DOWNERS GROVE, ILL – A full 18-wheeler truck-load of never-used plumbing fixtures and related supplies was donated recently to the Ministry of St. Jude’s Church  in Louisa, Ky., for those in need in the Eastern Kentucky Appalachia Mountains by members of the Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Authority of Northern Illinois in cooperation with UA Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 501. The principal donation site was at Local 501’s facility in Aurora.

Assembled to help load the donated materials are (l-r): Kevin Kuhn, R.J. Kuhn Plumbing & Heating, Inc., Batavia; Chris LaFlesh, St. Judes Mission truck driver, Louisa, Ky.; PAMCANI Executive Director S.J. Peters, Downers Grove; Local 501 Assistant Business Manager Scott Roscoe, Aurora; and PAMCANI Board Members Paul Buddy, Paul L. Buddy Plumbing & Cannonball Mechanical, Aurora; and Ray Turner, Lenert Plumbing, Inc., Naperville.

Peters noted that the donated materials were unused surplus inventory that accumulates because of changed and cancelled orders tht can’t be re-sold as new. “none of it has been used,” Peters said. “And Local 501 contributes surplus materials no longer needed for its training programs,” he added.

The mission of St. Jude’s has been serving Appalachia for 59 years, led still since its founding by Fr. Ralph Beiting.