OPCMIA International General President Daniel Stepano (L) and USA CEO and Executive Director Scott Vance (R) presented Greg West with the OPCMIA Conservation Steward of the Year Award.
The Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) has honored Greg West of the Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association (OPCMIA) with the 2019 OPCMIA Conservation Steward of the Year Award for his exemplary commitment to conservation and community service.
The award recognizes volunteers from each of the USA’s charter unions who have made exceptional contributions to the USA’s efforts to organize union volunteers to donate their time and unique trade skills to preserve North America’s outdoor heritage.
West, of Dayton, Ohio, serves as Local 132 business manager. He was instrumental in completing an extensive USA Work Boots on the Ground (WBG) conservation project that transformed a dilapidated eyesore into a popular city park enjoyed by local families, disabled veterans and other city residents.
“When the once-popular Lakeside amusement park in West Dayton closed after being bypassed by a freeway project, the area around the lake suffered years of neglect, fell into disrepair and became a place you wouldn’t want to hang out,” said USA Director of Union Relations Walt Ingram.
In the renovation’s first stage, a coalition including the city of Dayton, USA, Ohio AFL-CIO, a number of union locals and neighborhood civic groups rallied more than 100 volunteers to remove trash and underbrush from around the lake.
Funded in part by $25,000 raised through the USA’s Ohio State Conservation Dinner, the second stage involved installing a floating, handicap-accessible fishing pier, walkways, park benches, lighting and more.
“After the clean-up, Greg and the OPCMIA stepped up and placed concrete supports for the floating pier and park benches,” Ingram explained. “Greg’s leadership and the Cement Masons’ involvement also encouraged other trades to get involved.”
Along with OPCMIA Local 132, the Dayton MV Regional Labor Council, AFSCME Council 8, IBEW Local 82, Laborers’ Local 1410, Iron Workers Local 290, IUPAT Local 249, USW Local 5541, UA Local 189 and the Dayton Newspaper Guild were involved with the Lakeside Lake project.
“I am honored to be part of something that turned an eyesore into a beautiful area that can be used by the community,” said West. “It was awesome working side by side with my brothers from the other trades, and I especially want to thank my brothers and sisters from Local 132 who volunteered their time and skills to give back to the community.
“The Conservation Steward award is a great honor, and I want to acknowledge my local and my international for their support on this project,” he added. “We couldn’t have done it without their strong backing.”
USA CEO and Executive Director Scott Vance and OPCMIA International General President Daniel Stepano presented West’s award August 15 at the OPCMIA 52nd International Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Conservation Steward of the Year selection process begins with the nomination of potential recipients by peers or union leadership. From this pool of nominees, USA staff select individuals who have had the greatest impact on the USA’s mission, represented their unions in the most exemplary fashion, and made the biggest difference in their local community.
