Source:
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1069023-469/soup-kitchen-nears-goal-for-backpack-program.html

Monday, August 10 2015
by TINA FORBES – Staff Writer

The Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter has made up for a slow start in donations for the backpack program, nearly reaching its goal of 2,000 packs by August 10.

“We were getting a little worried,” said Carol Weeks, community outreach coordinator for the shelter.

At the end of July, the shelter had collected just 200 bags, 90 percent away from its goal.

After a surge in donations from community members and local businesses such as Fidelity Investments, Gilchrist Metal Fabricating and Liberty Utilities, the first floor of the shelter is nearly bursting with full bags, supplies and newly arrived bags waiting volunteers. to be packed by shelter

“Including the bags that we’ve filled, we’re up to 1,500. We have some empty ones too, but we’re well on our way to reach our goal,” said Weeks, adding monetary donations are being used to purchase school supplies to pack the bags.

The backpack program has been helping students in the Greater Nashua area prepare for school for more than two decades with a new bag full of grade-appropriate supplies such as pencils, pens, art supplies, binders and flash drives.

With donations still coming in, shelter staff has started distributing bags to families.

“It’s broken down by (alphabetical) order. Each group has two separate days to come in from now through August 21, so no one gets overwhelmed,” she said.

Before the shelter moved into the new facility on Quincy Street last September, distribution took place elsewhere in the community, such as Ledge Street Elementary School. Using borrowed space, the distribution had to be done in one day instead of over a month.

“It was hard. There were eight people signing families up, people had to wait outside no matter what the weather was doing,” said Weeks recalling the process last year. “It was exciting, but a lot of extra stress.”

Weeks said for the first year in the new facility, the long-running backpack program has gone well. “I’m sure we’ll tweak it for next year. There’s always room for change,” she said.

This year, only two volunteers were needed to man a table outside the backpack supply room to sign in families as they trickled in to pick up bags.

“We were so fearful of being overwhelmed. But, because it’s broken down by alphabetical order, it’s been a steady flow of folks signing in and checking out bags,” said Weeks.

Sharon Daley said groups of volunteers pack the bags for families to simplify the process. “So there’s no crayons in the high school bags, and no protractors in the elementary bags,” said Daley.

While the bags are already packed with supplies, the children get to walk in and choose a bag based on their age group.

“Last week, we had two young sisters come in – they wanted ‘Frozen’ bags, but two different ones,” said Weeks.

“They found two different bags, one with Elsa and Anna and one with Olaf. They were so happy they were skipping. That’s really what it’s all about,” said Weeks.

For information on how to volunteer, pick up a pack, donate to the program online or what supplies are needed, visit the website at www.nsks. org, or call 889-7770.

Those hoping to volunteer can call the shelter number and ask for Paula, or email her at Paula@ nsks.org, and recipients with questions can speak with Juana, Juana@nsks. org.

Tina Forbes can be reached at 5946402, [email protected] or @Telegraph_ TinaF.

Contact: Jack Gilchrist, President
Phone number: 603.889.2600

What do most parents think about sending their kids off to technical school? What about having their son or daughter work in a factory or machine shop right out of
high school to gain experience, learn skills and earn money?
Let’s examine this.

What do most parents think about sending their kids off to technical school? What about having their son or daughter work in a factory or machine shop right out of high school to gain experience, learn skills and earn money? Let’s examine this.

“Let me tell you about my son, the CNC Operator!”

An August, 2015 Industry Week article reported a study of parents concerning their perceptions of manufacturing jobs as career tracks for their children. Alcoa Foundation’s Parents’ Perception of Manufacturing Survey, found that 89% of parents think that the average hourly wage for manufacturing jobs is between $7 and $22 an hour. Are you kidding? $7/hour is below minimum wage! The only experience most manufacturing employers have with “minimum wage” is hearing about it on the news. According to the same survey, “only 33% of parents associate manufacturing jobs with career advancement, and only 22% see the work as innovative and intellectually stimulating.”

We have a perception hurdle to overcome.

Let’s look at some obvious facts. If we in manufacturing want to keep our plants humming and our customers happy, we need great people. Now that the economy has gained more sustained footing, machine shops and manufacturing plants are clamoring for skilled workers and trained technicians. They’re willing compensate well. In reality, when you factor in benefits, the average annual compensation for American manufacturing employees equates to about $34.00 per hour. Starting hourly pay for skilled workers is generally in the neighborhood of $20/hour, with plenty of room for growth. When you add benefits on top of that, you’re ahead of many recent college graduates still searching for professional jobs in their chosen fields.

