Family is more than just a word

Well we are now in week 2 of the Vought/IAM 735 strike.

I want to address in my first posting to this blog the concept of "family". Many people have questioned what exactly this means during this time. Let me tell you, from 1st hand experience, EXACTLY what this means:

A couple years back my husband became seriously ill. He spent almost 3 weeks in the hospital and then another 3 months before he was cleared to return to work. He was our only source of income. We have 2 children, who at the time were 8 and almost 2. I went into "panic mode". How were we going to survive? We sure were not going to make it on the $200 a week "benefit" we were receiving. A million thoughts raced through my head. There was no way for me to get a job. He could not take care of the kids while he was recovering.
The guys he worked with in his department were AWESOME. They called me almost every day to check on his condition. Then one day one of them called and asked if I could come to the plant at the end of their shift. He would not go into details. He just told me I had to be there. So, I found someone to sit with the kids and my husband and met this co-worker at the gate.
Upon my arrival, "K" handed me a card. It was a THICK card!! They had taken up a collection and there was almost $400 in the card! No, it was not going to solve ALL of our problems but it sure took a huge burden off of me for a couple of weeks. "K" then said to me "Wait, there is more"
DO WHAT??
"K" then went to his car and started carrying boxes and bags to my car. IT WAS GROCERIES!! I was already crying from the envelope and this just sent me over the edge into complete "female dog" bawl mode.

This is when I got the true feeling of "family".

Financially we may not be able to help each other out right now, but a random act of kindness can go a long way. We can use this time to get things around the house cleaned out. If you do not need it right now, maybe one of your union brothers or sisters does. Got some clothing your kids have outgrown? Have a pantry with stuff you bought on an urge one day but now are asking yourself what the "he**" you were thinking when you bought it? Ask around. SOMEBODY in the 900 member family will be able to use it!