UFCW 655 raises $15,000 for Sickle Cell research; third year to exceed goal

$29,500 over three years puts 655 at No.1 for UFCW’s national charity effort

By ED FINKELSTEIN

Publisher

UFCW Local 655’s Third Annual Sickle Cell fundraising BBQ raised $15,000 for Faces of Our Children, a national charity that raises awareness and helps fund research to find a cure for the Sickle Cell blood disease that affects one in every 12 African Americans, Local 655 President David Cook announced. The event was held in front of the Schnucks Cross Keys store.

With 21 unions, 23 businesses and 34 churches participating as co-sponsors, the union exceeded its $12,000 goal. In the first two barbecues Local 655 raised $14,500 for the research effort.

Local 655 has been recognized as the top fund raising local within the entire UFCW for their incredible success in this national fund raising campaign.

Dozens of people at the event also signed up to be potential bone marrow donors at a Blood Cancer Registry booth sponsored by Delete Blood Cancer DKMS, the world’s largest bone marrow donor center that has more than four million registered bone marrow donors worldwide. This was the second year for the BBQ’s on-site registry.

THANK YOU

“A special ‘thank you’ to our volunteers, to all the local unions and the faith groups that participated as co-sponsors and made donations. Once again this points out how much added value our unions bring to our communities with their commitment to vital charitable efforts like Faces of Our Children,” Cook said.

“We are committed to this effort because this a disease that has no known cure for the more than 100,000 Americans who are impacted each year,” Cook said. Faces of Our Children is one of the national charities supported by the United Food & Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW).

Local 655 Union Representatives Levi Eddins and Theresa Hester spearheaded the event. Others helping to make the event the outstanding success it was included:

• VOLUNTEERS: Local 655 members Chris Anton, Inez Broom, Courtney Cantrel, Sonji Cauley, Katina Chapple, Charmell Grier-Hicks, Barbara Haynes, Etoy Hobson-Archer, Tequila James, Angie Jones, Erin Keller, Maureen McClendon, Charles Murray, Kevin Scaife, Rebecca Schuster, Leroy Shaw, Suzanne Sontag, Harry Walker, Wendy Walter, Deborah Watson, Von Wilhite, Harry Walker, Leroy Shaw and Earl Williams.

• UNIONS: St. Louis Chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU), Transit Workers 788, Bricklayers of Eastern Missouri Administrative Council, Carpenters’ District Council, Greater St. Louis Port Maritime Council, Heat & Frost Insulators & Allied Workers 1, Elevator Constructors 3, Plumbers & Pipefitters 562, Sheet Metal Workers (SMART) 36, St. Louis Building & Construction Trades Council, Teamsters 618 and 688, Tri-County Labor-Legislative Club, UFCW 1529, 1564 1995, 700, 88 (Meatcutters), and 881 and UNITE HERE 74.

• COMPANIES/ORGANIZATIONS: Schnucks Markets, Branding Iron Holdings Urban League, St. Louis County NAACP, Darling Ingredients, Inc., Dierbergs Markets, EyeWearhaus, G.I. Construction, GCM Grosvenor, Hammond & Shinners P.C., St. Louis Labor Tribune, Union Communications Co., LDI Integrated Pharmacy Services, Prince Hall Masons/PHMMCF Inc., Pulaski Bank, Segall, Bryant & Hamill, Sierra Investment Partners Inc., Commerce Trust Company, Kelley Group, Marco Consulting Group, Segal Company, United Way Labor Liaisons, VSP Vision Care and Westerheide & Co.

The BBQ was held July 19 at the Schnucks Cross Keys store in Florissant.