Issued Quarterly by United Way of Union County, Inc., 232 N. Main St., Suite I, P.O. Box 145, Marysville, Ohio 43040-0145 Shari Marsh, Executive Director -- Dave Bezusko, Campaign and Public Relations Director
Vol. 4, No. 2 Summer, 2006
In this issue: -- Move over eBay! -- United Way to support Autism Support Group -- Big bang for your charitable buck -- School supply drive -- Caring across Union County -- Discount drug cards available through UW
Move over eBay! United Way's Online Auction coming soon Bargain hunting? Doing some early Christmas shopping? Cleaning out your basement? If the answer is to any of these questions, then you can help United Way make history as it conducts Union County’s first-ever Online Community Auction. Already live on our website at www.unitedwayofunioncounty.org, UW is accepting donations of unique and interesting items for resale to benefit the annual campaign. Some of the items already posted: 2006 Metropolitan Scooter; Toshiba 50-inch projection TV; Autographed photo by the cast of Desperate Housewives; Piece of the old basketball court at Value City Arena autographed by Ohio State Coach Thad Matta. Bidding takes place October 20-30, but the catalog of items is growing daily. Experiences, collectibles, memorabilia, tickets: these are some of the donation items we’re looking for and what you’ll find online. Thanks to the support of Honda Marysville, 100% of the sale of all auction items will be used to support United Way’s programs and services right here in Union County.
Big bang for your charitable buck United Way’s administrative rates still low, receives clean audit 85 cents of every dollar given to United Way of Union County go directly to needed programs and services. A non-profit’s official calculation of programming versus administration rates is made on the organization’s IRS 990 tax form. United Way of Union County’s recently completed form for 2005 shows that fundraising and administrative costs are at 14.8%, well below the Better Business Bureau’s standard of 35%. “Our Board is very mindful of the trust placed in us by the community,” said Brian O’Kane, President of the Board of Trustees. “We are stewards of donor dollars and great care and consideration are given when our volunteers establish an operating budget each year.” In addition to the low administrative rates, UW received another clean annual audit by Holbrook & Manter. The public may view both of these documents upon request in person at the UW office or online on our website at www.unitedwayofunioncounty.org. “A system of checks and balances is in place to prevent any fraudulent activity,” said Shari Marsh, UW Executive Director.	send your comments to: United Way of Union County, Inc. 232 N. Main St., Suite UW P.O. Box 145 Marysville, Ohio 43040-0145 or eMail us at: mailbag@unitedwayofunioncounty.org
Caring across Union County Community Care Day 2006 Fast Facts: On Tuesday May 16, 180 volunteers from 49 area businesses completed 95 community service projects. The following week, 30 additional volunteers completed seven weather-delayed projects. In addition to $6,000  raised in corporate sponsorship, United Way leveraged over $20,000 in additional support,  in-kind gifts, and labor. 2006 marked the first year UW conducted the event in the spring. In Marysville, volunteers from Invensys Controls, in conjunction with Community Action Organization, built a wheelchair ramp for a resident.   In Marysville, volunteers from Honda of America completed a landscaping project at the YMCA. From the Mailbag: Dear United Way,   We appreciated so much the service extended to us on Community Care Day.  Two volunteers were here, trimmed our hedge and shrubs very quickly and efficiently.  They wasted no time and were off to help someone else.   We are in our 80’s and just can’t do some yard work anymore.  Thanks again.   Dan & Trudy Roush From the Mailbag: Dear United Way,   The Village Council and I want to extend a huge thank you to you and your staff for the efforts and patience that it took to bring about our disc golf course.  The dollars you provided, time, efforts, and interest to make this happen is truly appreciated.  Thank you!   Sandra Adkins, Mayor, Plain City In Milford Center, volunteers from Home Depot built team benches for the Junior Panthers football program. Volunteers from the Union County Engineer’s Office helped sort a countywide collection of items for the Union County Personal Needs Pantry. In Plain City, United Way partnered with the Village, MOOD Golf, and Invensys Controls to install a disc golf course in Pastime Park. Volunteers assembled 1,800 File of Life packets on Community Care Day.  These refrigerator-magnet pouches are designed to contain your important medical information so that it’s handy in the event of an emergency in your home.  Call our office at 644-8381 to get your File or for more information.   In Richwood, volunteers from the Council on Aging scrubbed the shelter house and tables at the Richwood Civic Center.  The following week (because of inclement weather), students from the North Union FFA painted all 88 fire hydrants in the Village. United Way to support Autism Support Group;
