ST. LOUIS - With a 50 percent increase in its
annual donation, The
Electrical Connection has made
this year's Habitat
for Humanity St. Louis house building
blitz the most successful ever - not only for
disadvantaged families, but for out-of-work
union electricians. The labor-management organization
donated $190,000 in material and services to
safely wire a record 27 Habitat homes. House-building
this year began in June and wrapped-up in early
December. Families received keys to the new
homes at a ceremony December 6, 2008.
"It has been a rough year for many area families,
so we increased our commitment to help Habitat
build more homes and provide full-time pay and
fringe benefits to jobless union electricians,"
said Douglas R. Martin, executive
vice president of the St.
Louis Chapter, National Electrical Contractors
Association (NECA). St. Louis Chapter
NECA partners with the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local
One to form the Electrical Connection.
The homes are located in the Jeff-Vander-Lou
neighborhood of North St. Louis, most of them
on Sheridan Avenue and Thomas Street. All are
Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified
- a first for Habitat for Humanity St. Louis.
.
"The slumping economy has put many electricians
out of work," added Steve
Schoemehl, IBEW Local One business
manager. "In our fifth year partnering with
Habitat, we are delighted to have provided work
for 50-plus electricians while bringing 27 disadvantaged
families home just in time for the holidays."
Since 2004, the Electrical Connection has donated more than $500,000 to wire more than 140 Habitat homes.
Participating union electrical contractors
included:
Dickherber Electric, Inc., J.
Bathe Electric Co., M.R.
Bathe Electric, Northwest
Electric Co., Inc., Superb
Electric, L.C., Schaeffer
Electric Co., Inc. and Wentzel
Electric.
The Electrical Connection has also donated
services to Rebuilding Together
to improve homes for low-income, elderly persons
in the area, and for 12 years has donated skills
and material in support of St. Louis City's
"National
Night Out" anti-crime program.
Find out more at www.electricalconnection.org.
# # #
Editor's Note: The Electrical Connection
makes its offices at 5735 Elizabeth in South
St. Louis, Mo. (63110).
Dickherber Electrical, Inc.
is located at 1708 S. 5thStreet in
St. Charles, Mo. (63303).
J. Bathe Electric Co. is located
at 71 Triad South Drive in St. Charles, Mo.
(63304).
M.R. Bathe Electric is located
at 1023 Cool Springs Industrial Drive in O'Fallon,
Mo. (63366).
Northwest Electric Co., Inc.
is located at 11672 Gravois Road in St. Louis,
Mo. (63126).
Superb Electric, L.C. is located
at 415 Riverview Lane in St. Charles, Mo. (63301).
Schaeffer Electric Co., Inc.
is located at 4667 Green Park Road in Green
Park, Mo. (63123).
Wentzel Electric is located
at 5645 Carlton Drive in High Ridge, Mo. (63049).
(from left) Courtney S., Pandora
C. and Tiffani T., recipients of a new home
from Habitat for Humanity St. Louis,
stand with Matt Lampe of the
Electrical Connection and Consuelo
C., Kesha M., Sherrell B., Melissa B. and Roxanna
M., also home recipients, at the dedication
ceremony for eight new homes on Saturday, December
6, 2008.
