St. Paul unions donate 127 winter coats to students in need

January 23, 2013 by
St. Paul Regional Labor Federation President Bobby Kasper (third from right) delivers more than 100 coats to staff at Project REACH, St. Paul Schools’ homeless-outreach initiative.

St. Paul Regional Labor Federation President Bobby Kasper (third from right) delivers more than 100 coats to staff at Project REACH, St. Paul Schools’ homeless-outreach initiative.

The Jean Jones Coats Initiative, an annual winter-clothing drive sponsored by the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation’s Labor Studies & Resource Center, had a record-breaking year, donating 127 new or gently used coats to homeless students in the St. Paul Public Schools.

St. Paul unions and union members contributed $3,683 to the initiative this year, more than 10 times the level of contributions made last year.

The Jean Jones Initiative, named for a now-retired St. Paul teacher and RLF delegate, is entering its second decade.

“We are extremely happy about this year’s participation and would like to thank the participants who made financial contributions,” St. Paul RLF President Bobby Kasper said. Contributors included:

Boilermakers Local 647, Bricklayers Local 1, Cement Masons Local 633,  Laborers Local 132, Heat and Frost Insulators Local 34, Iron Workers Local 512, IBEW Local 110, Elevator Constructors Local 9, Operating Engineers Local 49, Millwrights Local 548, North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters, Pipefitters Local 455, St. Paul Building and Construction Trades Council, and Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 10.

Individual donors included Bernadine Engeldorf, Karen Riebel and Mary Sansom, as well as delegates to the St. Paul RLF who participated in a collection taken at the annual holiday party.

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Labor of Love helps families in need during holiday season

November 12, 2012 by

Greater Twin Cities United Way and the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation’s AFL-CIO Community Services program are co-sponsoring the Labor of Love – Adopt a Family holiday program, collecting donations to support families in need in the East Metro area.

Tax-deductible donations will be used to purchase gift cards from union grocers. Gift cards will support holiday food drives operated by Catholic Charities and the Jewish Community Center in St. Paul.

To contribute, mail a check payable to “Labor Studies Resource Center (LSRC) – Labor of Love” to AFL-CIO Community Services Program, Attention: Laura, 411 Main St. Suite 202, St. Paul, MN 55102.

Contributions will be accepted through Dec. 3.

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Labor blood drive in St. Paul Dec. 4

October 29, 2012 by

The St. Paul Regional Labor Federation will co-sponsor a blood drive Dec. 4 with the federation’s AFL-CIO Labor Community Action Committee, the Greater Twin Cities United Way and the American Red Cross’ North Central Blood Services.

The blood drive will run from 1 to 6 p.m. at the St. Paul Labor and Professional Centre, 411 Main St., St. Paul.

To schedule an appointment, call Lynne Larkin-Wright, AFL-CIO Community Services liaison, at 651-222-3787 extension 16, or e-mail llwright [at] stpaulunions [dot] org.

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Laborers’ motorcycle ride delivers $12,000 for charity

September 24, 2012 by

Participants in the Minnesota Laborers Ride for Charity raised $12,000 for the Ronald McDonald House.

The ninth year of the Minnesota Laborers Ride for Charity proved another good one for the event’s beneficiary, Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Twin Cities.

The Aug. 18 benefit ride generated $12,000, the highest yearly amount raised, and brought the total contribution since the event began to over $64,000.

The annual motorcycle ride is the largest charitable fundraising event of the year for the Minnesota Laborers Union, thanks in part to the support of Laborers Union Local 563, Local 132, the Minnesota Laborers District Council, Minnesota LECET, event participants and sponsors.

“Our annual benefit ride is very important to us as Laborers Union members and to the Ronald McDonald House charities,” said Dave Saunders, Laborers Local 563 financial secretary/treasurer and Laborers Ride Committee member.

