Union volunteers replace deteriorating deck at Hoffman Estates addiction center

A network of community connections in Hoffman Estates and a spirit of generosity contributed to the undertaking of a long overdue building repair at an addiction recovery center that can't spare the cost from its program funding.

Members and associates of Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council Local 58 donated materials and labor last week to the replacement of a severely deteriorated wooden deck with a new concrete one at The SHARE Program's facility at 1776 Moon Lake Blvd., adjacent to the Amita Health St. Alexius Medical Center campus.

Matt Oclon, business representative for Local 58, said the previous deck was more than 30 years old and had probably passed its serviceable life at least 15 years ago. In addition to the replacement itself, his team corrected a drainage problem that was causing rainwater to leak into the foundation.

The estimated cost of the project through a normal contract would have been $15,000 to $20,000, Oclon said. But it has immeasurable value to the clients of the recovery center who use it as a base of outdoor recreation behind the building.

"It's priceless because it really brings up their morale," he said.

Jill DeLarco, director of The SHARE Program, struggled to think of a way that she could have found the funding for the repair given the financial demands of services. She ultimately concluded that the most realistic alternative was that the wooden deck would have continued to deteriorate indefinitely.

That's why Oclon said it was an honor for his union to support those who work at the center.

"It's our type of work. It's what we do every day," Oclon said. "In this case, the cause couldn't be more noble. The people who work here literally save lives."

The connections that made the project happen were put together by Linda Scheck, the village's director of tourism and business retention.

Last winter, she said she responded to Mayor Bill McLeod's request to see if any help was needed at The SHARE Center. When officials there suggested donation of blankets and pillows, she reached out to hotels and other businesses.

But while she was delivering them, she asked if there was anything else that could be done. That was when the dilapidated deck was pointed out to her.

Scheck immediately went to the Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce & Industry, which connected her to Local 58, which had been volunteering to measure the fish for the awards of the annual fishing derby for 26 years.

Before she knew it, several representatives were out at The SHARE Program examining the deck and estimating the work required.

"I was so overwhelmed by your generosity," she told the workers on site Friday, halfway through the five-day project.

Chamber of commerce officials were there to present a certificate of appreciation to the union, while McLeod and SHARE Program CEO Bruce Sewick also expressed their gratitude.

"One of the things I've always liked about Hoffman Estates is that whenever someone needs help there's always someone to help them," McLeod said.

"Hoffman Estates saw the need and made all this happen," Sewick added. "As a not-for-profit, you can imagine how difficult it is to have the funds to do something like that. What these guys are doing is incredible, the morale booster that it is."

The SHARE Program in Hoffman Estates normally has 56 beds available for addiction recovery patients, but that number has been temporarily reduced by COVID-19 protocols, Sewick said.

He is also CEO of the affiliated Leyden Family Service and Mental Health Center in Franklin Park.