PA Pipeliners Donate 1,100 Toys & Cash to Toys for Tots

Local Marcellus Shale gas pipeliners in Sarver and Butler, PA (both union and non-union members) recently collected over 1,100 toys and $700 cash and donated it to the Toys for Tots organization. Toys for Tots, in case you are unfamiliar, each holiday season collects toys for needy children in the community where the toys are collected. It’s an outstanding organization run by the U.S. Marine Corps.

A press release and a few pictures are included below. The point of the release (and why is MDN covering it)? Many—perhaps most—of the pipeliners that donated toys and money are not residents of western PA. Contrary to negative news stories about “out of towners” who work for drilling and pipeline companies boozing it up and spreading venereal diseases and crime, these people (mostly men) are hard-working and have good hearts. The recent Toys for Tots campaign in western PA speaks volumes about the character of these men and women.

Emailed press release from Teamster’s rep:

Kevin Berryman’s Spread of Associated Pipe Line Contractors, Inc. (APLCI) Job No. 1202 located in Sarver, PA collected over 1100 toys and over $700.00 cash for the Toys For Tots toy drive! We presented the toys and cash to the Bantam Marines Detachment #743, Marine Corps League, Inc. of Butler, PA  at the APLCI Field Office .

It was a collective initiative between the Teamsters, Operators, Laborers, Welders, Associated Pipe Line Contractors, Inc. and NiSource, a group of over 300 people.

These efforts show how Pipeliners from all over the United States contribute in many ways to the communities they work in!

“Christmas is a time of giving, and what better way to give than to help a family in need by putting a present under the tree for a child who wouldn’t otherwise receive one,” said Kevin Berryman of Associated Pipe Line Contractors, Inc.”The stimulation, happiness and memories that toys provide are very important to the growth of children, and we’re helping to put toys into the hands of those who would otherwise have never gotten them.”

Below is an e-mail from  the Bantam Marines Detachment #743, Marine Corps League, Inc. of Butler, PA to their members.

EMAIL FROM TOYS FOR TOTS, BANTAM MARINES DETACHMENT #743

Stush Schubert, Ron Ekas, Don Paserba, Larry Heade, Jerry Puff, Bill and Anna Emanuelson and I were the guest of Associated Pipeline Contractors at their headquarters in Knox Chapel for the awarding of Money and Toys . We were taken completely by surprise even though we knew they were going to donate money and toys. There were (estimated) about 250 people there waiting for us and they were standing in a half moon circle with a BIG BIG BUNCH OF TOYS stacked up in fornt of them. We gave them a big banner to hold and after some short speeches and prayer by their people they all shouted and they all held up an additional toy adding to the pile of toys already stacked up (including 15 bicycles) in front of them. It was unreal!!!!

The Company is here installing gas pipelines and they are from areas all over the country. These are the kind of people who make you proud to be an American. I had one man walk up to me and hand me a $100 bill out of his own pocket and the OTHER CHECKS WERE PRESENTED TO COMMANDANT SCHUBERT. These people gave to the TOYS FOR TOTS even though they do not live here and know none of the people who will receive their donation they are true AMERICANS!!!
Acting Commandant (soon to be Commandant) Stan Schubert then presented Kevin (the supervisor) and Miss Kelly (the office manager) who put this all together a Bantam Marine Commendation Coin’

It took 5 Pickups and I think 4 cars to transport all the toys to the warehouse and you couldn’t have gotten any more in all the vehicles. The employees all pitched in and helped load and unload the toys even at the warehouse.

There were many pictures taken and as soon as they are available I will post them on the Web Page (bantammarine.com).

THE MARINE CORPS LEAGUE AND ESPECIALLY THE BANTAM MARINE DETATCHMENT #743, BUTLER PENNSYLVANIA WISHES TO ALL THE EMPLOYEES, CEO’s, OWNERS, SUPERVISORS, OFFICE STAFF AND GRUNTS (The workers) A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY AND PROPEROUS NEW YEAR AND WE HOPE YOU GET HOME TO ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS WITH YOUR FAMILIES.

THANK YOU ASSOCIATED PIPELINE CONTRACTOR’S
SEMPER-FI

*Teamster’s (email received Nov 29, 2012) – Subject: Pipeliners Help Toys For Tots Toy Drive ~ Info & Photos