As I look back on this past year here at our lodge, I am amazed at all that we have accomplished towards our goal of making Victory Lodge 1725 the best local in the IAMAW.
This year saw many improvements to our facility. Upgrades were made to our office systems with the purchase of new hardware and software and with this we have standardized all the operating systems at the lodge and install the latest malware to protect those systems. Improvements were also made to the lodge I.T. and multimedia systems. A new and improved Wi-Fi system was installed throughout the building along with video projector screens in the meeting hall and conference room. Other visible improvements were the installation of refurbished cabinets, an additional speaker podium for the meeting hall and the insulation of the garage door to help with the temperature control of the hall.
Along with the facility improvements we rolled out a brand-new web site (vl1725.org). This is a great new resource for our members and if you have not seen it yet, I encourage you to check it out.
We held our first and very successful “membership appreciation days” event. This free event included a CPR class, a self-defense class, a healthy cooking class, free haircuts for member’s kids and a retirement education seminar for our members.
All of these improvements and events took place in conjunction with ten separate endorsement, nomination and election events, the appointment five new committee chairs, and as we conducted the normal day to day business of the lodge. These were just a few of the many improvements and events that took place this year, all with an eye towards making our local the best it can be and a valuable community resource for our members.
On a personal note, I was able to conduct 44 separate visits to the various breakrooms across the field and off-site. Those visits give me the opportunity to speak to our members, get feedback, and answer questions. They also afforded me the chance to emphasize the most important things about being a member of a union and more specifically this local. Our members must be active, must be informed, and must know that our strength is in our solidarity.