United Way to support Autism Support Group Organization becomes newest Member Agency Anyone who’s been in a restaurant where an infant or toddler is fussing can understand the embarrassment and frustration of the parents trying to calm the disturbance. That feeling is magnified for Lynda Nietz, a Marysville mother of a nine-year old autistic boy. The unpredictable timing and nature of a potential behavior ‘meltdown’ can make it difficult for the family to be in a public setting. That’s because families who have children with autism have much experience with meltdowns and explosive behavior. “People stare at you as you’re taking your child out of a store and you wonder if they think you’re abducting him,” said Nietz. Autism affects a person’s ability to communicate, reason, and interact with others, creating the potential for awkward social interaction. Nietz’s son, Alec, was diagnosed with the brain disorder seven years ago. After developing typically for his first 18 months, he started showing some of the signs of autism, including fixation on inanimate objects, acting as if deaf, and making little eye contact. Hopeful of finding answers to her questions about this mysterious developmental disorder, Nietz joined a fledging group of local parents in 2003. Since then, the group has grown in impact and influence. “We’ve brought in speakers addressing a number of topics, including biomedical interventions, special education laws and rights, recreational opportunities for children and adults with special needs, as well as open discussions with parents sharing their triumphs or concerns,” said Nietz, now the Group’s President. Support Group meetings are an outlet for families affected by autism to learn about new treatments and to relieve stress. In addition, the organization provides community awareness through special events and programming. The United Way Board of Trustees made the Union County Autism Support Group its newest Member Agency at its April meeting, capping an eventful Autism Awareness Month for the organization. The Member Agency status means the Group will be eligible for annual funding beginning in January 2007 and that donors can designate their United Way pledges to the Autism Support Group beginning this fall. “We are excited to be a United Way Member Agency in part because we know that will bring even more recognition and awareness to the condition of autism,” said Brenda Rock, the Group’s facilitator. Rock says that many folks are unaware that autism spectrum disorders are the second most common developmental disability next to mental retardation and are 10 times more prevalent today than they were 10 years ago. Nationally, one in 166 people have autism, with 51 families affected here in Union County.	Agency Spotlight: P.O. Box 26, Milford Center Meetings 3rd Tuesdays at Shiloh Chapel 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. Brenda Rock, Facilitator (937) 642-8990   Members of the Union County Autism Support Group attended the Autism Awareness Rally at the Statehouse in April. 51 Union County families have a child with autism. “People stare at you as you’re taking your child out of a store and you wonder if they think you’re abducting him,” ---Lynda Nietz The Union County Autism Support Group meets on the third Tuesday of every month from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Shiloh Chapel (16435 Square Drive in Marysville). Meetings are open to anyone connected with autism.
On Saturday August 5, United Way volunteers will be collecting school supplies at five area shopping centers in Union County (the Marysville Big Lots, K-Mart, Kroger, and Super Wal-Mart and Lovejoy’s Market in Plain City). A number of area churches and organizations like the Marysville Public Library are collecting additional items. Items can also be dropped off at the UW office during regular hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday to Friday). Supplies will be sorted and distributed to each public elementary and intermediate school in the county in time for the start of a new school year. Each school will then have a supply closet that can be accessed when a student doesn’t have what’s needed – often because parents couldn’t afford them or weren’t responsible in preparing their child for class. Donna Ball, Principal at Raymond Elementary, says the supplies provided by last year’s collection lasted at her school through December. Supplies needed for the drive include #2 pencils, colored pencils, 24-count crayons, Hi-Liters, 8-count markers, wooden rulers, Fiskar scissors, 3-ring binders (1.5 inch), glue sticks, tissues, index cards, and wide-ruled composition books and notebooks.	Dana Garrett, Suzanne Juzwiak, and Libby Rausch of the Marysville Association of Realtors present a $500 check to United Way’s Dave Bezusko for the project.
Pennsylvania company makes discount drug cards available through United Way Thanks to a partnership between the United Way of Union County and Management Services Corporation of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 500 free discount cards are being distributed throughout the community. The FamilyWize Prescription Card can save the cardholder an average of 20% on the cost of the pharmacy’s retail price. The FamilyWize Prescription Cards are not a part of an insurance plan. They have no usage limits, age requirements, or registration forms. The program can be used to obtain savings on drugs excluded by a family’s insurance plan or those not covered because the family may have exceeded the plan’s maximum limits. UW gave the cards to the Union County Special Needs Council and the Case Management Department at Memorial Hospital of Union County to distribute to families that need them. “I heard about this program from other United Ways, and thought that it might be something that could be used in our community for people who are uninsured or underinsured,” said Shari Marsh, UW Executive Director. “In Knox County, a pharmacist called their United Way to let them know that one of the people using the card received a $64 prescription for $8.” The FamilyWize Prescription Cards are being provided free of charge on a national level by Membership Services Corporation, a strategic sourcing company in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and its industry partners. Each discount card is valued at $29.95, making the investment in Union County equal to $14,975. 28 United Ways in Ohio are participating in the program.	Theater veteran Robert Post (right) recently conducted a special performance and workshop for 23 children at the Plain City Public Library. United Way’s Youth Arts & Recreation Grant Fund made the program possible and was a valuable tool for the teens that took part. So far this year, UW has distributed $2,745 to six organizations through the fund.