• Posted: September 15, 2026
• Chicago Electrical Contractors, Community Outreach, Community Partnerships, electrical industry, IBEW-NECA Technical Institute, McWilliams Electric, Power of Better Communities, Special Olympics Illinois

 

For more than two decades, Powering Chicago signatory contractor McWilliams Electric Company has brought members of Chicago’s electrical industry together to support Special Olympics Illinois athletes and their families.

In Episode 25 of The Power of Better Communities, Powering Chicago Executive Director Elbert Walters III visits the IBEW-NECA Technical Institute (IN-Tech) in Alsip for the 27th Annual Special Olympics Illinois  Construction Team Picnic. Hosted by McWilliams Electric Company, the annual event brings together Special Olympics Illinois athletes, their families and caregivers and members of the electrical construction industry for a day centered on inclusion, connection and giving back.

A Longstanding Electrical Industry Tradition

For one Saturday, the grounds of IN-Tech take on a carnival atmosphere, with booths, games, face painting, raffles, lunch and a DJ creating an experience for athletes and their families to enjoy together.

For McWilliams Electric Company Executive Vice President and CFO Maureen Mikulski, the annual picnic reflects the company’s commitment to giving back while supporting an organization focused on creating opportunities for people to feel included.

“I think it gives us a sense of pride to be able to help other people,” Mikulski said. “And Special Olympics has always been a special organization that helps people to feel included.”

Mikulski also highlighted Special Olympics Illinois’ work to encourage inclusive activities and provide skills training, emphasizing the importance of members of the industry giving back to others.

The support extends beyond the picnic itself. Over the years, McWilliams Electric Company has raised more than $360,000 through the Construction Team Picnic and a golf outing, helping fund vital programming for Special Olympics Illinois Region E.

Bringing Athletes, Families and the Community Together

This year’s picnic welcomed 165 athletes from Special Olympics Illinois Region E, along with their caregivers and parents. For many of the athletes, the annual event has become a day they look forward to each year.

Among them was Special Olympics Illinois athlete and ambassador M.J. Palmquist, who also has a longstanding personal connection to McWilliams Electric Company as the son, grandson and great-grandson of members of the McGlynn family, the company’s owners.

For Palmquist, one of the most meaningful parts of the picnic is seeing the enthusiasm of his fellow athletes and sharing the experience as a community.

“I just love seeing, like, the fun, the joy and the just enthusiasm of these athletes,” Palmquist said, describing the opportunity to come together and “have that sense of community with them.”

Special Olympics Illinois Board Member and Powering Chicago Executive Producer Rob Johnson also emphasized the significance of having organizations across Illinois rally behind Special Olympics athletes.

“We have so many events statewide on a weekly and monthly basis,” said Johnson. “And to know that there are people all over the state pulling in the same direction, trying to shine the light on these athletes, to see McWilliams Electric Company here at IN-Tech with all this support means the world to us.”

Supporting Greater Access to Special Olympics Illinois Programs

The Construction Team Picnic also helps create opportunities for athletes who may face financial barriers to participating in other activities.

Patty Welsh, director of Special Olympics Illinois Region E, explained that the free event makes it possible for athletes who may not otherwise be able to afford certain activities through their local Special Recreation Association to participate.

“Days like this are super important to our region,” Welsh said, noting that the picnic also brings out athletes the organization may not have the opportunity to see as frequently.

Combined with the funds raised by McWilliams Electric Company over the years, the event demonstrates how sustained industry support can help Special Olympics Illinois continue providing programming and opportunities for athletes throughout Region E.

Connecting Electrical Industry Training With Community Impact

Since 2021, the Construction Team Picnic has been held at IN-Tech, where IBEW Local 134 electricians receive the training needed to build careers serving communities throughout Chicago and Cook County.

For IN-Tech Executive Director Gene Kent, hosting the event creates another opportunity to connect that training mission with the people and communities the electrical industry serves.

“These people are in our communities and we want them to know who we are, that we are a place where electricians come to get trained,” Kent said. Those electricians then return to their communities and provide electrical services through Powering Chicago contractors and member electricians.

That connection between training, careers and community service reflects the broader commitment shared by Powering Chicago, its Chicago electrical contractors and IBEW Local 134 electricians.

Building Better Communities Through Lasting Partnerships

The relationship between McWilliams Electric Company, IN-Tech and Special Olympics Illinois demonstrates the impact that longstanding community partnerships can create.

Year after year, members of the electrical industry return to support athletes, help fund important programming and create an environment where Special Olympics Illinois athletes can connect, have fun and celebrate their accomplishments.

For Mikulski, seeing many of the same athletes return each year and watching them continue to grow makes the experience particularly meaningful. Palmquist echoed that enthusiasm, describing events like the picnic as experiences he values as an athlete, ambassador and individual.

These partnerships also reflect what it means to invest in better communities: bringing people together, creating opportunities and supporting organizations working to break down barriers throughout the region.

Watch Episode 25 of The Power of Better Communities to experience the 27th Annual Special Olympics Illinois Construction Team Picnic and see how McWilliams Electric Company, IN-Tech and Special Olympics Illinois are working together to strengthen communities. Subscribe to Powering Chicago’s YouTube channel to stay connected and catch future episodes of The Power of Better.