Operating Engineers 513 members provide coats for children in need

By SHERI GASSAWAY
Correspondent

Operating Engineers Local 513 Children’s Charity’s recently donated 201 new winter coats for kids in need at 23 schools in the union’s jurisdiction, which includes 58 counties and the City of St. Louis in the eastern half of Missouri.

Local 513 members raise money for the coats with a raffle, and the union reaches out to counselors at schools in its jurisdiction to see if there are any children in need. The counselors provide Local 513 with the gender, age and coat size needed.

Now in its fourth year, the coat drive is yet another example of how union members serve the communities where they live and work, just because it is the right thing to do. The 2019 drive was the most successful.

“Because of the generosity of our members, there are 201 children who will be warm this winter,” said Local 513 President/Business Manager Tim Sappington. “It makes our members feel good knowing they are giving back to the community.”

Local 513 Business Representative Keith Zancauske agreed and added, “It’s a great privilege to get to represent our members in our Children’s Charity fundraiser each year. It’s always a pleasure to give back to our communities.”