Pictured Above: United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 686 Amalgamated President Paul Entwistle (left) receives the Eastern Niagara United Way's Annual AFL-CIO Community Services Award from Bill Jakobi (right), the Eastern Niagara United Way's AFL-CIO Community Services Liaison.  (Photo Courtesy of the Eastern Niagara United Way)

(LOCKPORT) - If you ask United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 686 Amalgamated President Paul Entwistle about the AFL-CIO Community Services Award he recently received from the Eastern Niagara United Way, he'll tell you he accepted the award not for himself - but on behalf of all those Local 686 members who've participated in giving back to the many Niagara County and Western New York communities where they work, live and raise their families.

"It was a great honor to get this award, but it's always the members who make the (fund-raising) efforts go," Entwistle told WNYLaborToday.com this week.  "It couldn't be done without their help and involvement."

Bill Jakobi, AFL-CIO Community Services Liaison for the Eastern Niagara United Way, said of Entwistle: "Paul received one of our most prestigious awards, which is given on an annual basis to a Union representative who's been involved with the United Way and their community.  Paul is a tireless worker who gets his membership involved to give their time, talent and treasures back to the community where they live and work in.  His dedication to the Eastern Niagara United Way, to Local 686 and to the Labor Movement is exactly why Paul was recognized by the Eastern Niagara United Way.  We in the Labor Movement are proud of what he does and take pride of what he has done."

UAW Local 686 represents 1,345 members and Amalgamated President Entwistle - who is also a board member of the Eastern Niagara United Way - pointed to a number of charitable and community events UAW Local 686 and its members are and have been involved in, including the annual Holiday Red Kettle Drive across Niagara County and the Variety Club Telethon to benefit Buffalo's Women & Children's Hospital, where the fund-raising efforts of UAW Local 686 members raised more than $7,000.

"At the General Motors Components Holding Group (formerly known as Delphi Automotive) plant in Lockport, it's always a combined effort.  We do gate collections and sell newspapers, and both the company and management work together to do things like the annual Day of Caring event," said Entwistle, who took the time to single out Local 686 Member Jessy Jesson, who's volunteered her time as a campaign chair in the past for some of the Union-driven charitable drives.

Entwistle received his award at the Eastern Niagara United Way's Annual Awards Luncheon, which was held in mid March at the Holiday Inn on Transit Road in Lockport.