Today’s Advancements in Total Station

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This week, Indiana and Kentucky Instructors and on-the-job trainers had the opportunity to participate in a rigorous training for the latest Trimble Robotic Total Station. The Trimble Robotic Total Station is key to performing layout tasks more efficiently than with conventional mechanical systems. This training prepares our students and instructors alike to evolve with technological instruments that are leading the way in the Carpentry industry.

Director of Training for Indiana and Ohio, Jerry Burke says, “The Trimble training has given our Instructors the knowledge and resources to not only show our members how to perform Building Construction Layout and Data Collection in the most productive and efficient way, but will show increased value of our IKORCC workforce as the most innovative skilled craftsman.” 

The training included an informational classroom lecture and hands-on learning with assistance from Trimble certified instructors. During the hands-on learning, instructors were able to conveniently set up the Trimble and perform positioning around the training center. The Trimble will allow for positioning up to 300 meters (9,843 feet) away with the prism pole. The new instrument can also be set-up and performed efficiently by one user. This will be the first hands-on robotic instrument in the training center for instructors and students to use. Ari Perez, an instructor out of the Indianapolis, IN Training Center said, “As instructors we feel that it is our duty to keep pace with the technological advancements of our industries.” We look forward to the many opportunities the new training will provide for our members.

For more information on Trimble Robotic Total Station Training, contact a Training Center near you.

IKORCC Member Saves Police Officer’s Life

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IKORCC and Local 599 member Patrick Baum risked his life today to save a police officer and helped apprehend a person wanted for multiple attempted child abductions in Hammond. The Hammond Police Department held a special ceremony and presented Patrick with a bravery award for his heroic actions.

Officers say Patrick risked his personal safety to assist an officer in need while he was trying to secure a dangerous individual believed to be involved in multiple child abductions. Patrick’s actions that day helped to avoid a potential tragedy. The suspect who was arrested and charged with 5 criminal counts including Attempted Criminal Confinement and Resisting Law Enforcement is in custody.

A statement from The Hammond, Indiana Police Department stated:
On June 1 at approximately 2:30 pm, Hammond Police responded to the 2900 block of 165th street in reference to an attempted child abduction. A 15-year-old female reported that she was grabbed by a black male in a vehicle. The female stated that she was able to quickly pull away from the male and ran. Witnesses on scene gave police a detailed description of the vehicle he was driving and the license plate. A few minutes later, a 10-year-old female reported that a male matching the same description tried to lure her into his vehicle in the 6400 block of New Hampshire.

Hammond Police Officer Daniel Sangkaratana was actively patrolling the area in search of the suspect when he located the vehicle with matching license plates from Illinois. Officer Sangkaratana advised that he located the suspect inside his vehicle. Officer Sangkaratana performed a traffic stop of the vehicle and the suspect immediately exited his vehicle and began to walk around with a blank stare. Officer Sangkaratana gave the suspect orders that were ignored. The suspect went back into his vehicle and began to reach under the driver’s seat of the vehicle.

Fearing that the suspect was reaching for a weapon, Officer Sangkaratana ran up the suspect and grabbed his arm attempting to stop the suspect from grabbing a weapon. The suspect spun around and began to fight with the officer. The suspect began to grab Officer Sangkaratana’s vest and gun belt. The suspect pushed the officer into the street and continued to struggle.

At this time, a local Hammond resident, Patrick Baum, was driving by and observed what was happening. He stopped his vehicle and exited. Mr. Baum ran up to the suspect fighting with Officer Sangkaratana and tackled him to the ground. Mr. Baum assisted Officer Sangkaratana in holding the suspect on the ground until fellow officers arrived and the officers were able to secure the suspect in the police vehicle.

Mr. Baum was presented with an award for bravery today. The Hammond Police Department would like to thank Mr. Patrick Baum for his selfless and brave actions that afternoon. He risked his personal safety to assist an officer in need while he was trying to secure a dangerous individual believed to be involved in multiple child abductions. Mr. Baum’s actions that day helped to avoid a potential tragedy. The suspect who was arrested and charged with 5 criminal counts including Attempted Criminal Confinement and Resisting Law Enforcement is in custody.

Carpenters Help Indiana Organization Save Lives

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44 – that’s the number of lives Indiana Youth Services’ Making Good Decisions initiative has helped save since its inception. It’s an organization that’s making a difference to so many young people, which is why the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters was happy to sponsor their “The Blind Pig Speakeasy” fundraiser this week.

