Risk-management company donates 'safety' to needy students

AURORA - Brendan Franklin is learning a trade he hopes he can use for a lifetime. He's learning construction at Pickens Technical College by building a real house, but he couldn't afford the proper protection.

"Stuff's expensive cause it all adds up, cause you got to have different tools for different needs," Franklin said. "I live on my own, and I pay my own bills, and I work full-time."

Franklin, Marvin Nichols, and Jesus Corral are three students who have been wearing tennis shoes while working on a home for their construction classes.

"I was using my tennis shoes because the board boots were too expensive for my mom to buy," Corral said. "The nail can go on your shoe. Something could fall on your foot."

Several months ago, Mark Semonisck was visiting the construction site and noticed that several students had the same problem. He's a senior-loss control consultant for the Lockton Company, an insurance and risk-management consultant group. Semonisck organized a program to raise money to get steel-toed work boots to needy students in the construction and automotive programs at Pickens Tech.

"It's not a job. It's helping people protect their lives and their livelihoods and things like that," Semonisck said. "Serious injuries to your feet and to your arms and your body can haunt you, your whole career."

Semonisck was able to raise enough money to purchase 70 pairs of boots for students at a discounted price of $75 per pair. This type of footwear can easily cost more than $100.

"Steel-toed boots are expensive and hard to come by, and I'm really grateful to have them," Franklin said.

Nichols is excited his feet are now protected from impact and from the weather.

"They feel great," Nichols said. "I might wear them all day."

Now, the students can concentrate on their "home" work which will eventually be sold and lived in like any other house.

"So, it's always good to be prepared and have a good, solid pair of work boots," Franklin said. "Especially when you're 15, 20 feet up, you want to make sure you're safe and stable."