Paducah CLC raises $10,000 to help brighten Christmas for 100 disadvantaged children.

By BERRY CRAIG

AFT Local 1360

Christmas will be brighter for 100 disadvantaged schoolkids in Paducah, thanks to the Western Kentucky AFL-CIO Area Council.

"Our affiliates chipped in $10,000 that we spent on necessities and toys for the children--$100 per child," said Kyle Henderson, president of the Paducah-based council. "But they can't open their presents until Christmas morning. They're from Santa Claus."

The project, called Unions Care-Unions Share, was Henderson's idea. Delegates unanimously endorsed it and got busy raising the needed funds from their locals.

Meanwhile, Henderson, who is also business manager of Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 184, contacted city school officials for the names of the children. "The two ladies we worked with were super," he said. "They really did a bang-up job. They identified the children and gave us their sizes and everything."

Union volunteers went shopping for the gifts, which ranged from warm coats, socks and underwear to dolls and volleyballs. It was a family affair; member spouses and children helped.

Teachers, mostly from Clark Elementary School, wrapped the presents -- about 700 all told--with help from board office and Paducah Tilghman High School staff. Two high school students pitched in, too.

"It took three days to wrap all the presents," Henderson said. "They worked a Friday, Saturday and Sunday." 

Henderson added that the project is typical of the public services that unions provide every year. "But people have no idea how much money unions donate to our communities. Our local alone contributes easily over $20,000 annually to local charities and to the public schools.

"We don't do it for the publicity. We do it because it's the right thing to do."