Teamsters Raise $35K for Wounded Warriors

Union Joins Helmets to Hardhats to Boost Funding, Support for Wounded Veterans

Teamsters Joint Council 25 and Helmets to Hardhats, the national veterans program, collected approximately $35,000 last week during Chicago’s first Wounded Warriors fundraiser.

The Helmets to Hardhats Wounded Warriors Program supports disabled veterans by providing career opportunities and advancement in the building and construction trades. Coupled with thousands of dollars for the program from Illinois union members and area employers, Joint Council 25 brought in an additional $3,000 through a silent auction.

While all proceeds will directly benefit the Wounded Warriors program, the veterans attending last week’s event at Dick’s Last Resort got to experience some of the fundraiser’s biggest highlights firsthand. With the help of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, the Teamsters presented Jason Wheeler, a recent military veteran facing life-altering injuries, with a new motorized wheelchair. The soldier had been unable to procure a wheelchair of his own and was approached by the Teamsters with the gift of support.

“During Joint Council 25’s recent All Charity Event, we had the opportunity to share Jason’s story with our members and participants, and were able to quickly generate more than enough funding to make his life a little easier,” said Michael Yauger, the Teamsters’ Helmets to Hardhats Coordinator and President of Teamsters Local 786. “Your heart just goes out to these brave men and women as a constant reminder to forever fight for those who fought for us.”

Veterans and fundraiser attendees were also treated to a water show on the Chicago River, compliments of the Chicago Fire Department. As cascading water streamed from an immense fireboat, individual firefighters offered bagpipe and drum accompaniment in a salute to the Wounded Warriors program.

“The Teamsters are grateful to the Chicago Fire Department for its generosity with this special event and join its brave members in honoring our veterans,” said John T. Coli, President of Joint Council 25. “Our union is fortunate to continue its partnership with Helmets to Hardhats and we’ll be here every step of the way to support our soldiers.”

In addition to the Chicago Teamsters’ President, other labor leaders came out to support the program. Christine Boardman of Service Employees International Union Local 73, Tom Villanova of the Chicago Building Trades and Dennis Gannon of the Chicago Federation of Labor served as co-chairs of the event.

Teamsters Joint Council 25 represents more than 100,000 hardworking men and women throughout Illinois.

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