“The carpenters have always believed in helping our members better their lives, in this regard our missions are very much aligned. This organization is helping save lives, it’s a great cause for us to support,” says Tim Thieme of the IKORCC.

Their mission is simple, Making Good Decisions helps educate young people about the dangers of underage drinking to help prevent alcohol-related deaths. The organization led the charge to pass Indiana’s Lifeline Law, which gives immunity from certain alcohol-related offenses to minors who call to report a medical emergency or crime.

It’s a cause that is deeply personal to the organization’s founders Norm and Dawn Finbloom. Their son Brett passed out after a night of heavy drinking at a friend’s house. When his heart stopped beating and friends realized he was in real trouble, they didn’t call paramedics immediately for fear of getting in trouble. Unfortunately, that choice and delay in getting help led to Brett’s death.

Vowing to save other families from a similar tragedy, The Finbloom’s worked hard to pass the Lifeline Law and say, “Now Brett is everyone’s lifeline.”

Making Good Decisions has recently partnered with Indiana’s Text-to-911 services to increase public awareness about the ability to TEXT-to-911 in an emergency. The purpose is to encourage young people to contact 911 for help when they find themselves or a friend in an emergency.

Learn more about the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters or our community projects.

Carpenters Help Little Wish Foundation Grant a Wish

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For Derek Dodd helping the Little Wish Foundation grant a wish isn’t just about giving back – it’s personal. Derek’s wife is a childhood cancer survivor and although he wasn’t in her life at the time, he knows the toll cancer takes on a family.

That’s why Derek and 13 other members of Carpenter’s Local 1016 spent the day in Muncie building a swing set for a two-year-old boy with cancer. The swing set included a slide, clubhouse, rock climbing wall, and a sandbox.

“You and your guys really made a difference to our family, and I cannot thank you enough,” the boy’s grandmother said.

Derek said seeing the family so happy meant a lot to the group. “Anytime we can help a family in need like this for this good cause – I’m all on board,” he said.

Great work Local 1016! 

 

Carpenters Help Portsmouth Family Build Future

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Carpenters not only helped build a home in Portsmouth last weekend, they also helped a family build a solid foundation for their future. 

Nearly a dozen members of Carpenter’s Local 437 helped Scioto County Habitat for Humanity build a home for a family in Ohio. Carpenters set the trusses and completed the roof in only five hours!

“When God blesses you with a skill, it’s always good to bless back,” says member Mike Slack Sr., who ventured out of retirement to lend a hand to his local.

Member and Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters Business Agent Trampas Puckett said, “Carpenters are all about building our communities, this was a perfect way to help a deserving family build their future.”

The Scioto County Habitat for Humanity thanked the carpenters. “A very special thank you to the local Carpenters Union #437 for putting in a long, hot day helping us.”

IKORCC Wins Commercial Project of the Year

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They haven’t officially cut the ribbon opening the new Merrillville training facility and already the IKORCC’s state-of-the-art building is winning awards.

Wednesday the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters earned the prestigious “Commercial Project of the Year Award” from the Construction Advancement Fund (CAF) for the new administration and training facility in Merrillville.

The buildings, which are located at 1560 E. 70th Court in Merrillville, were built by Hasse Construction with the help of union carpenters.

The CAF hosts an annual award ceremony in partnership with the Northwest Indiana Building Roundtable (NWIBRT) to recognize excellence in construction and safety.

The IKORCC Merrillville project was recognized for being completed on schedule, within budget, with minimal disruption to the operation, all while upholding the highest commitment to safety.

The IKORCC administration building is 13,000 square feet and the training center is an impressive 64,000 square feet. The training center will help thousands of people build their careers in the industry. Carpenters, floor coverers, and millwrights will receive the latest skill & safety training thanks to the new facility.

To learn more about the Merrillville Training Center, or to build a career in carpentry click here.

Habitat for Humanity Nail It Competition of Southeast Ohio

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Last month, IKORCC members created a team to participate in the 3rd Annual Habitat for Humanity Nail It Competition of Southeast Ohio. The Nail It Competition is a nail-biting race to see what team can drive nails the fastest. Each team member must drive two nails into a piece of wood relay style. Our fast and hardworking IKORCC team finished first place with a time of 23 seconds!

