Retired UA leader inspired to start scholarship fund to help union family members

When Henderson native Charles England retired from his career as a pipefitter, per tradition, the United Association union gifted the monies charged for the advertisements in his testimonial booklet to him. England had no intention of keeping the retirement gift — instead, he started an educational scholarship with the money.

In 2008, England retired from the executive leadership of the UA, a union of more than 300,000 professional plumbers, fitters, welders and service techs in the U.S., Canada and Australia. In 2010, he established the Charles England Local 525 Education Scholarship Fund, which awards scholarships to children and grandchildren of the 1,700 members of the local union.

England, 68, came from a family of Southern Nevada plumbers and pipefitters. His wife, Kathy, and his father, stepfather, uncles, in-laws and cousins were all union members. His father, Chuck, was a plumber at the Nevada Test Site during the atomic testing era. Because of his small stature, Chuck was selected to retrieve a collapsed experiment from a pipe after an explosion. The massive radiation exposure led to his death in 1967 at 43. England was 19 when his father died. He had just finished U.S. Navy boot camp and was on his way to serve a tour of duty in Vietnam. When his service was completed in 1971, he was given veteran preference on the union apprenticeship list and started his career as a pipefitter.

England became interested in union politics on a local level from the onset of his career. During his 37 years as a union member, he held many offices, including international representative and assistant to the general president of the UA, one of the four top general officers of the international union. Upon retirement, Local 525, 760 N. Lamb Blvd., honored him with a testimonial dinner complete with speeches and a testimonial booklet. As per union tradition, monies charged for the advertisements in the booklet are gifted to the retiree.

“I wanted to do something for my local because that’s where I got my start,” England said. “I wanted some way to thank my local and repay them. I thought it would be a great way to help them help their children get an education.”

The scholarship award is open only to union family members. Applicants who have lost a union member parent or grandparent in a work-related accident receive first priority in the application process. Those with a parent or grandparent injured in a work-related accident receive second priority, and veterans also receive priority ranking in the selection process.

Giving away scholarship money isn’t as easy as it may seem at first glance. A Nevada nonprofit needed to be created, which required: enlisting directors and officers to serve on a board; choosing a name for the nonprofit; preparing and filing articles of incorporation with the secretary of state; obtaining a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the IRS; preparing bylaws; and holding a meeting of the board of directors to approve the bylaws and appoint officers.

England established the scholarship fund with the help of an all-volunteer group, which included a certified public accountant, an attorney and a former Local 525 business manager and childhood friend, Bill Anderson.

“No one gets paid one dime,” England said. “All the money goes to scholarships.”

Anderson explained that retirees within the international union have now established similar scholarship opportunities because of England’s example.

“He (England) had an idea to help people, and it’s just really snowballed (throughout the nation and internationally),” Anderson said.

Recent University of Nevada, Reno broadcast journalism graduate Dylan Kendrick, 22, is a grateful recipient of one of the first scholarships awarded.

“My dad got laid off during the recession, and it was all happening around a very pivotal time in my life,” said the Centennial Hills-area resident and graduate of Northwest Career & Technical Academy, 8200 W. Tropical Parkway.

Kendrick was working two jobs to make ends meet while attending UNR when he heard about the scholarship. His father was a member of Local 525, and his grandfather also was a plumber.

“The (scholarship) money went towards tuition every year,” he said. “If there was anything left, it went towards rent.”

His broadcasting career took off before his May graduation. He started at My News 4, KRNV, in Reno as an intern and was ultimately hired as a fill-in weathercaster and reporter. He made his on-air debut at 21 and has now been hired full time.

“My story is to say that it’s not impossible,” he said, adding the scholarship allowed him a “peace of mind” when registering for classes, knowing the money was going to be there.

On April 25 at Black Mountain Golf & Country Club, 500 Greenway Road, 138 golfers helped raise money for the scholarship fund. A $2,000 scholarship is awarded to five deserving applicants every year. The recipients are eligible to receive the award for four years for a total of $8,000.

England said two generous benefactors have committed to funding two scholarships for four years, and he is looking to secure more. The donors also have the opportunity to mentor the recipients throughout their college careers.

“Our goal is to build up the funds and invest, so it (the scholarship) will be self-perpetuating,” England said.

Watching recipients such as Kendrick mature with their education and be successful is rewarding, England said. Kendrick recently sent him a YouTube video as a thank-you for the opportunities he has been afforded by the scholarship. The video contains snippets of his news and weather reports and a personal message of gratitude.

When asked what he thought of the video, England laughed and said, “Once I stopped crying, I said, ‘It just doesn’t get better than that.’ ”

For more information about the scholarship fund, call 702-452-1520 or email verdawn@local525.org.