Suburban Labor Councils
Union members donate skills and time to home fix-up day in Chaska

From the Minneapolis Labor Review, May 21, 2010

By Steve Share, Minneapolis Labor Review editor

CHASKA — Volunteers from the South Suburban Labor Council participated for the third year in “Christmas in May” in Chaska, a community service day helping community residents to fix-up and repair their homes.

The event drew about 250 volunteers, including 20 labor union members from around the metro area recruited by the South Suburban Labor Council.

The Council took the lead responsibility for one project, a 102-year old home needing painting, repairs to windows, and yardwork. Gayle McMahon, organizer for the Council, and Pete Parris, a Council member from Sheet Metal Workers Local 10, served as house captains for the day.

The union volunteers included skilled union building trades members from the Painters, Glaziers, Sheet Metal Workers, Laborers, Operating Engineers and Pipefitters. Other union volunteers came from AFSCME, OPEIU Local 12, and Teamsters Local 120.

One of the volunteers: Chaska city council member Greg Boe, who also is a Scott County employee and member of AFSCME Local 2440. “This is always a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s fun to watch the professionals, the union members with skills, who donate their time to help others.”

For some of the union members, this year was their third time volunteering at Christmas in May. Others were new to the event.

Danna McCutcheon, Rosemount, a member of Sheet Metal Workers Local 10 was one of the first-time volunteers  “I love to do volunteer work,” she said. “This is an awesome cause.”

	Left: Glaziers Local 1324 members Warren Harder, Brooklyn Park (right) and Richard Johnston, Fridley (left), worked together to repair broken windows.

Click here for more photos from this event, from the photo gallery at the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation page on Facebook.

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