Kids Caring for the Community Program launches at local elementary schools

Dec. 23, 2013 - PRLog -- On Friday, September 13, Kids Caring for the Community, an elementary school community service program led by the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters (IKORCC), launched at local elementary schools. By doing a variety of service projects, participating schools earn a chance to enter a drawing to receive a monetary award.

Months ago, carpenters of the IKORCC began developing a program that would give children the opportunity to give back to their community and help their school in the process.

“We were really looking for a way to help teach our children how to serve our community. We wanted to empower the kids to do what they can to give back,” said Mike Kwiatkowski, Senior Representative, IKORCC. “It’s the responsibility of everyone of us to give back to the community, and through service projects each child will learn that and hopefully carry that into adulthood.”

Since its inception, Kids Caring for the Community has grown into a collaboration between Carpenters Union Locals 1005 in Hobart and 599 in Hammond, the Post-Tribune, and U.S. Representative Pete Visclosky’s office.

Kids Caring for the Community officially kicked off with programs and tours at four local elementary schools: John Wood Elementary School (Merrillville school district), the Early Learning Center at George Earle in Hobart, Central Elementary in Portage and Central Elementary in Valparaiso.

Students at John Wood Elementary were shown a heartwarming video and learned the impact that having an overseas military parent can have on the children. They will be collecting for military care packages.

Congressman Visclosky read students a the Early Learning Center at George Earle at story illustrating the importance of working together to impact the community further reinforcing the Kids Caring for the Community mission.

They will be collecting donations for military care packages as well.

At Central Elementary in Portage, the student council gave Congressman Visclosky a warm welcome and shared the numerous service projects they are working on, including collecting pasta and peanut butter for local families struggling to make ends meet.

The day ended with Congressman Visclosky and union representatives stopping at Central Elementary in Valparaiso who will be focused on thankfulness, writing letters to people who provide services that impact their lives, including policemen, firemen, bus drivers, custodians and social workers. As their first thank you, students presented Congressman Visclosky with a letter of appreciation for his service.

About Kids Caring for the Community:

All public elementary schools in Lake and Porter County can participate. By participating in a variety of community service projects, schools are entered into a drawing to win $750 for their school. There will be two winners from Porter County and Lake County after each 2-month session. Schools that participate all year will be put in an additional drawing for $1,000. For more information, please contact Stephanie Benton at the Carpenters Local 1005 &599 at sbenton@ikorcc.com

The Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters represents more than 32,000 professional tradespeople in 43 locals in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and parts of West Virginia and Tennessee. A proud affiliate of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, which has a century-plus tradition of representing the best of the building trades, the council works in partnership with more than 30,000 contractors, helping them find the best possible talent for their projects. The hallmark of the regional council is three-fold: training, professionalism and partnerships for economic development.