By: Duane Ballard

Greetings Brothers and Sisters,

We are coming down the home stretch for 2025. We are into the last two months of the year, and I will promise you it will go by fast. The first 10 months flew by, so I can’t see why the last two months won’t. Just now on the news, it told me that there are only 52 more days until Christmas. Where did the time go?

I can pretty much tell you that each and every Searchlight article for the next few months is going to have the same thing in it… Please make sure your address is updated with us at the Union Hall. There should be a QR code (below) in each and every plant to use to make sure your address is updated here at the Hall. Even if you have not moved, please scan it and put your address in, so we can double check.

The International is on our behinds about the upcoming election for UAW International Board, with the last one being a total cluster. Some people receiving two or three ballots, while some never received one at all.

At the expense of the Locals, they are trying to rectify the problems they had last time. Here at our Union Hall, we have been trying to be ahead of the game and have been working on our current address list for the last couple months. Trust me, it’s a huge headache, but we are trying to get it straight. This QR code will help us, so please take the time to do it really quick.

Speaking of elections, we have a lot of them next year. The Local will have the General Elections, a Constitutional Convention, Districts, and add in the International Elections, as well as the Federal and State elections in November.

Yes, it will be a busy, busy year for our Local, as these elections come with a fee some way somehow. We will have to be mindful on how we spend our money next year and be smart about it. With our Local Elections comes new leaders and training to go along with it. Stay tuned for upcoming dates at the beginning of the year for elections that will affect everyone around the Local.

I would like to congratulate VP Anthony Davis and his Recreation Committee on another fantastic Trunk or Treat put on here at the Local. There were over 20 cars out in the parking lot and a whole lot of kids dressed up as a lot of things, receiving lots of treat. Some of the cars were really decorated to the max, and all the little ghost and goblins had a great time.

I want to remind you that we still have Union Sportsmen’s 2026 calendars for sale at the Union Hall. The price is $30.00, and you get two chances a week to win a gun. The sale of these calendars helps us here at the Hall to help promote the things we do for kids in the outdoors. In addition to the calendars our annual Union Sportsmen’s Dinner, which will be February 28th this year, helps us fund our projects and the annual Kid’s Day. Early next year, we will be putting in some docks at the Bluegill Boat Launch to give the kids a less crowded place to fish.

At our annual December Membership meeting, we will be collecting new, American-made toys, if possible, to donate to Old Newsboys campaign. Please plan on attending and bring an unwrapped toy to help the kids out. With the prices on everything going up this year, I know this will help a lot of people in our community.

I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Every year, I take my Union-negotiated time off to do two things – deer hunt and put up my Christmas outdoor decorations.

My daughters often as me why I never decorated the yard when they were kids. My answer is always simple, “I like my grandkids more than I liked you and they help” (LOL)

Take the time while you have the time and let your kids help you with decorations or get them in a deer blind with you. Get a Child outdoors.