UAW Local 1714 gives back to the community

By KALEA HALL

khall@vindy.com

WARREN

Ruth Tarr cried when she found out she would receive a box of food from United Auto Workers Local 1714.

To her, the turkey, potatoes and fixings for a pie mean Christmas dinner.

“It’s very nice,” Tarr said of the donation.

Tarr was one of hundreds who received a box from the UAW Friday.

Boxes lined tables inside the Local 1714 Union Hall on Salt Springs Road, where members and retired members gathered to help carry out the groceries.

The Local 1714 members have been giving out boxes of food to those in need for decades. It’s a way for the union, which represents 1,400 members at the General Motors Fabrication Plant in Lordstown, to give back to the community that supports it.

“It’s rewarding,” said James Kelly, chairman of the community service committee. “You know it’s going to a good cause.”

The 12-person committee and others packed 250 brown boxes with Rulli Bros. groceries this week at the union hall. Bread, corn, brown sugar, marshmallows, corn muffin mix, cornflakes and other goods filled the boxes. The boxed groceries, along with the turkey, potatoes and apples handed out, make up a complete Christmas dinner.

Coffee, cookies and Christmas music set the atmosphere of a warm, friendly place.

“What we do is not make this like a drive-thru,” said Robert Morales, president of Local 1714. “We want it to be warm and welcome.”

In total, more than $11,000 in food was purchased for the event. The union solicited donations and had raffles at the plant to help fund the effort. Recipients were selected from names given to the community service committee from the membership.

Any leftover boxes will be given to the Warren Family Mission.

Tabranda Thomas and her son, Eric Moore, 4, were two other recipients.

“It means a lot being helped out for the holiday season,” Thomas said. “That’s when you need it. This is beautiful what they do.”