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By TIM ROWDEN
Editor-in-Chief
Chesterfield, MO – Laborers Local 42’s Top Golf Fundraiser Sept.12 scored a hole-in-one with participants and for the veterans groups which will benefit from the inaugural event to support Laborers Local 42’s Veterans Committee and area veterans organizations.
The fundraiser was the culmination of a project that has been in the works for some time.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Laborers 42 chartered a 501(c)(3) not for profit Veterans Committee through its International Union to benefit Local 42 member veterans and other groups that deal with veterans’ issues.
“I believe that the construction industry and Labor are in a unique position to both help solve, and benefit from addressing issues,” said Local 42 President Matt Andrews, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. “We are uniquely equipped to help.
“One of the issues surrounding mental health in veterans is the loss of a task or a mission that they believe in, and the other is dealing with the loss of their network of peers and support. These funds raised allow for the Veteran’s Committee to spend on Local 42 veterans in need, or veterans within the community. For example if a veteran needs a wheelchair ramp built, we can purchase the materials and help to coordinate the volunteers.”
Helping veterans and, when possible, bringing them into the building trades, also addresses a growing issue facing the construction industry – a shortage of workers. “Workforce shortages could be helped by embracing this mostly under-utilized group of individuals,” Andrews said.
THE MISSION
The Laborers Local 42 Veterans Committee’s is committed to bettering the lives of veterans who have bravely and honorable served our country as well as focusing on concerns that directly affect them by providing social support for veterans, including but not limited to emotional, instrumental, informational and appraisal assistance.
Local 42 and the Missouri/Kansas Laborers District Council have a long history of supporting veterans whether assisting with The Kaufman Fund’s annual Trees For Vets program, helping place wreaths and flags at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery or volunteering for other veterans causes.
Last year, Laborers Locals 42, 110 and 660 and the Missouri Laborers Employees and Education Trust together donated a combined $10,000 for the Trees for Vets program sponsored by The Kaufmann Fund, and provided volunteers to help load and distribute the trees.
Other veterans group benefitting from the Top Golf fundraiser and the Veterans Committee’s efforts include Focus Marines, Folds of Honor, Showers of Hope and Wreaths Across America as well as others.
PARTICIPATING CONTRACTORS AND SPONSORS
Contractors and other organizations sponsoring and or participating in the fundraiser included:
Laborers Local 42 Executive Board, Laborers Locals 100, 397, 660, 663, 773, 830, 840 and 1290, Downstate Illinois Laborers District Council, LiUNA Midwest Region, Missouri Kansas Laborers District Council, ACR Environmental, Aetna, Anders CPAs and Advisors, Anthem, Bates Utilities, Hammond & Shinners, Heitkamp Masonry, PROLOAN-Richmond Capital Management, Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP, St. Louis Building Trades Council, Steadfast City, TJ Ahrens, Fred Luth & Sons Inc., Advanced Environmental, McCarthy, ULLICO, ABOC, AGC of St. Louis, Archview Contracting, Bates Utilities, Bricklayers Local 1, Commerce Bank, D.L. Carlson Investment Group, Everside Health-Marathon Health, Golf Discount STL, Heat and Frost Insulators Local 1, Holland General Contractors, Iron Workers Local 396, JDS Masonry, Kozeny-Wagner, the Labor Tribune, Lizmark, Lucco Management, Machinists District 9, Marquette Associates, Mason Contractors Association, Metropolitan Sewer District, North County Labor Club, Peoples National Bank, Show Me Victories, Walkenhorst Law Firm, Labor First, Arnold, Newbold, Sollars & Hollins P.C., Marquette Associates, Mesirow Financial, Millstone Weber, O’Brien Law Firm and Segal Company (Midwest).
