Alabama Local 2003 Brings Holiday Happiness to Families Facing Child Cancer Diagnoses

For the fifth year in a row, IAM Local 2003 made a charitable donation on Thanksgiving to the Ronald McDonald House and Children's Hospital of Mobile, Ala., two organizations that are close to the Local's heart.

In 2007, the then 5-year-old daughter of Local 2003 Community Service Chair Heath McCormick was battling cancer at the Children's Hospital. The family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House when necessary.

"Had it not been for that hospital, my daughter would not be here because the Children's Hospital in Mobile was able to diagnose her rare cancer," said McCormick. "And had it not been for the Ronald McDonald House, we would have been needing to make lots of trips back and forth between the hospital in Mobile and Enterprise, where we live. They gave us a place to live. We spent a total of 120 days at the Ronald McDonald House."

McCormick's daughter is now an adult, but McCormick will never forget her doctors' compassionate care and the support they received from the Ronald McDonald House.

"That's why I do this, because I was once that parent. We, my wife and I, were once those parents," said McCormick. "When the diagnosis of cancer gets thrown at your kid, there's so much that happens. It not only affects the child, it affects the whole family. So when we go to do this, we're trying to take their minds off the situation they're living in. On Saturdays when we go and cook them a meal, a lot of times, it's one of the first home-cooked meals that these families have had in a while."

Now, every Easter and Thanksgiving for the last five years, McCormick has led the Local in donating toys to children receiving treatment at the Children's Hospital and providing home goods and a home-cooked meal to families staying at the Ronald McDonald House.

Entertainment Committee Chair Buster Munson has made a tradition of cooking the meal with the help of his wife.

"In the springtime, I do an Easter cook down there, and in the fall we do a Thanksgiving cook," said Munson. "We do turkeys and ham for Thanksgiving, and then ham and usually salmon for Easter."

This Thanksgiving, Local 2003 volunteers served 40 people, and member Joe Burnash dressed as Santa and visited with the children and families, lifting their spirits for the upcoming holiday season.

"I love doing it," said Munson. "The part that's tough for me is seeing sick kids. We just hope it's something nice for them."

Both McCormick and Munson work at Fort Novosel, where McCormick is a quality assurance mechanic for Black Hawk helicopters and Munson is a test pilot.

"We are incredibly proud to see locals step up for their community like this, especially during the Holidays," said IAM Southern Territory General Vice President Craig Martin. "It warms my heart to see how generous and compassionate IAM members are, showing everyone what the union spirit is - it's the spirit of community and lifting those around you."

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.