Where innovation and intellectual stimulation are concerned, the manufacturing sector is where most of the action is! Manufacturing plants are proving grounds for technological innovations. Manufactures have infrastructures already in place as platforms to innovate. They employ many of the engineers and even scientists who discover new and better ways of producing products vital to everything from modern convenience to better healthcare. They also have expertise in harnessing capital to build new production capacities in response to new and growing markets. That can open tremendous opportunities for career advancement.

When manufacturers fail to continue innovating and expanding their markets, they tend to stagnate and eventually fade away. That’s the last thing manufacturing executives want. Therefore, career growth and advancement opportunities abound for creative, ambitious young people who choose manufacturing vocations.

The major problem for most manufacturers isn’t getting enough business, it’s about finding and keeping trained, reliable and professional draftsmen, machinists, welders, and technicians to solve complex, precision fabrication challenges and optimize production efficiency. When we latch on to a conscientious & ambitious employee, we’ll do our best to keep that person on board for the long haul. That means providing benefits, good working conditions, and paying them well. For example, our starting pay for skilled workers is roughly $20/ hour with regular evaluations and merit raises. Then we add a generous benefits package with up to 4 weeks paid vacation. Employees who demonstrate that they lead a reasonably healthy lifestyle have their health insurance premium paid for by the company. We offer flex time and a four-day work week, as well as 3 personal days per year.

In terms of career advancement, the sky is the limit in manufacturing. Promotion from within makes a lot of sense for us. An ambitious person with intimate knowledge of internal operations can move more readily into sales, management and executive positions and hit the ground running. We see this happen all the time and it’s rewarding to watch people grow and thrive within your own company.

So our message today is this. Get the word out to parents, teachers, coaches and mentors that going to an Ivy League college, pursuing a law degree or getting through medical school is fine, but if your kids are looking for a fast track to a fulfilling career, manufacturing may be their best option.

What do you need to know?

Our goal is to bring informative and helpful ideas about metal work to our customers and the metal fabricating industries. Feel free to contact us and share your ideas.
(603) 889-2600
[email protected]

Gilchrist Metal Fabricating Company, of Hudson, New Hampshire has recently made valuable additions to the company’s robotic welding services.

Contact: Jack Gilchrist, President
Phone number: 603.889.2600

At Gilchrist Metal Fabricating Company, welding has always been a frequently provided service for customers in markets ranging from the communications industry and architectural design to oil exploration and power generation. However, a national shortage of welders in 2012 necessitated a renewed focus on fast and effective welding automation. This had lead to the introduction of numerous robotic welding enhancements at GMFCO’s 70,000 square foot metal fabrication facility for greater capabilities ranging from part handling and speed to overall efficiency.

Among the many enhancements to robotic welding equipment at GMFCO, upgrades and additions have included several new fixtures and add-ons for use in various automated welding operations. Additions like adaptive grippers and advanced vision systems have allowed GMFCO to drastically increase productivity for welding on a wide variety of parts, components, and fabrications. As Jack Gilchrist, President of GMFCO explains, “This doesn’t just improve the return on investment we get from robotic welding equipment; it also helps us more quickly and efficiently provide welding for our customers.” Gilchrist adds, the presence of multiple fixtures and robotic welding peripherals also enables technicians to program the machines for more complex welds with a high degree of repeatability and precision.

“By using multiple fixtures set up at the same time, we can reduce changeover time to just a few keystrokes. This ensures that we can give more customers their parts when they need them.” Gilchrist also explains that the many new fixtures and peripherals added to robotic welding equipment at the company’s Hudson, NH facility also allow GMFCO to be more cost effective and competitive. He says, “Now more than ever, businesses want manufacturing done faster and cheaper. Fortunately, robotic welding helps us meet those demands – especially when it comes to fabrication jobs that require highly repetitive welding.”

According to Gilchrist, the company staffs and continues to add to its experienced team of welders. This gives GMFCO the human touch Gilchrist says his company will always value. Even still, robotic welding represents a valuable side of the fabrication process that helps provide the fast and effective welding needed for high volume projects.

GMFCO’s robotic welding capabilities provide welding up to 40” x 40” x 120” with a max weight of 550lbs per pallet. Inherent benefits of robotic welding include the increased accuracy that comes from fully programmed welding as well as improved consistency and repeatability for shorter lead times. GMFCO regularly provides robotic welding for materials including aluminum, carbon steel, stainless steel, and more.