GRASS ROOTS AWARD

GRASS ROOTS AWARD MAY 17, 2008

One of the great pleasures of this job is when I get to present an award as important as the Grass Roots Award. This award is given at each Veterans night banquet to a member who has gone above and beyond the normal call of duty to support this great Union of ours, and the community. Tonight we are honoring just such an individual. 

    Our honoree tonight attended school in Liberty, Payson, and Quincy. After school he enlisted in the Navy and served aboard the Aircraft Carrier U. S. S. Hamcock from 1964 through 1967. He was a Machinists Mate and sailed to Japan and the Philippines. This perhaps is where he became Machinists at heart.

     Our honoree attends the Methodist Church in Durham Mo. and is very active there. He loves to hunt, loves to watch NASCAR and one would not want to question his loyalty to his beloved St. Louis Cardinals. He has a Daughter Mary Jo and two grandchildren in Oklahoma that he visits regularly. He also comes from a large family and would do anything for any one of them. But that is not the real reason we are here to honor him.                                                                                                                     

   Our honoree joined the Machinists Union in 1968 and retired after 39 years of service with Gardner Denver in 2007.  During this time he held a large variety of jobs from Machine operator to Preset from which he retired. During this time he was a Committeeman and Chairman of the shop committee many times. He would always look at new employees with the intent on finding new members that he felt would make good Union Reps. And he would help anyone who asked. He became known for not backing down from anyone and not being afraid to take the battle as far as it needed to go. He has always been active in Local Lodge 822, he has served as an Officer of the Local many times and on various committees. If asked he would be here any time he was needed and would do whatever was asked of him. He has been instrumental in helping on organizing drives and currently works with the District 9 organizing staff when asked on organizing drives.     

        I have known this honoree for over 30 years and am very proud to not only call him my friend, but also my Union Brother.  I could go on for hours with stories both funny and sad, some extremely important and some we just don’t really want to talk about, but time does not allow for all of that now. So it is with great pride and honor that I give you this “Years Grass Roots Award Honoree.”

 BROTHER JAMES H. SPRATT