach, serving the board of directors for youth sports and as a member of the Bulldog Athletic Association in Tinley Park, Ill. He enjoyed going up to his cottage in Wisconsin. Rich was a kind man, saving an old dog from a shelter, caring for the pet and enjoying walks until the dog's life ended. RIP, Rich.

We have our Holiday Party to look forward to on Dec. 8. We will also have an outing to the play "Holiday Inn," featuring the song "White Christmas," at Drury Lane Theater on Dec. 16 to end our year. Wishing all a healthy and safe holiday.

Sue Kleczka, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 136, BIRMINGHAM, AL — Participation in the Retirees Club has been outstanding. We have stayed outside in the pavilion during the pandemic. We want to encourage all retirees to attend. The meeting is on the first Wednesday of each month.

We have had two fish fries and a BBQ with all the trimmings over the last four months. Thanks to Harold (Frog) Blankenship in July and Gary (Sky) King in September. Also, thanks to all our wives for their help and desserts.

At our September meeting, we had NASCAR Hall of Famer and past member of Local 136 Red Farmer as our guest. He has won over 700 races in his career and still races at the short tracks at 89 years of age. We presented Red with a 25-year pin, local cap and T-shirt.

Brother Perryman also appointed Brother Otis Graham as the chaplain for the Retirees Club. If needed, contact Brother Perryman or the local union. We appreciate the support from Business Manager Bill Blackman, President Ross Roberson and the Executive Board.

Bill Roberson, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 212, CINCINNATI, OH — Well, Thanksgiving is behind us and, hopefully, we all have plenty for which to be thankful. Family, friends, good food and drinks, traveling: These are fun yet sad times when remembering friends who are no longer with us but still live in our memories.

The blessed time of Hanukkah has come and soon will be gone. Christmas and Kwanza are waiting in the wings: a time of giving and receiving, get-togethers to party, laugh and share; a time for spiritual reflection; a time to consider the plight of others less fortunate. Every year we are given an opportunity to be generous to both those we love and strangers.

Soon, another celebration will be knocking on our door, New Year's! Time to re-evaluate our lives and find ways to improve ourselves and become the person we want to be, the person we should be. At our stage of life, with more past than future, we should take advantage of the time we have left to correct the mistakes of our past. It's never too late as long as we have time.

Wishing you the best of happiness and health in 2020!

Bob Schaefer, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 257, JEFFERSON CITY, MO — The Retirees Club met Tuesday, Sept. 28, at the American Legion in Jefferson City, Mo., for its monthly meeting. It was so nice to be able to meet and enjoy everyone's company again. Our next meeting was held Oct. 26 at one of our favorite places, the Claysville Store Restaurant in Claysville, Mo., which is owned by one of our Local 257 members and his wife, Mark and Laura Hooibrink.

We want to thank the Local 257 members for again hosting the annual BBQ picnic for all members and guests on Saturday, Aug. 14. As usual, the food was great and we enjoyed bingo, drawings and visiting. A big thank you to all the apprentices for their hard work in making the picnic a success. Service pins were presented at the picnic, and several Retirees Club members were recognized: 70-year member Bill Lang, 65-year member Wendell Davidson, 60-year member Dan Schroeder, 55-year members Charles Bates and David Cook, 50-year member Jim Winemiller and 45-year members Carol Brown and Monte Nevins. Congratulations to you all!

Everyone stay safe and healthy, and we hope to see everyone at our annual Christmas luncheon on Dec. 14.

Delores Melloway, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB of L.U. 317, HUNTINGTON, WV — Our club has excitedly resumed our monthly luncheon on the first Tuesday of each month. In September, the following members were awarded pins for years of service: Jim Woods and Paul Clary, with 50-year pins; Truman Jarvis and Jim Smith, 55-year pins; and Pete Boggs, 70-year pin. We congratulate all recipients of service pins and welcome everyone back to meetings and our shared brotherhood.

Jerry Booth, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 353, TORONTO, ON, Canada — As our local's Retirees Club members continue to follow Ontario COVID-19 guidelines, members' meetings and events continue to be suspended due to the number of people allowed to meet indoors. We are holding retiree Executive Board meetings to plan for future opening.

We have submitted a budget for 2022 and hope to start events early in 2022 as conditions continue to improve.

If the pandemic was not a big enough problem to cope with, now the Greater Toronto Electrical Contractors Association has served notice that they wish to carve out sections of our principal agreement, which will weaken and segregate our membership (high rise, apprenticeship ratio, and hiring hall) and could affect our benefits as retirees. These are benefits that we as retirees fought for that our present and future retirees should enjoy.

We realize that these unionized employers are driven by and listening to the greedy nonunion and merit contractors.

Our 2,500 Local 353 retirees and their spouses condemn these tactics and urge all Ontario IBEW retirees to rise up and join the fight of their working members to fight to keep the Ontario IBEW whole and strong.

Robert Rynyk, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 649, ALTON, IL — The Retirees Club meets each month at 9:00 a.m. on the last Thursday of each month for breakfast at the Eagles Nest in Bethalto, Ill.

The latest COVID-19 state mandates at this writing are in progress, which will require possible masking when our retirees attend the gathering on Thursday.

Terry Wilhite, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 1245, VACAVILLE, CA, RENO/SPARKS CHAPTER — In what has become an annual tradition, our Retirees Club collected and donated 39 fans for Washoe County's senior citizens in need.

Club President Ron Borst started the fan drive back in 2015 after hearing a radio ad about low- income seniors suffering during the hot summer months. (Temps often exceed 100 degrees in Reno during the summer, and many seniors are unable to afford air conditioning.) Borst issued a challenge to the fellow members of the Retirees Club to collect as many fans as they could, and an annual tradition was born. Since the drive began, the club has donated a total of 241 fans — and counting.

Additionally, Local 1245's Reno/Sparks Retirees Club made a $350 donation to support the Washoe County Meals on Wheels program, using matching funds from the fan drive.

Meals on Wheels is dedicated to addressing senior isolation and hunger. This network serves virtually every community in America and, along with more than two million staff and volunteers, delivers the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks that enable America's seniors to live nourished lives with independence and dignity. Learn more at www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org.

Ron Borst, Pres.