Dave Hinton: Goodman has the 'metal' as area's only female ironworker

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The only female ironworker in East Central Illinois says it's a "tough, demanding, physical job."

She loves it.

Being the daughter of a current and former ironworker, Blake Goodman has a middle name fit for a super hero: "Steel."

"My mom got to choose my first name, and my dad chose my middle name," she said.

Since August, the Villa Grove native has been in the first year of a four-year apprentice program with Ironworkers Local 380.

A former factory worker, Goodman realized what she had suspected all along: Being indoors doing the same thing everyday isn't fulfilling. Not for her.

Ironworking provides something new every day.

"I love working with my hands and hope more young women consider ironworking," Goodman said.

"I'm a very hands-on person.

"You kind of get a sense of a workout with it. I know when I was working with rebar," it was a workout. "I just like how you have to put so much effort into it."

Goodman also enjoys how time flies on the job. No clock-watching like in a factory.

Her favorite job is welding, which she learned to do at Parkland College.

Goodman wishes there were more females in the trade, but the only other female who started the apprentice program in her class didn't stick it out. Just like several males.

Her class includes 11 apprentice candidates. It started with 20, but nine quit.

"Before we even started orientation, two people didn't show up," she said.

"I think the work might have kind of scared them."

It doesn't faze Goodman.

"There have been days that have been hard but never to the point where I think twice about what I'm doing."

Goodman said the older men will try to pick at the green apprentices "and see if they're mentally stable enough to be ironworkers."

After a full day of work, which ends at 3:30 p.m., Goodman has two evenings of classes to learn the tools of her trade.

"When I get to class, I'm ready to fall asleep," because she's been so active on the job.

Goodman said classes are going "a lot quicker than what I thought it would be."

"I thought it would be like four years of high school."

"Ninety-nine percent of the learning is on the job site," the 21-year-old said.

Goodman had enrolled in the highway construction training program at Parkland, which she said opened her eyes to a job in the trades.

She also heard a lot about ironworking from her parents — Randall Goodman and D'Anna Williams. Dad is still an ironworker, and Mom quit shortly after Blake was born after having worked in the profession close to nine years.

Blake's first job site was a solar farm in Decatur. In addition to work with rebar, she's worked on installing caissons for holding large Ameren power line poles.

One recent job was on a new health and wellness building in Urbana, a job that requires her to work above ground.

Goodman said she doesn't mind heights and doesn't mind working in the elements. She would welcome being part of the crew that works on the I-57/I-74 interchange project west of Champaign.

Local 380 business manager Chuck Black said Goodman "is not afraid to get out and get to work."

"It's a positive for the local," he said.

"She has a lot of positive reinforcement with the contractors she's worked for."

Black said the local has between 225 and 250 members. Its boundaries extend from near Buckley to the north to around Effingham to the south, then west to Downs and east to the Indiana border. The local includes parts of 17 counties.

The apprenticeship application period is open at present.

"The first step is application, then handing in some required documents and a standardized written test."

All applicants will be interviewed by a board of trustees comprised of ironworkers and contractors.

The number accepted is based on work need.

"Some years, we don't accept any," Black said. "Other years, we have accepted 20."

Construction work can be sporadic. There are periods when ironworkers have to wait for the next job.

Goodman tries to keep busy. She also dog sits and helps her aunt with a cleaning business.

Ironworking "is definitely slower in the winter," Goodman said.

She wants to make ironworking her career, noting, "I definitely enjoy it."

In her spare time, Goodman calls herself an "artsy-crafty person" who likes to put her welding ability to use creating sculptures.

She would like to travel when she becomes a journeyman, to meet other people and to see how other locals do things.

Hanson, Turner-Winston earn scholarshipsIsaac Hanson of Mahomet (jazz alto saxophone) has been selected to receive The Chorale's 2024 Young Artist Scholarship.

