Minnesota IAM District 77 Receives ‘Volunteer of the Year’ Award for IAM H.E.L.P.S. Events

Pictured left to right, IAM District 77 Secretary-Treasurer and IAM H.E.L.P.S. Coordinator Ko Vang, Vice President Kera Peterson, and Business Representative John Duerscherl accept FamilyWise Services’ 2019 “Volunteer of the Year” award on behalf of IAM District 77 in Minnesota. Also pictured, FamilyWise Executive Director Ann Gaash.

Minnesota IAM District 77 and the IAM Midwest Territory’s “IAM H.E.L.P.S in the Community” program was recently recognized by a St. Paul nonprofit organization dedicated to serving families inflicted with poverty, substance abuse, mental health, and domestic violence.

FamilyWise Services presented District 77 with it’s 2019 “Volunteer of the Year” Award in recognition for the district’s two IAM H.E.L.P.S. events which included cleaning and rehabilitating two FamilyWise facilities located in the St. Paul-Minneapolis area.

READ: District 77 ‘IAM H.E.L.P.S. in the Community’ Event Supports Minnesota Children and Families Struggling with Poverty, Domestic Violence

The IAM Midwest Territory’s “IAM H.E.L.P.S in the Community” program provides essential support to residents in need throughout the territory. H.E.L.P.S. stands for Honoring, Engaging, Lifting, Providing and Servicing. For more information on IAM H.E.L.P.S., click here

“The Machinists have been a fantastic resource in time and money savings as our volunteers typically do not have the skills required to perform major facility work,” said FamilyWise. “Last fall, they donated and put together a new shed in our backyard, freeing up our parking lot for more families being served in our main office. They secured our bike rack and helped us stabilize a retaining wall keeping our playground in, and used their mechanical skills to repair FamilyWise fencing. The Machinists also bring their family members who help with outdoor cleanup. In past years, they have worked hard to improve our St. Paul Supervised Parenting Time site with rooms specific for babies or adolescents meeting with their non-custodial parent.”

“Our partnership with FamilyWise allows us to not only help and support the community, it also allows us to showcase the diversity of our members’ talents,” said IAM District 77 Directing Business Representative John Steigauf. “These projects give our members and their families an opportunity to have fun and help others in the process – it’s a win-win for all! My congratulations and thanks go out to all who participated in these events.”

IAM District 77 Secretary-Treasurer and IAM H.E.L.P.S. Coordinator Ko Vang, Business Representative John Duerscherl, and Vice President Kera Peterson were in attendance to accept the award.

“Congratulations to IAM District 77 on receiving FamilyWise’s 2019 ‘Volunteer of the Year’ Award,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Steve Galloway. “Your continued commitment and willingness to dedicate your time to volunteering and improving the lives of all Minnesota families – not just IAM members – is immeasurable. Thank you for all of your hard work and everything that you do.”

 

 

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