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. 5, No. 1 Winter, 2007
In this issue: -- You gave it. Find out how we're spending it. Where money from the United Way campaign will make its impact this year -- Memorial Meals celebrates a Silver Anniversary -- Agency Spotlight: Legal Aid Society -- A United Way power play allows Chuck Dury to take the ice -- Mini-Golf, Major Impact!
Record-level giving means record-level allocations 17 agencies to receive increased funding in 2007 How would you spend more than a half million dollars? Ask 3,000 different people and you’ll probably get 3,000 different answers. Opinions become even more divided when lives are affected by how you spend it. That’s why United Way asks its Budget & Admissions Committee to analyze the best way to spend the investment of more than 3,000 donors in its annual campaign. The 16-member panel comprised of United Way Board Members and donors spent more than five months on its process. Volunteers weighed the impact made by each Member Agency against the requests made by those organizations, the pool of available funds, and overall community needs. The end result: more money than ever is going to Member Agencies to have a direct impact on the lives of thousands of Union County residents. More than $543,000 was allocated to Member Agencies at January’s Board Meeting, with an additional $24,000 earmarked for out-of-county United Way’s and other programs. 17 of the 24 agencies will receive increased funding over last year. 14 will receive what they requested in support. “There is no rubber stamping of agency requests,” said Brian O’Kane, President of the United Way of Union County. “Every agency is evaluated on an individual basis by the committee members and there is discussion on each agency’s allocation.” Extensive research, lively debate, and much consideration is given before funding recommendations become final. “We meet from September to January,” said Kathy Klug, a Pillar Society Member and seven-year B&A volunteer. “Area non-profit agencies that are affiliated with United Way submit notebooks full of information. We study this material, interview three or four agencies with a B&A partner, and share what additional information we have gleaned with the rest of the committee. After the campaign is over, we meet and make recommendations about each agency’s financial needs.” “How effective are the programs?” O’Kane said of the questions asked by committee members. “Where are the dollars being spent in the programs? How are the programs being evaluated? How many people are being served?” Even though United Way is projecting to surpass its $750,000 campaign goal, agency requests exceeded the dollars available for allocation by more than $63,000. (Remember United Way has its own programming and operating budget, directs designations that donors make to United Way programs in other communities, and accounts five-percent of campaign totals for pledge loss.) “Some agencies rarely ask for additional funds and I regret it in the years we can't meet their requests,” Klug said. “Other agencies seem to add 10% to their request each year and hope for extra money just on the chance they might get it. Others develop new programs and need money to ‘activate’ those programs.” The inevitable shortfall means that both a literal and proverbial give-and-take occurs, requiring committee members to be as objective as possible. “The committee was larger than in the recent past and members brought a broader range of perspectives on community needs and agency programs,” said 10-year committee veteran Barb Nicol. “Examining issues and programs from different perspectives helped me rethink financial responsibilities and service gaps.” “I am happy with the results,” Klug said. “They are all not quite what I would have picked. But the reasons for support or non-support by other B&A committee members made sense. We compromised.” Any United Way donor is eligible to participate on the B&A Committee and can sign up by contacting our office. “If you want to understand what happens in Union County, this is a great committee to be on,” O’Kane said. “I was just shocked by the amount of need that is not visible to the average person. I had a lack of understanding about the lives of other people in our community. These are my neighbors. And I was much more naïve than I thought I was.”	Campaign makes a splash at Scotts Mark Schwartz, Senior Vice President at the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, was one of several good-hearted executives who took a turn in a dunk tank during United Way campaign week at the facility. The dunk tank event raised $6,324. Overall, Scotts raised $74,229. United Way is projecting final countywide campaign totals of $770,000, which would exceed the goal of $750,000.                     “There is no rubber stamping of agency requests. Every agency is evaluated on an individual basis by the (Budget & Admissions) committee members and there is discussion on each agency’s allocation.”                       Any United Way donor is eligible to participate on the B&A Committee and can sign up by contacting our office.