Local 356 in Marietta, Ohio was represented by Brent Hensley (Journeyman) and Tyler Welch (Apprentice). Local 650 in Pomeroy, Ohio was represented by Kill Wells (Journeyman) and Luke Fackler (Apprentice). The team was funded by donations of their locals, collecting a total of $1,000! The event raised a total of $7,000 dollars between all 25 teams. The money collected from the teams goes to support Habitat for Athens County and the work they do in the community.

Hochstedler Flooring Partners with IKORCC

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Indiana isn’t immune to the skilled worker shortage sweeping America, a fact that one flooring company learned the hard way. Hochstedler Floorcovering in Kokomo hopes to solve that problem by partnering with the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters.

“There’s a real shortage of flooring installers out there that really want to learn the trade,” Greg Hochstedler says. “We believe partnering with the carpenters will help get us trained flooring installers – that’s hard to find nowadays.”

Carmella Hochstedler, who runs the business alongside her brother & father, says they’ve been looking for a way to get new installers as many of their longtime employees are getting close to retirement.

“We really needed a better way to train the next generation,” she says. Adding, “We’ve used subs in the past, but it’s hard to get guys to stay due to the nature of the work.”

Carmella hopes partnering with the carpenters and their highly trained members will help grow the family business. “It will open doors we haven’t been able to on our own,” she says.

Hochstedler opened in its doors in 1998 after Greg and his father wanted to run a flooring company, instead of working as installers as they had since the early 1980s. The company has been family owned and operated since its inception.

Today there are three generations of Hochstedlers working at the company, although it’s not uncommon to see the next generation in the store learning the trade.

Hochstedler Floorcovering sells and installs vinyl, laminate, hardwood, ceramic, carpet and many more types of flooring. Currently, their wait time for installation is about three weeks, but with an influx of skilled floor coverers from the carpenters they can now service commercial clients much faster.

Hochstedler Floorcovering serves Kokomo, Logansport, Marion, Peru, Tipton, Westfield and portions of Carmel.

IKORCC Sponsors Kentucky Derby Festival

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Last week Union Carpenters kicked off the Kentucky Derby Festival with a bang at Thunder Over Louisville, a day-long air show and firework display at nightfall over the Ohio River.

The event brought Kentucky carpenters together to educate visitors on becoming a Union Carpenter and the future opportunities in the field. Thunder Over Louisville brought thousands of spectators to the Kentucky and Indiana shorelines.

Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters EST Mark McGriff was proud to help cut the ribbon, kicking off the annual Derby Festival. The IKORCC sponsored The Grove for the week of festivities. The Grove has been a gathering spot for visitors of the Derby Festival. The space is lined with picnic tables made by Apprentices from Carpenters Local 175. It was a volunteer opportunity and their time was greatly appreciated!

Dan Sustin, Training Coordinator in Richfield, Ohio made IKORCC metal plaques for each of the picnic tables. The tables were a great addition to the space this year and we hope to see them in the many years to come!

In 1956 the festival started with one small event on the river, today the schedule is packed with nightly events and multiple local vendors. We were thrilled to be able to support the event and look forward to many other community events in the coming year.

Honoring Vets at KY Derby Festival

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Saturday volunteers with the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters spent the day honoring our nation’s bravest at the Kentucky Derby Festival in Louisville. The festival gave free admission to vets and their families for their annual Military Appreciation Day & Tyler Farr county concert.

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Volunteers from the IKORCC spent the day educating people about our Helmets to Hardhats program, which helps vets get a job after returning home, often within six weeks. Helmets to Hardhats helps military service members successfully transition back into civilian life by offering them the means to secure a quality career in the construction industry. Our federally-approved apprenticeship program allows vets to use their Montgomery G.I. Bill benefits to supplement their income.

Based on vet’s military occupation code, we can help leverage training and work-related experience during their time in the service for possible advanced placement in our apprenticeship program. With an honorable discharge, veterans can be working on a job site as soon as six weeks!

One of our carpenters and his wife, who volunteered at the event, were thrilled to meet country star Tyler Farr just before his concert Saturday!

We’d like to thank all the brave men and women that serve our nation’s military. We’d also like to thank the many volunteers who spent the weekend helping our community.

Click here to learn more about our Helmets to Hardhats program.