The AFL-CIO-NEXT UP has put out a toolkit to get Locals started on creating a RENEW program.Our Local RENEW Group has achieved many of these tasks provided within the tool kit which has allowed us to become chartered by the IBEW IO, this is a HUGE honor!!  We have for the last few years established a formal committee that has sponsored young worker events, and activities such as the new employee meet & greet, Highway clean-up in front of our very own Columbia power plant in Portage,WI , and held a big buck contest to get members active in both our young workers Facebook page, as well as our main local Facebook page. We (RENEW) have also set up two other solidarity events in two different parts of our territory to bring members together. One being a holiday bowling event in McFarland,WI, and the other being a hockey game in Fond Du Lac, WI where members got together at both events and had fun doing something they enjoy WITH family, which we put a big emphasis on in all of our events. Looking through the tool-kit we also noticed they have a sample by-law section, which we have adopted the language for us to modify so it fits our committee and local specifically.We have new ideas already for 2017 including a progressive attendance raffle that allows members to attend union meetings and events to gain an entry each time for an exciting prize of either 500 cash value or a quality hunting rifel/shotgun. Our hope is to increase interest in members, and make it fun at the same time. Watch your events calendar and meeting minutes to be informed for our upcoming events! we're excited to be chartered, but it's just the first step of building our younger generation stronger for tomorrows' IBEW! Thanks for reading!