Half a year gone already.  Wow, seems hard to believe. Going to be challenging times to staff the projects coming underway and the projects coming online. Like many businesses, the building trades are facing recruiting issues, but each of our trades are working hard to fill the apprenticeship slots. Many high school graduates are considering the costs of four years of college versus entering apprenticeship and those factors are working in our favor.

When I think about the things that set us apart from others, and what we can say to those that we want to recruit, we should all be proud of what GREAT community citizens we are and what we give back to our community.

CCA, SMACNA and Fabricators support many community charitable initiatives. Our Labor partners are great community citizens as well. In our region we have supported:

• American Legion
• Brewster Food Pantry
• Food Bank of the Hudson Valley
• Make-a-Wish of Hudson Valley – numerous projects – thank you Scott Smith, Carpenters, for all your efforts to support Make-a-Wish.
• Habitat for Humanity
• Hospice of Orange and Sullivan
• Putnam Humane Society
• Putnam Veterans’ Park
• Various VFW projects and donations

This fall we are working with a great committee to sponsor the Stewart Military Appreciation Picnic.  Starting after Sept. 11, 2001, we have been a prime participant in putting on this event to say thank you to our military and their families stationed at Stewart. Through the generosity of Shop-Rite, The Bonura Hospitality Group, Pepsi Cola of the Hudson Valley, Dana Distributing and many other community volunteers and donors, we have been able to put on a grand picnic to feed and entertain those that we owe so much to.

While this may be our biggest undertaking, it is only one of the many initiatives where, with our partners, we demonstrate our contribution to our region.

I am thankful to my Boards for their support and leadership. We have Board Members that geographically represent our entire region and make sure we are supportive of the needs throughout our area.

Alan Seidman
Executive Director