The CMRCC Shop is LIVE
We are extremely excited to share that the Central Midwest Carpenters has launched an online merch store that is already up and running! Read more
Tag Archive for: Community
Giving Back, at Scale
The Central Midwest Carpenters are dedicated to giving back to the communities in which we live and serve. Throughout 2025, there were many projects, volunteer opportunities, and community engagements that took place. These few examples are just some of the ways that CMRCC Members are constantly stepping up and lending a helping hand to those who need it around us.
Union Volunteers Help Build a Better Night’s Sleep for Local Kids
In an inspiring show of community spirit, 25 volunteers from Central Midwest Carpenters’ Local 175, Local 1076, and their families recently teamed up with Louisville’s Metro United Way and Sleep in Heavenly Peace to help ensure that no child in our area sleeps on the floor. The build day, held in downtown Louisville on July 26, 2025, brought together volunteers from other trades and organizations who cut, moved, and prepared bed components for assembly.
The Build-A-Bed event featured speakers from other trade unions, Ford Community Cares, Luke Mickelson – The Founder of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, along with other local and state officials including Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.
In the months leading up to the event, our members dedicated countless hours preparing wood for the build. From the donation of the wood to sanding and pre-cutting the materials, their work ensured that every bed built was strong, safe, and ready for a good night’s rest. Read more
Scholarship Winners | 2025
We’re excited to announce the recipients of the 2025 Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters Scholarship Program!
Forty outstanding students have each been awarded a $1,000 scholarship, which can be applied toward tuition, room and board, or books at their chosen college or trade school.
As in past years, twenty recipients were selected based on academic excellence, including high school GPA and SAT/ACT scores. The other twenty were chosen through a random drawing, ensuring opportunity and access for all eligible applicants.
These remarkable students are the sons, daughters, and dependents of proud members of the Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters.
Congratulations to the 2025 CMRCC Scholarship recipients:
2024 Don Sherry Achievement Award Announced
At the heart of the Central Midwest Carpenters lies every single one of our members. The sense of community that binds us has been cultivated through training, working, and fighting for workers’ rights together. The spirit of this community is perpetuated by individuals who promote inclusivity and leave their mark on the organization and the people around them. Each year, we honor a union member who shares these values, and few people have exemplified this more than Don Sherry.
2024 Scholarship Winners
We’re thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2024 Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters Scholarship Program! Forty students have been awarded a $1,000 scholarship each, which can be utilized towards tuition, room and board, or books for their chosen trade school or college.
Similar to previous years, twenty recipients were selected based on their exceptional high school grade point average and SAT or ACT scores. Additionally, another twenty recipients were chosen through a random selection process.
These deserving recipients are the sons, daughters, and dependent children of members belonging to the Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights.
Without further ado, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to the following individuals for being awarded the 2024 CMRCC Scholarships:
2023 Don Sherry Achievement Award Announced
In the heart of every thriving community lies the essence of solidarity, and at the core of that spirit, often stands a dedicated union member. These unsung heroes are the backbone of progress, selflessly working towards uplifting the community they call home. Through unwavering commitment, tireless efforts, and a deep sense of responsibility, they embody the very essence of service to others.
Every year, we honor an exceptional union member, whose devotion to the community has left an indelible mark on the lives of countless individuals. Their story serves as a beacon of inspiration, illuminating the power of collective action and the positive impact that a single individual can have on a larger society.
Don Sherry passionately served the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters for nearly 20 years as a business representative and Director of Organizing. He was the President of Carpenters Local 175 and a dedicated advocate for worker’s rights and unions. Colleagues said his dedication to this organization was second to none. To pay homage to his legacy, the IKORCC gives the Don Sherry Achievement Award annually.
The Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters is proud to announce this year’s Don Sherry Achievement Award goes to Mitchell Carrillo.
Mitchell is an 18-year union member out of Local 1005. Mitchell has dedicated time year after year to giving back to communities across the United States with his unique skills as a carpenter. From being a volunteer fireman for over a decade to rehabbing 30 homes in Indiana with Habitat for Humanity, Mitchell represents the true essence of a Union Carpenter.
“If you know Mitch at all you know that has never done any for his work for publicity or a pat on the back. He does this humanitarian work because he loves people”, the Local 1005 nomination letter read.
Brother Carrillo took frequent trips to Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to help rebuild those communities. When his IKORCC brothers and sisters (and countless others) needed help last December after devastating tornadoes, he got to work.
In recognizing the tireless efforts of union members like Brother Carrillo, we acknowledge the countless others like them who work selflessly behind the scenes, fueling the engine of progress in our communities. Their commitment serves as a testament to the strength of collective action, reminding us of the importance of supporting and empowering those who strive to uplift us all. We look forward to honoring our selfless members through the Don Sherry Achievement Award for years to come.
Please join us in congratulating our 2023 Don Sherry Award winner, Mitchell Carrillo!
To honor Don’s service and dedication, each year since his passing the IKORCC has given The Don Sherry Achievement Award. The award recognizes a rank-and-file member who has gone above and beyond in their service on the job site, with contractors, in MAC meetings (Member Action Committee), and in their community. In addition to giving an award in his honor, IKORCC delegates raise money each year during their annual conference and donate the proceeds to the Diabetes Foundation in Don Sherry’s honor.
Recipients of the Don Sherry Achievement Award include:
2018 – Glenn Downs, Local 599
2019 – Raymond Poer, Local 599
2020 – Cory Hudson, Local 285
2021 – Bobby Miller, Local 357
2022 – Travis Williams, Local 1005
2023 – Mitchell Carrillo, Local 1005
Congrats to our 2023 Scholarship Winners
Congratulations to our 2023 Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters Scholarship Program recipients! Forty students received a $1,000 scholarship toward tuition, room and board, or books to a trade school or college.
Twenty recipients earned scholarships based on their high school grade point average and SAT or ACT scores. Another twenty were selected randomly.
Recipients were sons, daughters, and dependent children of members of the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights. Parents or guardians must be members in good standing of the IKORCC for at least one year. The son, daughter, or dependent child must be a high school graduating senior or be attending a college, university, or trade school as a full-time student.
Congratulations to the following 2023 IKORCC Scholarship recipients:
2023 Scholarship Applications Now Open
Applications are now open for the IKORCC scholarship program. Forty $1,000 scholarships will be awarded in 2023 to eligible member’s dependent children. Twenty of the scholarships are awarded based on scholastics, and twenty others via a random drawing.
The Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council scholastic scholarships are awarded based on 60% high school grade point average and 40% on
SAT or ACT scores. Twenty scholarships will be selected by random drawing.
The scholarship is to be used solely for the purpose of education in the form of tuition, room and board, and or books.
Congrats to our 2022 Scholarship Winners
Congratulations to our 2022 Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters Scholarship Program recipients! 40 students received a $1,000 scholarship toward tuition, room, and board, or books to a trade school or college.
Twenty recipients earned scholarships based upon their high school grade point average and SAT or ACT scores. Another twenty were selected randomly.
Recipients were sons, daughters, and dependent children of members of the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights. Parents or guardians must be members in good standing of the IKORCC for at least one year. The son, daughter, or dependent child must be a high school graduating senior or be attending a college, university or trade school as a full-time student.
Congratulations to the following 2022 IKORCC Scholarship recipients: Read more