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10/01/2005
Membership Committee Update
I would like to extend a warm welcome to the following companies as the newest members of the NATE “family”:
Cornerstone Wireless Construction Services, Inc.
Valley Forge & Bolt Manufacturing
Western TelCom, Inc.
During my 8-plus years of employment with the Association, I have had the opportunity to meet and work with some of the most incredible individuals. Although NATE is a professional organization, working together to provide a unified voice for a safer industry, the Members have become more like a family. I know the other NATE Administrative Staff Members feel the same way.
So when it became apparent that Hurricane Katrina would hit the Gulf Coast, the entire NATE Staff was very concerned for the safety and welfare of our “family” in the region. As I am writing this article, we are all now aware of the devastation sustained by Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi by Hurricane Katrina.
There are currently 22 NATE Members located in these three states. On August 31, I tried to telephone each of these companies to hear if they had been affected by the storm and subsequent flooding.
I was fairly pleased to be able to reach most of these companies, and left messages for five other members. However, there were a few of our members located in the direct path of the storm that I was unable to reach by telephone after trying their land and cell numbers numerous times, which greatly concerned the entire staff.
Of the NATE Members I was able to visit with many were feeling very “blessed” to have survived the major destruction, but very concerned for their fellow NATE Members that didn’t fair as well. Many companies were already involved in disaster relief efforts in their respective states and working diligently to help restore communications to communities in their region. Often NATE Members were postponing their tower work for humanitarian work. With the lack of accommodations crews were sleeping in their vehicles, while working exhaustively to help emergency personnel.
I already knew what a wonderful organization NATE was and how dedicated it is to unite for a “common cause”, but in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, NATE Members continue to reaffirm my belief in what fine individuals we have in the NATE family, by reaching out to friends and strangers alike to assist in any way possible.
The strength of this Association is the character and integrity of the membership and how they respond in the face of adversity. So in the upcoming months during the reconstruction of the Gulf Coast, please reach out to your fellow NATE family members and offer whatever support you can, whether it be monetary; subcontracts; clothing and other supplies; or a kind word expressing your concern. Your generosity and thoughtfulness will never be forgotten; after all that is what being part of a “family” is all about.
Carol Coughlin is the NATE Membership Coordinator. She can be reached at 605-882-5865 or 888-882-5865 (US) or carol@natehome.com.
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