Each holiday season, West Virginians are reminded that the true measure of our state’s strength is found in the ways we show up for one another.

For members of the West Virginia Building & Construction Trades (WVBCT), this commitment to community is woven into our very being. Our members don’t just build the roads, bridges, schools, and energy infrastructure that keep West Virginia moving. They show up after hours, off the clock, and from the heart, especially during the holidays.

For example, this year, one of our partnerships supports the Salvation Army, where we were able to bring holiday magic to more than 120 children and families throughout our state. From bicycles and warm coats to dolls, games, and essential household items, our members, affiliates, and partners stepped up to ensure no child wakes up without joy and no family goes without hope.

Because for us, service is not seasonal. It is foundational.

Our apprenticeship programs, funded through union-negotiated training contributions, do more than teach critical skills. They lift young people into careers without student debt, providing stability and purpose. And during the holidays, the same hands that build our state also carry gifts, stock toy drives, ring bells, load boxes, and lift up families who need it most.

This is what makes West Virginia’s union trades different. The work we do does not end at the job site. It extends into neighborhoods, shelters, classrooms, food pantries, playgrounds, and family living rooms across the state.

As we celebrate this holiday season, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to the apprentices, journeymen, business managers, local leaders, collaborating partners, and the many volunteers who make this work possible. Your generosity reflects the best of West Virginia and reaffirms our belief that strong communities are built by people who care.

Our economic impact proves that West Virginia’s skilled trades drive growth. Our community work proves that we also drive hope.

As we look toward a new year filled with major development projects, expanded workforce training, and unprecedented opportunities for skilled labor, one thing remains constant: the heart of our work will always be people.

When our members invest in children and families, we are investing in West Virginia’s future. From our families to yours, happy holidays, West Virginia. We’re proud to build with you, and we’re honored to serve beside you.

(Epperly is secretary-treasurer of West Virginia Building and Construction Trades.)