At their recent Midwest Territory Staff Conference, IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli announced the 2023 IAM Midwest Territory Helping Hands Award winners, affectionately known as the “IAM Helpy’s.”
The IAM Helpy Awards – now in its sixth year in the Midwest Territory – is the Territory’s way of honoring those IAM Districts and Unaffiliated Locals who answered the call to serve their communities as part of the Territory’s “IAM H.E.L.P.S. in the Community” program.
“The IAM Helpy Awards pay tribute to the exceptional efforts of IAM Districts and Locals who have dedicated themselves to serving their communities as part of the Territory’s ‘IAM H.E.L.P.S. in the Community’ program,” said Cicinelli. “Every District and unaffiliated Local sponsors a H.E.L.P.S. project each year. Congratulations to all the recipients of this year’s awards. I am truly impressed by the dedication and hard work shown by our members, their family and friends working together striving to make a positive impact in their communities. We are definitely proud of all the projects throughout the Midwest that have helped those in need.”
District 9: Most Unique
District 9 held its HELPS event in October 2023. Volunteers gathered to build “sharing libraries.” These sharing libraries were filled with donated books and placed in various locations in Pacific, Mo. The area has a low literacy rate and has a small union footprint in the community. District 9 is targeting this area for organizing opportunities. The IAM logo was placed on each of the sharing libraries.
Mechanics Local 701: Most Volunteer Participation
Mechanics Local 701 held its 2023 HELPS event in October at a food bank called “Feed My Starving Children” in Aurora, Ill. Over 30 volunteers gathered to donate their time and labor to pack rice, beans and dry lentils in packages to distribute to families overseas who desperately needed food. Volunteers assisted in packaging 201 boxes. Each box contained 36 bags, providing 124 children with a daily meal for an entire year, which equaled 45,000 meals.
District 77: Best Advocate for Military Veterans
District 77 held its 2023 HELPS event at a transitional house for women veterans who are experiencing homelessness. Volunteers from across Minnesota turned out to do significant landscaping around the house and garage.
District 6: Best Overall
District 6 held its 2023 HELPS event at a senior citizens assisted living home and performed intense landscaping. Volunteers gathered from across the District to clear the underbrush and trees from the pond’s shore where residents could enjoy a clear view of the pond and associated wildlife. The work was physically demanding, and volunteers cleared so much vegetation from the shoreline that management asked them to stop due to the vast amount of compiled yard waste.
The IAM Midwest Territory began the “IAM H.E.L.P.S. in the Community” initiative in the spring of 2017 as a way to provide essential support to residents in need. H.E.L.P.S. stands for Honoring, Engaging, Lifting, Providing and Servicing. For more on IAM H.E.L.P.S. click here.
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