Blood drive challenge issued at
Labor Day picnic at Oaks Park
The Northwest Oregon Labor Council
(NOLC) and Labor’s Community Service
Agency (LCSA) are teaming up with Amer-
ican Red Cross this Labor Day for a blood
drive competition at the Labor Day picnic at
Oaks Park.
For many years, Red Cross has brought a
bloodmobile or two to the picnic for blood
donations. Typically, 30 to 35 pints of blood
are collected, with the record being 70 pints.
Last year, however, a labor dispute with the
Oregon Nurses Association canceled the
blood drive. But all of that has been settled,
and the Labor for Life blood drive is back on.
The labor organization that collects the
most units of blood will have its name
added to a perpetual trophy, plus bragging
rights for the entire year. Roofers Local 49
won trophy rights the first year, and the ru-
mor is they’re gearing up to take it again in
2014.
According to the Red Cross, every two
seconds someone in America gets a blood
transfusion. Five million patients will need
blood this year, with an urgent need for
types O negative (the universal blood type),
and B negative.
One pint of blood can save up to three
lives.
Bloodmobiles will be parked at this
year’s Labor Day picnic from 10 a.m. to 3
p.m. Organizers are asking that union
members pre-register so that donations can
be collected as quickly as possible. The
blood donation process takes about an hour.
All donors will receive a free mason jar
tumbler.
You can pre-register online at www.red-
crossblood.org. Plug in sponsor code
“NOLC.”
For more information, you can also call
LCSA at 503-231-4962.
(Editor’s Note: Oregon Nurses Associa-
tion has represented nurses at the Oregon
Trail Chapter of the American Red Cross for
more than 30 years. Teamsters Local 223 rep-
resents support staff there.)
Scavenger hunt will teach youngsters about unions
A scavenger hunt for youngsters ages 1 to 18 will be held again this year at Oaks Park. The
scavenger hunt entails using clues found in a “passport” to find the various unions at the pic-
nic. For example, a clue might be: “We are the union that delivers your mail.” The answer is:
the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC). Participants must find the NALC picnic
site (look for signage) and have their passports stamped there.
Youngsters can pick up passports at Labor’s Community Service Agency’s (LCSA) booth
at the picnic starting at 10 a.m. Once the required number of stamps are obtained, kids must
return their passport to the LCSA booth, where they will be eligible for a drawing to win a bi-
cycle and helmet, and other prizes. All participants will get free union-made (Franz Bakery)
cookies.
“It’s a fun way to educate youngsters — and their parents — about what it is union mem-
bers do,” said Jeff Klatke, president of Oregon AFSCME Council 75 and chair of the children’s
game planning committee for the Northwest Oregon Labor Council.
For more information, call Klatke at 503-704-1665.
Limited free food scrip offered at Oaks Park
Labor’s Community Service Agency (LCSA) will provide free food and drink
scrip for union families who are out of work and want to take part in the Labor Day
picnic festivities at Oaks Park. Scrip will be limited to a certain amount per fam-
ily on a first-come, first-served basis.
“We want everybody to be able to come out and have a good time,” said LCSA
Executive Director Vickie Burns. “We’ll verify their union membership and call
members back with instructions on where to pick up their scrip at Oaks Park.”
To make arrangements for scrip, call Labor’s Community Service Agency at
503-231-4962 and leave a message that you would like some scrip for the picnic.
Presents From Partners toy drive begins
Northwest Oregon Labor Council
(NOLC), in partnership with Labor’s
Community Service Agency (LCSA),
began working on their annual Presents
From Partners toy drive last week.
“It’s never too early to start thinking
about how our friends and neighbors in
need will cope with the holidays this
year. The holidays will be here all too
quickly,” said Bob Tackett, executive
secretary-treasurer of NOLC.
Presents From Partners is a holiday
party for children of out-of-work union
members. For the last 16 years, several
hundred youngsters and their parents
have enjoyed a catered holiday lunch, a
visit from Santa, and the opportunity to
receive several gifts.
The BULL (Business, Union and
Legislative Leaders) Session Charity
PAGE 4
Golf Tourney in September generally
marks the official kickoff of the toy
drive. But this year, Tim Carrier, a re-
tired business representative of Painters
and Allied Trades District Council 5,
took advantage of a huge blow out sale
at Fred Meyer, and on Aug. 8 he
dropped off a truck-load of toys.
LCSA will be at the BULL Session
collecting toy donations. This year’s
event is Sept. 9 at The Reserve Golf
Course in Aloha.
Tackett has also requested that
NOLC delegates bring an unwrapped
toy to the Aug. 25 night meeting.
Both NOLC and LCSA will accept
toy donations now through Dec. 10.
They are located at 9955 SE Washing-
ton St., Portland, Suite 305 (NOLC) or
Suite 211 (LCSA).
Union Jobs Mean A Better Community
Happy Labor Day
from
Roofers Local 49
Russ Garnett
Business Agent
Financial Secretary
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
•
5032 SE 26th Ave.
Portland, OR 97202
503-232-4807
AUGUST 15, 2014