The last Ford Ranger truck will roll off the assembly line Friday at the plant, built by Henry Ford 86 years ago along the scenic banks of the Mississippi River in St. Paul’s Highland Park neighborhood. Thousands of workers, represented by the United Auto Workers since 1941, earned a good living, raised families and supported their community.
Part of that support included helping out many charitable causes, from victims of domestic violence to military veterans.
“I’m very grateful and very thankful to have been part of this assembly plant,” said Kari Altema, chair of the UAW Local 879 Women’s Committee since 2007. “There are so many caring and giving people.”
Making a difference
In the past year alone, the Women’s Committee raised funds for programs to aid people with developmental disabilities and victims of domestic violence, to support international famine relief and to assist amputees and women with breast cancer. They held an Easter Party at the Ronald McDonald House for children being treated for cancer.
They cooked food and organized volunteers to participate in charity walks. On March 8, International Women’s Day, the committee handed out carnations to all of the women at the plant.
In 2010, members joined in an effort to pack 1 million meals for the survivors of the earthquake in Haiti.
“I have a great deal of respect for the men and women who have served on this committee,” Altema said. “We volunteered thousands of hours at several non-profits and assisted in raising over $450,000 for different organizations by being a part of their fundraising efforts and our own fundraising.
“The fact that we are closing didn\'t stop our committee from doing amazing things this past year. We know we change people\'s lives by being involved within our communities.”
Altema is among about 125 workers who will be transferring to other Ford facilities with the closing of the plant. A maintenance clerk in St. Paul, she’ll be on the line at the Louisville factory, manufacturing Ford’s new model of the Escape.
“I’m a born and raised Minnesotan and I’m going to terribly miss this place. I am just extremely grateful that I have a job,” she said. “I feel for the 600+ other people who don’t.”
Commitment to veterans
Art Weigele also will be making the move to the Louisville plant. A veteran of the Iraq War and 20 years in the National Guard, he has been a member of the UAW’s Veterans Committee, which has raised more than $2 million in its decades of existence.
The committee has conducted fundraisers for numerous veterans organizations and many homes for retired veterans. Their last effort involved working with Ford to donate a $30,000 vehicle for transporting residents of the Hastings Veterans Home.
Like the Women’s Committee, the Veterans Committee has used creative methods to garner contributions. This year they sold a “challenge coin” to co-workers and held luncheons in the plant. Participants in a Patriot Ride motorcycle run collected pledges.
Chair Thomas Epperson, whom Wiegele describes as “the rock on the vets committee for years,” sketches portraits.
Their efforts extend beyond raising money. Members play bingo with retired veterans and organize picnics for them. They also have taken veterans on trips to Washington, D.C., to see the World War II, Korean and Vietnam memorials.
Some of the money for the women’s and veterans’ projects has come from the Nickel Fund, which is jointly administered by the UAW and Ford.
Wide reach
Beyond the work of these committees, Twin Cities Assembly Plant workers and managers were for many years a key part of the United Way’s workplace campaigns, raising millions of dollars annually and serving on numerous boards and committees for the United Way and non-profit organizations.
Wiegele said much of the generosity can be credited to the union creating an atmosphere that encouraged civic involvement.
“The overall UAW philosophy is to be out there in the community and each committee chooses how they do it,” he said.
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The last Ford Ranger truck will roll off the assembly line Friday at the plant, built by Henry Ford 86 years ago along the scenic banks of the Mississippi River in St. Paul’s Highland Park neighborhood. Thousands of workers, represented by the United Auto Workers since 1941, earned a good living, raised families and supported their community.
Part of that support included helping out many charitable causes, from victims of domestic violence to military veterans.
“I’m very grateful and very thankful to have been part of this assembly plant,” said Kari Altema, chair of the UAW Local 879 Women’s Committee since 2007. “There are so many caring and giving people.”
Making a difference
In the past year alone, the Women’s Committee raised funds for programs to aid people with developmental disabilities and victims of domestic violence, to support international famine relief and to assist amputees and women with breast cancer. They held an Easter Party at the Ronald McDonald House for children being treated for cancer.
They cooked food and organized volunteers to participate in charity walks. On March 8, International Women’s Day, the committee handed out carnations to all of the women at the plant.
In 2010, members joined in an effort to pack 1 million meals for the survivors of the earthquake in Haiti.
“I have a great deal of respect for the men and women who have served on this committee,” Altema said. “We volunteered thousands of hours at several non-profits and assisted in raising over $450,000 for different organizations by being a part of their fundraising efforts and our own fundraising.
“The fact that we are closing didn\’t stop our committee from doing amazing things this past year. We know we change people\’s lives by being involved within our communities.”
Altema is among about 125 workers who will be transferring to other Ford facilities with the closing of the plant. A maintenance clerk in St. Paul, she’ll be on the line at the Louisville factory, manufacturing Ford’s new model of the Escape.
“I’m a born and raised Minnesotan and I’m going to terribly miss this place. I am just extremely grateful that I have a job,” she said. “I feel for the 600+ other people who don’t.”
Commitment to veterans
Art Weigele also will be making the move to the Louisville plant. A veteran of the Iraq War and 20 years in the National Guard, he has been a member of the UAW’s Veterans Committee, which has raised more than $2 million in its decades of existence.
The committee has conducted fundraisers for numerous veterans organizations and many homes for retired veterans. Their last effort involved working with Ford to donate a $30,000 vehicle for transporting residents of the Hastings Veterans Home.
Like the Women’s Committee, the Veterans Committee has used creative methods to garner contributions. This year they sold a “challenge coin” to co-workers and held luncheons in the plant. Participants in a Patriot Ride motorcycle run collected pledges.
Chair Thomas Epperson, whom Wiegele describes as “the rock on the vets committee for years,” sketches portraits.
Their efforts extend beyond raising money. Members play bingo with retired veterans and organize picnics for them. They also have taken veterans on trips to Washington, D.C., to see the World War II, Korean and Vietnam memorials.
Some of the money for the women’s and veterans’ projects has come from the Nickel Fund, which is jointly administered by the UAW and Ford.
Wide reach
Beyond the work of these committees, Twin Cities Assembly Plant workers and managers were for many years a key part of the United Way’s workplace campaigns, raising millions of dollars annually and serving on numerous boards and committees for the United Way and non-profit organizations.
Wiegele said much of the generosity can be credited to the union creating an atmosphere that encouraged civic involvement.
“The overall UAW philosophy is to be out there in the community and each committee chooses how they do it,” he said.