Variety, the Children’s Charity, gave a new adaptive stroller to the 14-year-old son of Keith Beavers from USW Local Union 1138 – one of the locals locked out by Allegheny Technologies, Inc. (ATI) for seven months in 2015 and early 2016.
Adaptive strollers like the one Vinnie received from Variety are expensive; and it was about the same time that Keith was locked out by ATI that Vinnie outgrew his old chair. Vinnie’s mother Rachelle said, “Vinnie wants to be in school but he has seizures. The stroller enables him to stay at school safely after he bounces back from a seizure.”
Variety’s mission is to “provide children with disabilities with unique programs, experiences, and equipment so they may live life to the fullest.”
Charles P. LaVallee, CEO at Variety, said, “I am so grateful to USW leadership for prioritizing the needs of disabled children; it is so important that Vinnie can stay in school and participate in life.”
Keith has been back to work since March and said he makes a good wage as a maintenance mechanic at ATI’s Vandergrift facility, but he wants to encourage people in situations like his to apply for aid.
“Some people don’t apply because they think their income is too high to receive any sort of help, but even when you make a good income, things can happen at work that make it tough to afford necessary things.”
As a member of USW 
Local Union 1138, Keith led the local’s Strike and Defense Committee as Picket Captain during the lock out. He’s also on the local’s contract committee.