September 4, 2023 – Decatur Trades & Labor Assembly, a central labor council of the AFL-CIO, hosted its annual Labor Day Parade and labor picnic in the park.
The parade featured Grand Marshal, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski, and labor unions from throughout Macon County and surrounding areas. The theme was “Empower Unions. Empower Workers.”
Other events included a “Picnic in the Park” immediately following the parade in Fairview Park. There, the Decatur Trades and Labor awarded $16,500 in grants from the We Are One Community fund to twenty-two local charities including Meals on Wheels, Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters, St. Mary’s Hospice, Good Samaritan Inn, Webster Cantrell Hall, Shemilah Outreach, and CASA.
Additionally, a check for more than $10,300 was donated to Richland Community College Foundation for veteran scholarships. This donation was raised by the Shephard’s Hooks for Veterans project where union members provide supplies and labor to build and sell garden hooks for the cause. The project has been in place for several years and has contributed more than $40,000 helping numerous veterans and their families in higher education.
Also recognized by the Decatur Trades and Labor Union was Amy Rueff, Resource Director of the AFL-CIO. Rueff was honored for her dedication to trades and labor and for her decades of service.
