![local811toydrive](https://iam141.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/local811toydrive.jpg)
Commitment To the Community: Local 811 Toy Drive for Pediatric Cancer Patients
Service to the Community
11 July 2022
Local Lodge 811’s Women’s Committee recently dropped off a large donation of toys from their latest toy collection project for Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas.
In previous years the local donated any type of toy to all children at the hospital, but this time, the committee chose to collect specific toys for bed-ridden pediatric cancer patients: puzzles, word games, books, and hand-held electronics.
Local 811 Secretary Treasurer Sarah Monderoy Garcia has been on the Women’s Committee since 2013. She, Lodge 811 Vice President Nelson Yanes, Trustee Adrienne Coleman, Charlotte Lazard, and Evelita Everitt make up 811’s Women’s Committee, which is continually collecting donations for different organizations.
“We’re always doing some type of drive, whether it’s toiletries, clothing, or toys. We like to target different areas of need in the community,” said Garcia.
The committee encouraged members to bring donations to union meetings and advertised with flyers on the break-room bulletin boards at George Bush Intercontinental Houston Airport (IAH) where Local 811 members work for United Airlines as ramp service employees, ground crew, and stores material specialists (members who work side-by-side with mechanics to provide parts for planes).
The committee strategically decides to host their toy drives in the summer time, the “off-season,” because hospitals typically receive an abundance of toy donations over the holidays but are running low and have new patients come summer.
Johnsen also pledged to work closely with the ALU, including hammering out a potential agreement to open the renowned Winpisinger Education Center to ALU members. “The Winpisinger Center is the largest labor school in North America,” he said. “It has an expert teaching staff that holds classes on things that matter to unions. Things like contract negotiations, leadership training, arbitration, organizing and more. It’ll be a great asset to JetBlue Crewmembers once they come on board, and I hope that ALU members will look into the opportunity to find out more about the Winpisinger Center.”
Related News
Machinists Unions Applauds Passage of Inflation Reduction Act
Machinists Unions Applauds Passage of Inflation Reduction ActLegislative16 August 2022The Inflation Reduction Act will lower costs for families, combat the climate crisis, reduce the deficit, and finally ask the largest corporations to pay their fair share. This...
August Helping Hands: Wellness
IAM EAP Peer Volunteers: I hope everyone is surviving the crippling heat of the past few weeks! The weather does drive a lot of behavior! Hot weather usually leads to more conflict between people - including while at work. Thank you for being there to help your...
District 141 EAP Expands American Airlines Services With Two New Appointments
District 141 EAP Expands American Airlines Services With Two New AppointmentsEmployee Assistance Program11 August 2022District 141 of the Machinists Union is expanding its Employee Assistance Program with two new regional appointments. Effective August 1, Kendall...