CLEVELAND, July 30 — Members of Teamsters Joint Council 73 and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen in New Jersey recently helped make some wishes come true for eight special children with terminal cancer.
Over the past 16 years, an Australian organization known as Challenge has conducted an overseas trip to the United States for 10 seriously ill children. Challenge is Australia’s version of the Make a Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to children living with cancer and other life-threatening disorders. They range in age from 12 to 17.
Challenge typically comes to the United States area every other year as part of their “Trip of a Lifetime” program, an all expenses paid, month long trip to the United States. And when Challenge comes to New York/New Jersey, Teamsters Joint Council 73 in New Jersey pulls out all the stops in hosting the Challenge Kids. Past activities have included helicopter rides, Broadway shows, and behind the scenes trips to movie sets.
This year, the Joint Council 73 President Anthony Artifico enlisted the help of the BLET to provide the kids with a new experience. Brother Matt Kronyak of BLET Division 235 (Ridgefield Park, N.J.), worked with Conrail to organize a special “Santa Train in July” excursion through New York and New Jersey, featuring the railroad’s Santa Claus train.
“All the kids this year had some form of terminal cancer,” Kronyak said. “There were supposed to be 10 kids this year, but only eight made it. In past years, some of the kids have been so sick they had to go home early.
“It was a rewarding and fulfilling experience to be able to organize the Santa Train in July trip for these kids,” Kronyak said.
The July 11 train ride provided the children with exclusive views of the Statue of Liberty and the New York City skyline.
Brother Kronyak enjoyed bonding with the kids on the train trip. Known for his thick New Jersey accent, Kronyak said he taught the Australian kids to say, “How you doin’?” during the train ride. They in turn taught him how to say “G’day, mate,” using the proper Australian accent.
The BLET National Division provided shirts and hats for the children, while CSX provided hats and backpacks.
Brian Baginski, Local Chairman of BLET Division 601 (Newark, N.J.), served as the Locomotive Engineer for the day. Tony Maldonado, UTU Local 1447, was the conductor.
Brother Kronyak said the children were treated to an incredible amount of entertainment during their two-week stay in the States, including: dinner with actor Bruce Willis; seats at the Broadway play “Wicked” and a meet-and-greet with the performers after the show; a meeting with Edie Falco, star of The Sopranos television show who is married to a Teamster; a taping of CSI New York; a trip through New York Harbor on a New York City Fire Department fire boat; and tickets to a New York Mets baseball game, where the kids got to play catch on the field with some of the Mets players.
Kronyak said Teamster Joint Council 73 Organizer and PAC Chairman Cliff Nolan and his wife Nancy drove the kids all over the Tri-State area. Nolan drove the Joint Council tour bus, which was the main mode of transportation for the kids while they were in the States. They stayed at the Helmsley Hotel in New York City and the Hershey Hotel in Seaside Heights, N.J. during their stay.
The BLET in New Jersey has been working more closely with Joint Council 73. Kronyak said the BLET recently helped the Teamsters organize a non-union car inspection company on the CSX property, which brought about 50 new members in the union.
In addition to serving the Brotherhood as Local Chairman of Division 235, Brother Kronyak is also a Vice General Chairman of the Conrail SAA/CSXT Northern District General Committee of Adjustment.
“The Teamsters are all about people helping people, and Brother Kronyak did an excellent job of helping the Challenge Kids from Australia,” BLET National President Ed Rodzwicz said. “On behalf of the BLET National Division, I thank him for his efforts and am proud that the Brotherhood was able to play a part in the Challenge Kids’ visit to America.”