Local 1245 member Gene McCandless submitted the following words of appreciation to Local 1245 Assistant Business Manager Bob Gerstle.
Hello Bob,
I don’t know how I missed the Utility Reporter story on your Suriname adventure but I just read it.
I wish to commend your team and you on this very special effort to assist the Surinamese linemen in their efforts for better training and equipment. Knowing the difficulties we face in our daily tasks I could just imagine the hardships those in the Third World go through in their everyday challenges. You all are to be commended and I am especially proud of 1245 and PG&E for supplying tools, equipment, safety items and you as teachers for this truly noble project.
Question: Is there going to be a call out for further donated line gear to be collected for these linemen or any other Third world venture? If so, I would be most interested in donating.
Thanks again for you and your team’s fine efforts in assisting those less fortunate than us.
Best wishes,
Gene McCandless
Thanks for the kind words Gene. It was an honor to be a part of this mission.
We are trying to build an “Electrical Workers Without Borders” organization. The opportunity to help those that don’t get the training or tools that we take for granted is very important to both Tom and I. Hopefully, we will have more information on this very soon.
By the way, I would never have got to this point in my career without the training I received decades ago. Thanks for being one of the people who hung with me decades ago, even when it seemed futile.
Bob Gerstle
IBEW 1245 Assistant Business Manager