“For the Laborers, we get satisfaction by helping others, and the charity is much appreciative of this annual fundraising event, so that it can continue serving its cause in helping families,” he added

The Laborers Ride for Charity continues to support daily life at the Ronald McDonald House of the Twin Cities, a home away from home for families with seriously ill children.

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Union volunteers make United Way Action Day a success

September 24, 2012 by

Volunteers at Ecolab Plaza. Click to view more photos from the Action Day.

Volunteers from the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation’s Labor Studies and Resource Center helped make United Way Action Day a great success, with more than 40 East Metro union members taking action in support of their community during the Aug. 22 events.

More than 30 St. Paul RLF members participated in speed volunteering activities at Ecolab Plaza during their lunch hour on Action Day. Later in the day, 10 RLF members formed two teams for the Team Challenge Volunteer event at the Mall of America. Together, they helped make United Way Action Day a success. Overall results of the volunteer event include:

  • • Doing 14,000 loads of laundry for families who don’t have the option by making 7,000 laundry kits.
  • • Keeping 88 children warm at night by creating blankets.
  • • Giving 4,000 hungry kids a healthy snack pack.
  • • Encouraging good dental hygiene by creating 5,200 dental kits for children and adults.
  • • Supporting 220 seniors’ independence by producing safety kits.
  • • Making a house a home for 100 families in transition by forming kitchen kits.
  • • Supporting 10 local nonprofits doing great work in the community with $7,500 in donations.

Part of the fun for the five-person teams at the Mall of America was the chance to give a local nonprofit a gift in their team’s name and bragging rights as one of United Way’s top volunteer groups. To win a team had to be the first to complete its speed volunteering activity.

One of the RLF’s two teams, East Metro Labor, won first place in two separate competitions. Team members chose to give their $700 prizes to the West 7th Community Center in St. Paul and to the YWCA of Minneapolis.

“The United Way Action Day brought union members and retirees together to help our local United Way agency partners and had a good time too!” said Bobby Kasper, president of the 50,000-member St. Paul Regional Labor Federation.

Find additional pictures of RLF volunteers in this photo album.

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Unions urge members to volunteer on United Way Action Day

August 1, 2012 by

Whether you have 15 minutes or four hours to spare, you can make a big difference in your community on United Way Action Day, a volunteer event Aug. 22 sponsored by Greater Twin Cities United Way.

The St. Paul Regional Labor Federation’s Labor Studies and Resource Center is seeking volunteers from the union community for Action Day events. Opportunities include speed volunteering over the lunch hour downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, or afternoon volunteer shifts at local agencies that partner with Greater Twin Cities United Way.

Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and make a difference? Contact Lynne Larkin-Wright or Vicki Beebe, AFL-CIO Community Services liaisons, at 651-222-3787, or e-mail vbeebe [at] stpaulunions [dot] org, or llwright [at] stpaulunions [dot] org.

Visit www.unitedwayactionday.org for specific events and times. Alone, you can do incredible things. But together, we can do anything. Join us!

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Labor Bowl fundraiser nets $14,000 for AFL-CIO Community Services program

May 17, 2012 by

Click to view a photo gallery from Labor Bowl 2012.

The St. Paul Regional Labor Federation’s annual Labor Bowl event May 3 raised more than $14,000 raised for the St. Paul Labor Studies and Resource Center, making it the most successful Labor Bowl the Regional Labor Federation has ever hosted.

The bowling fundraiser at Midway Pro Bowl in St. Paul drew 16 teams. Sponsors included local unions, labor federations and area businesses.

View team photos in the Labor Bowl photo gallery.

The Labor Studies and Resource Center is the non-profit arm of the St. Paul RLF. The LSRC’s primary venture is the AFL-CIO Community Services Program, which provides direct assistance to union members facing financial or other crises.

This year’s Labor Bowl winners, who received gift certificates to Mancini’s, include Caleb Bain (high game), Kerry Wenger (two-game high) and Uriel Perez Espinoza (low game). Frank Loeffler won a raffle for Twins tickets.

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