BENTON, Ill.—On June 2, seventeen union volunteers from Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 773 gathered at the Jackie Branch Boat Ramp at Rend Lake to install a brand-new, multi-section AccuDock kayak launch and fishing pier. The project restores and enhances recreational access to the southern Illinois reservoir, managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
The project originally began last year as an application for a USACE Handshake Grant. When federal funding for the grant was not approved, the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) stepped in alongside its labor partners to ensure the community project moved forward. The USA purchased the premium floating dock system through its national partnership with AccuDock, and LIUNA Local 773 provided the skilled volunteer labor required for the installation.
The floating dock features an ADA-accessible kayak launch that allows wheelchair users to safely transition into their watercraft. It also functions as a stable fishing platform for the public.
“Partnering with the USA has always been a great way to help our members support the community, from youth fishing events to boat docks,” said LIUNA Local 773 Business Manager Jerry Womick. “We want to bring awareness to the outdoors for people who might not otherwise be able to get out there due to disabilities, while showing the true value of a local labor union.”
The construction required assembling three to four massive dock sections, a specialized swing arm, and maneuvering the heavy components from the shoreline into the water. Assisted by a skid steer and a telehandler forklift operated by the union members, the volunteers completed the entire project ahead of schedule.
“I was so happy it went in smoothly,” said USACE Natural Resource Specialist Cassie Magsig. “We were expecting the installation to take two days, but they got it done in one. We went out the next day, and people were already using it. I couldn’t be happier.”
John Howerton, a Local 773 field rep who organized the volunteer crew, noted that 17 members from the local turned out for the workday. The impact of their work was felt almost immediately.
“The following Friday, I went out and saw two elderly ladies using the handicap-accessible feature to fish,” Howerton said. “They had a cane and a cooler, and they were able to just sit down and fish comfortably. They couldn’t have done it without this pier. It was a pleasure working with everybody.”
The project marks another successful collaboration at Rend Lake, following a union-built archery range completed around 2020.
“Making the water accessible to everyone, regardless of physical ability, is at the heart of everything we do at AccuDock,” said AccuDock Vice President of Marketing Rebecca Gramm. “We designed and built this ADA-compliant dock with that mission in mind. Partnering with the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance and the talented volunteers of LIUNA Local 773 to bring it to Rend Lake made it truly special. Seeing the positive response from the local community is a powerful reminder of why our relationship with the USA means so much to us.”
Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA): The USA is a union-dedicated, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose members hunt, fish, shoot and volunteer their skills for conservation. The USA is uniting the union community through conservation to preserve North America’s outdoor heritage. For more information, visit www.unionsportsmen.org or connect on Facebook, X, YouTube and Instagram.
Work Boots on the Ground (WBG): WBG is the USA’s flagship conservation program that brings together union members willing to volunteer their time and expertise to conservation projects that improve and enhance public access to the outdoors, conserve wildlife habitat, restore America’s parks and mentor youth in the outdoors. The USA’s Work Boots on the Ground program works closely with federal, state and local agencies and other conservation groups to provide manpower needed to complete critical projects that may otherwise go undone.
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