'Labor Night at the Nats' is a Hit

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Thousands of union members headed to the ball park Friday with friends and family for the first double-header Labor Night at the Nats. The event raises money for the Community Services Agency’s Emergency Assistance Fund, which helps union families in times of need. Renee Barnes, an AFSCME staffer and OPEIU Local 2 member, kicked off the high-scoring first game against the Miami Marlins (7 to 4, Nats) with a moving performance of the National Anthem as the Fairfax County Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Association Honor Guard stood by to present the colors. The crowd was in good spirits as Dan Duncan (President, NOVA Labor Federation), Dena Briscoe (President, APWU DC & Southern MD and Secretary, Metro Washington Council, AFL-CIO), Walter Wise (General President, International Association of Iron Workers), Anthony Brown (Lt. Governor, Maryland), and Kathleen McKirchy (Executive Director, Community Services Agency) headed to the field to receive the Spirit Award between games for the impressive turn out. Tionte Lewis, son of AFGE Local 3615 Women's Coordinator LeGloria Warrick, threw out the first pitch for Local 3615, who bought more tickets to the game than any other local, and Ironworkers General President Walter Wise and Local 5 President Kendall Martin joined Nats managers to exchange the line-up. Tony Janifer of Operating Engineers Local 99 put the second game in play with a boisterous “play ball!” “Labor night at the Nats is one of our biggest events of the year” said McKirchy. “It’s wonderful to see so many union members come out to have a fun night and support their union brothers and sisters.” - photo of (left to right) Duncan, Briscoe, McKirchy, Brown, and Wise receiving the Spirit Award; photo by Julia Kann