The SIU’s newest hall, located in Joliet, Ill., is set to open in mid-September.“We’re tentatively planning to open on September 15, and the hall should be fully functional by the end of the month,” noted SIU Vice President Great Lakes Tommy Orzechowski. “We’re still getting our mainframe access in place as well as working out some other details, but we’ve made a lot of progress.”
Seafarers may call the hall at (815) 723-8002. The hall is located at 10 East Clinton Street in downtown Joliet, occupying two stories of a corner building.
Members who visited the hall last month liked what they saw.
“It’s a welcome addition,” said AB Leo Bonser Jr. “It saves the members in this area a lot of driving time to either St. Louis or Algonac.”
AB John Immerfall, who sails with Great Lakes Towing, said he’s “glad to see a hall in the Chicago area. This means the patrolmen will be at our tug facilities more often. They’re a welcome site anytime.”
AB John Benjamin said the hall is “another item that continues to put the SIU on the map in our region. My compliments to (SIU President) Mike Sacco, Tommy and the rest of the SIU leadership for making this possible.”
The hall, which also is open to members of the SIU-affiliated United Industrial Workers and the Seafarers Entertainment and Allied Trades Union, is accessible by public rail and bus services. Plenty of parking is located nearby.
The interior is well-lighted and consists of approximately 2,500 square feet. The hall will utilize an electronic shipping board.
Other features include a second-floor conference room and a comfortable seating area (with television) on the ground level.
A baseball stadium—home of the minor league Joliet JackHammers—is located a few blocks from the hall.
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