Thursday, April 25, 2024 | St. Lawrence County, NY
From left, Patrick Bassney, Emily Lauzon, Tom “Gulla” Thomas, Bill Sears, Mike Swamp and Craig Fuller. AKWESASNE -- The Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort recently presented a check for $5,962.40 to …
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From left, Patrick Bassney, Emily Lauzon, Tom “Gulla” Thomas, Bill Sears, Mike Swamp and Craig Fuller.
AKWESASNE -- The Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort recently presented a check for $5,962.40 to Ironworkers Local 440.
The funds were raised as part of the 2014 Ironworkers Festival, an annual competition held at the casino that celebrates and showcases ironworker talent. Each year, the casino donates all of the proceeds from the event’s competitor registration fees, t-shirt sales, and chicken wing contest.
Casino General Manager Emily Lauzon presented the check to Local 440 Representatives along with Patrick Bassney, casino general manager and Craig Fuller, director of marketing. Representing the Local 440 Benefit Fund was Tom “Gulla” Thomas, Bill Sears and Mike Swamp.
The Local 440 Benefit Fund is a program that provides support for active and retired Local 440 ironworkers who get hurt on the job or become ill. Swamp added that the program has been in place for 10 years and has dispersed over $25,000 in aid.
“We look forward to working together with Local 440 for 2015 and raising monies to assist the ironworkers who are in need of financial support due to injuries or illness,” Lauzon said.
Each year, the Ironworkers Festival attracts competitors from Ironworker Locals throughout the Northeast who compete in seven skills competitions and vie for the top prize of being crowned “Ultimate Ironworker.” In 2014, Christopher Prophet of Local 401 took home the top prize. Dan Hoban of Local 401 set a new record for the column climb event, in which he scaled a 30-foot steel column in 4.97 seconds.
The 13th Ironworkers Festival is slated for Saturday, July 25 at the casino.
“Each year the Festival grows in size and it’s great to see the community come together to honor and celebrate the talent and courage of Ironworkers,” Benjamin Herne, casino promotions and special events manager, said.
The festival-style event also includes live music, a beer tent, local vendors, a watermelon eating contest, and the infamous chicken wing cook-off.
