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photo by Jessica St. James
The new playground equipment located at the newly built Burlington Elementary School.
Building for the Children
Tri-State Building Trades group donates time to put together playgrounds
Published Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Photo by Jessica St. James
Steve Cooper, left, and James Hale, right, spends a morning recently helping to construct and erect playground equipment at the new Burlington Elementary School.
BURLINGTON — “This is just a token of our appreciation to the South Point schools for allowing us to build the buildings in their system.”
That quote, from Tri-State Building Trades union representative Steve Burton, was in reference to the free work many local union workers recently provided en route to erecting playground equipment at the new South Point and Burlington elementary schools.
“They needed playground equipment installed and we volunteered to do it,” Burton said matter-of-factly. “We saw a need and told Mr. (Superintendent Ken) Cook we would help him.”
Tri-State Building Trades, which is located in Ashland, represents 14 different trade unions in the local area. “We represent construction workers in 33 counties in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio,” Burton said, adding that the organization has been in place for 35 years.
Those trade unions include IBEW 317, Ironworkers Local 769, Bricklayers Local 7, Sheetmetal Workers Local 24, Laborers Local 1445, Asbestos Workers Local 80 and Carpenter’s Local 437 among others.
“Those are just some of the locals that participated in installing the playground equipment,” Burton said, noting that some of the workers volunteered on their days off while others are temporarily laid off and showed up every day to help.
“We averaged about 15 to 20 workers a day,” he said, adding that most of the volunteers had no ties to the South Point school district.
“Some of these workers had absolutely no reason to be here other than just to jump in and help. They are just doing their part as members of the local community.”
Burton credited co-worker Mark Johnson with organizing the unsolicited effort. “Mark has been there every day,” Burton said. “He’s the one who put this all together and made it work.”
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Comments
Posted by nottellin (anonymous) on September 1, 2009 at 10:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What a great bunch of people! If more people in the U.S. would do something because it's the right thing to do we'd have a lot fewer problems.
Bless all these people. The kids will love their playground.
Posted by threekinns (anonymous) on September 1, 2009 at 10:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you fine men for your work and time on this project. My son is a first grader at South Point and this weekend he wanted to drive by and see how the playground was coming along. He is very anxious to go outside at recess and play with his friends. This is a very big deal for the little ones! So God Bless all of you you that participated in this project for our South Point kids!!!
Posted by MEinOH (anonymous) on September 1, 2009 at 11:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As a parent of two Burlington students, I want to sincerely say thank you to this wonderful bunch! I'm sure the children, including mine, will LOVE the new toys!!! God bless you!
Posted by MasterChef (anonymous) on September 1, 2009 at 11:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
These men are shing examples to others. Those kids have brand new schools AND playground equipment. Maybe there will be an increase in the number of parents involved!
Posted by osu (anonymous) on September 1, 2009 at 12:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks to the volunteer UNION workers! Take that, you union bashers.
Posted by mickakers (John Michael Akers) on September 1, 2009 at 3:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My compliments to the Tri-State Building Trades union for a job WELL DONE! God Bless and keep you all.
Posted by muskratt (anonymous) on September 1, 2009 at 9:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great job local union folks!
If only all unions would behave in this manor, Detroit wouldn't be about to cave in.
Posted by uawrob (anonymous) on September 1, 2009 at 9:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great work Tri-State Building Trades Union. It is great to see a good story involving union members. In Georgia it is very seldom that you see a good story involving unions. Although they do a lot to help in their community. If it is not bad news (concerning unions) in Metro Atlanta then most of the time they will not print the story.
Thank You Ironton Tribune for giving the credit to the hard working men and their unions.
Posted by osu (anonymous) on September 2, 2009 at 9:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If health care costs were not so high, and if the Detroit CEOs were not making so much in "bonus" pay while the companies lose "billions," then Detroit would not be about to cave in.
Union jobs are good jobs, and union members are patriotic Americans who work hard for the things they have.
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