Earlier this month, the Wheeling Nailers hockey team held their annual Union Appreciation Night at WesBanco Arena on the team’s opening night of the 2024–2025 season.
The event drew a sold-out crowd, with 1,260 tickets purchased for members of the trades.
At the beginning of the event, Eran Molz, President of the Upper Ohio Valley Building and Construction Trades Council, and Eric Starkowicz, Executive Director of the Ohio Valley Construction Employers Council, performed the ceremonial puck drop to start the game.
Members of various trades unions were also on hand to present the American flag before the game.
“We are so proud of our building trades,” said Eran Molz, Business Manager for the Upper Ohio Valley Building and Construction Trades Council. “This night is for you and your families and for all the hard work and amazing skills you provide for our local contractors in the valley!”
The event was held to showcase union support in the greater Wheeling area — a region with a strong history in the labor movement — and to help raise awareness about careers in the skilled trades.
“The love our Union Brothers and Sisters have for each other was apparent tonight. The stands looked like one big reunion,” said Kyle Kull, Organizer for the West Virginia Appalachian Laborers District Council. “This event is a great way to give back to our members and strengthen the bonds that tie us together in the labor movement. I can’t wait to do it again next year!”
