A little cleaner, a little greener
IBEW 1245 gets involved on Earth Day
IBEW Local 1245 recruited members, their families, and friends to help make the planet a little greener and cleaner during this year’s Earth Day events.
“Earth Day was a great opportunity to show our commitment as a union to the broader community, as well as a chance to build solidarity amongst our members,” said Local 1245 Business Rep. Jennifer Gray, who coordinated the union’s participation. “People had a really great time.”
IBEW 1245 at work at Eastshore State Park in Alameda County.
Auburn State Recreation Area in Placer County was a little more inviting after this IBEW 1245 contingent helped clean it up.
IBEW 1245 helps spruce up Folsom Lake Recreation Area in Sacramento County
The shirts say it all: Solidarity, Community, Service
One of nature’s miracles, at Auburn State Recreation Area
The weed-whacking assignment at Folsom Lake Recreation Area was “accepted enthusiastically” by the IBEW, reported Jammi Juarez.
IBEW 1245 volunteering at Benicia State Recreation Area
The Sonoma Coast crew hauled out a 12 foot Penta-treated cross arm complete with lead-topped steel pins.
Local 1245 fielded 52 volunteers, participating at 10 locations in eight counties.
Justin Casey, a Line Clearance Tree Trimmer at Davey Tree, led a group at Auburn State Recreation Area. Ten members of the IBEW 1245 contingent enjoyed a small breakfast, then split into smaller work details, he said.
“We picked up any trash and debris that we came across. Some groups painted over graffiti as well,” Casey said. “All in all it was a great day.”
IBEW 1245 pitched in to help over a hundred people volunteering at Benicia State Recreation Area, according to Michael Gomez.
“We planted native plants, weeded non-native plants, cleared old debris, added mulch to plant beds and cleared trails,” said Gomez, an Operating Clerk at PG&E’s Concord RMC.
The husband-wife team of J. V. and Valerie Macor, joined by their nephew Jonathan Garcia and retiree Ken Rawles, won the prize for the most ironic piece of trash cleaned up by IBEW members: a 12-foot Penta-treated cross arm complete with lead-topped steel pins. “Getting it to the pick-up site was quite a chore!” said J. V.
The eleven-member IBEW 1245 contingent at the Millerton Lake State Recreation Area helped clean up the North Shore Trail, picking up trash and removing obstructions, reported Jose Rey Mendoza, a Service Rep at PG&E’s Fresno Call Center and IBEW’s lead recruiter for this area. The group also planted trees.
Anthony Brown helped organize a contingent of four PG&E Gas Servicemen and two family members for a clean-up mission at Redwood Regional Park, tucked away in the
Oakland Hills. Brown called it an opportunity “to put in some good old fashioned labor” for the earth.
A cool dozen participated for IBEW 1245 at Beals Point in the Folsom Lake Recreation Area, reported Jammi Juarez, the union’s lead recruiter for this project. The work included replacing fence poles, weed-whacking and raking, painting kiosks and fences, improving trails and cleaning trash.
“The IBEW 1245 Sacramento Team was asked to take on the task of weed-whacking and raking at the Granite Bay Boat Ramp. We accepted enthusiastically!” said Juarez, a Customer Service Rep at PG&E’s Sacramento Call Center.
“The next three hours were spent cleaning over-grown weeds in the parking vicinity. The area hadn’t been tended to in five years,” said Juarez.
Proof of their hard work could be seen at the end of the day in their sunburnt cheeks, sore arms and backs, and blistered hands, but no one was complaining.
“We wouldn’t have had it any other way!” said Juarez.