A partial scholarship will also be awarded to D'Meneca Turner-Winston (clarinet) of Urbana.

They were selected following auditions.

Hanson has received numerous national and state honors in performance.

He will perform at The Chorale's "Heaven and Earth" concert at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, April 13, at Faith United Methodist Church in Champaign.

There will also be performances by 2013 scholarship winner Caitlin Richardson (soprano), the Heritage High School choir and The Chorale.

The Chorale has renamed the scholarship The Julie Beyer Memorial Scholarship to honor its founder and director of 37 years.

Jayc

ees honor local meteorologist

The Illinois Jaycees have have named Gibson City native Jacob Dickey of Champaign to receive its Outstanding Young Persons of Illinois awards program recognition.

The program annually recognizes young people throughout Illinois who excel in their chosen fields, endeavors and show a commitment to their respective communities.

Dickey, 31, is being recognized in the category of Personal Improvement And/Or Accomplishment."

A meteorologist at WCIA in Champaign, Dickey reports weather and promotes local organizations, businesses and educational opportunities during regular segments, including Community Spotlight, Ag in the Classroom, On the Road with Jacob, Community College Connections, Ask Your Meteorologist and Cooking Up A Storm.

He also teaches part time at Parkland College and is developing a new course for students on weather.

Dickey regularly speaks to school groups, civic organizations and classrooms and is active with Young Farmers and Ranchers, a part of the Illinois Farm Bureau.

Health, well-being focus of bookSusie Kundrat calls her new book "a simple, positive doable way to boost health and well-being for everyone."

The Savoy native's book is titled "Eat, Move, Groove."

She said the book provides "easy steps to take each day to feel good and be healthy."

Kundrat is an adjunct instructor with the University of Illinois Food Science and Human Nutrition Department and a clinical professor emeritus with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee College of Public Health.

For several years, she was the sports nutritionist for Fighting Illini athletes.

A launch party will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 5, at The Literary in Champaign. The book will be available at that location after April 1. Locally, residents can contact Kundrat through her website, and it will be available on Amazon.

Kundrat will also present a four-part workshop beginning Monday through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

Wind

ingland, Hennesy record aces

A pair of local golfers gave proof that warmer days are here.

They recorded holes-in-one at Lake of the Woods Golf Course in Mahomet last week.

Larry Windingland's ace on March 18 was on the 125-yard hole No. 8. He used an 8 iron to accomplish the feat.

Witnesses were Elaine Windingland, Rich Dietrich and Evan Roberts.

Two days later, on March 15, Kelton Hennesy one-holed the 156-yard No. 14. Like Windingland, he used an 8 iron.

Witnessing the accomplishment were family members Michael Hennesy, Meghan Hennesy and Brogan Hennesy.

Library in Catlin welcomes 'cafe' to menuCatlin Public Library hosted its first Tales and Travel Memory Café at 2 p.m. Thursday for individuals who are living with memory loss, and family and friends.

Each month, the group will be using imagination, library materials, music and activities to visit a different location, event or person for a one-hour program.

The award-winning program was developed by Gail Borden Library in Elgin.

For information or to register, call 217-427-2550 or email CatlinLibrary03@yahoo.com.

The free social event is held at 2 p.m. the third Thursday of every month at Catlin Public Library, 101 Mapleleaf Drive, Catlin. On March 21, the visit will be to Japan; April 18, the first moon landing; and May 16, Mexico.

Danville cleaned up for tournamentThirty volunteers from across Danville and Vermilion County came together to clean up the area surrounding Danville Area Community College during last weekend ahead of the NJCAA Division 2 National Basketball Tournament.

Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. said cleaned up were Main Street from Iowa to Kansas streets, the DACC campus and Home and Tillman streets.

Among those helping were Katie Osterbur and youngsters from Peer Court Inc., DACC President Stephen Nacco and his wife, Wendy Brown and DACC.

Keep Vermilion County Beautiful organized the cleanup.