Whether it’s tailgating a Patriots game, canvassing neighborhoods for upcoming elections or dressing up as a snowman for the holiday party, Kevin Molineaux makes sure that his RENEW chapter is there.
“We help out wherever we can,” said Boston Local 103 member Molineaux, who heads its chapter of RENEW, or Reach out and Engage Next-gen Electrical Workers. “We want to engage as many people as possible.”
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| Under Kevin Molineaux’s leadership, Boston Local 103’s RENEW chapter is gaining momentum. Pictured: Kevin Molineaux (left), Chris Black, Dave McLean, Dan Viennneau, Dave Mastrangilo, Justin Ruiz and Bryan Sisson. Photo credit: Local 103 RENEW member Dave Comerford.
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Focusing on community, political involvement and fraternity, the group hosts an event a month. These have included a breast cancer walk, making care packages for veterans, neighborhood cleanup, powering a scoreboard for a neighboring town and working with Habitat for Humanity.
Additionally, they help out with Boston’s annual Labor Day parade and the local’s Christmas party. For the Christmas party, Molineaux and his fellow RENEW members coordinated the toy drive and dressed up as Frosty the Snowman, the Grinch and Mrs. Claus, among others.
Local 103 sent him to a RENEW conference about two years ago. “It was incredible,” said Molineaux, a journeyman wireman. “A real eye opener.” Fueled with inspiration, he said he and a friend were eager to start their own chapter. It was slow in the beginning, but their chapter now has about 40 members and meetings have about 25 in attendance.
As a steward, Molineaux is in a good position to let members know about RENEW and its significance. It’s not the just need to grow the younger ranks, though that is a part. Local 103 Business Manager John P. Dumas says that half the membership will be eligible to retire in the next five years – the same time it takes to fully train a new apprentice.
Molineaux reminds members how much the local has given them and that they need to make sure it’s there for future generations. “It’s about giving back,” he said.
Molineaux sits on the national board for RENEW, representing the Second District, and they are working on getting chapters at every local. The board is also determining its role at the upcoming international convention.
“There is always something to do and not enough time in the day,” he said. “I will have to start delegating more, but there are people to tap,” he said of the growing number of members eager to get more involved.
“People are starting to bring their friends to events. We’re really gaining momentum and growing by leaps and bounds.”
The Local 103 chapter is currently working on a mentoring program in partnership with an existing program for women. They are also planning an educational event where leadership will explain their duties and union structure.
For Molineaux, union membership is a family affair. He and his brother are following in their father’s footsteps. All are journeymen wiremen.
“He’s a great kid,” Dumas said. “He lives and breathes the IBEW.”