Dividing the dollars: 2007 Allocations
Emergency & Basic Needs Impact Area 2006 Allocation 2007 Allocation American Red Cross $104,677.00 $100,000.00 Marion Shelter Program $6,000.00 $7,500.00 Salvation Army $19,253.00 $32,000.00 Turning Point $19,577.00 $20,000.00 Union County Personal Needs Pantry $17,996.00 $20,000.00 Union County Special Needs Council $30,426.00 $34,000.00 Includes food pantries in Marysville, Milford Center, Plain City, and Richwood. Total $197,929.00 $213,500.00       Youth Services Impact Area 2006 Allocation 2007 Allocation Big Brothers Big Sisters $23,378.00 $25,500.00 Boy Scouts Simon Kenton Council $9,921.00 $10,615.00 Child Care Network $26,985.00 $30,000.00 Consolidated Care (Drug & Alcohol Prevention) $40,029.00 $40,000.00 Consolidated Care (Child Assault/Abuse Prevention) $13,502.00 $10,000.00 Girl Scouts Seal of Ohio Council $4,091.00 $5,000.00 x - Marysville Victory Center $15,126.00 $12,000.00 Union County Family YMCA $19,921.00 $19,000.00 Youth Arts & Recreation Grant Fund $2,306.53 $4,376.36 Total $155,259.53 $155,991.36 x - Funding dependent upon the reopening of the facility. Programming to be provided by Consolidated Care.       Senior Services Impact Area 2006 Allocation 2007 Allocation Memorial Meals $26,854.00 $30,000.00 Pleasant Valley Seniors $7,891.00 $10,000.00 Richwood Civic Center $30,576.00 $34,723.73 Windsor & Community Seniors $5,053.00 $6,610.00 Total $70,374.00 $81,333.73       Health & Human Services Impact Area 2006 Allocation 2007 Allocation Community Services Association $495.00 $400.00 Legal Aid Society $5,635.00 $7,000.00 Loving Care Hospice $24,779.00 $25,000.00 Mental Health Association of Union Co. $10,988.00 $12,000.00 Speech Language Hearing $9,180.00 $9,180.00 Union County Autism Support Group New Agency $2,723.27 Union County Cancer Society $26,985.00 $30,000.00 Wings Enrichment Center $9,895.00 $10,764.05 Total $87,957.00 $97,067.32       Additional 2006-’07 Donor Designations to: Other United Way’s around the country   $19,,205.52       Total 2007 United Way Agency Support $527,795.16 $567,097.93
Online Auction creates nationwide interest United Way volunteers created a brand new top-10 campaign account with the Online Community Auction held last fall. $8,980 was generated by the online bidding of items and services donated by area businesses. United Way’s auction site had 489,813 hits during the month of October! Of the 148 items posted on the auction site, 134 sold. 521 bids were placed by 102 different people, including bidders from the states of Maine, Maryland, Alaska, South Dakota, California, Rhode Island, Michigan, and Washington, D.C. 33 area businesses that had never before participated with United Way gave in-kind donations and 32 new donors placed winning bids. Another auction with new items for bid will be up and running this October!
Memorial Meals celebrates silver anniversary When the Memorial Meals program started 25 years ago, they were serving 49 meals a day. Now, 185 meals are served daily to seniors who gather at four community sites in Marysville, Plain City, and Richwood and delivered to homebound seniors by volunteers who drive 360 miles a day. Hospital staff prepare 175 pounds of meat, 50 pounds of potatoes, 50 loaves of bread, and 70 gallons of milk each week, all with the goal of helping seniors maintain independence while providing healthy and affordable meal options. “I do not think people realize how much this service means to some of the seniors in our community,” Reschke said. “We give them the opportunity to stay in their comfortable home environment, and for that they are very appreciative.” Seniors only pay what they can afford and without United Way support, they would be asked to pay more. “Some of our seniors are forced to make a decision between food, or medications, paying the heating bill or going to the doctor,” Reschke said. “Deciding to receive the Mobile Meals or going to one of the Community Meals sites should be the easiest decision for them to make!”	Jeannette Epp, RN; Lois Blue, Director for the program's first 24 years; and Beth Reschke, current coordinator, celebrate Memorial Meals silver anniversary at a recent reception.
New Year's Eve Ball Attendees enjoyed live music, food, and dancing at the New Year’s Eve Ball, presented by Karen’s Event Center and United Way. Plans are in the works for next year’s event.	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
Legal Aid Society of Columbus What it does: The Legal Aid Society provides service at little or no cost to the poor and elderly in order to ensure that the legally mandated rights to food, shelter, and clothing are honored. When those rights are honored, those in need of assistance have a much better chance of becoming self-sufficient. Other Fast Facts: Serves about 120 Union County clients each year. Clients must have income at 125% of the federal poverty level or be 60 years of age or older. Expects an 80% success rate in the cases it handles. Local attorney Donald Jillisky is a Board Member of the organization. He says the greatest need addressed by Legal Aid in Union County is support for abused women and children. “In many instances, it is only through the representation of the Legal Aid Society that battered spouses are afforded the protections of court orders for their protection and wage garnishments for child support,” he said. “Legal Aid Society employs a holistic approach, providing counseling on completing a GED, Medicaid, social security disability application assistance, and food stamps. In the case of a battered spouse, Legal Aid provides assistance with the Internal Revenue Service and tax matters.”	Agency Spotlight: Legal Aid Society of Columbus 1-888-301-2411 www.columbuslegalaid.org Don Smith, Attorney   Legal Aid’s Karen McVay leads a Money Smart class, a program helping clients to pay off debt, spend less than they earn, buy a home, and save for retirement.
Sled hockey dream becomes reality for Marysville teen 16-year old Chuck Dury of Marysville doesn’t let his physical disability keep him from playing his favorite sport—hockey. Instead, he plays a variation of the game in which the players sit in buckets and propel themselves with their arms and sticks. As a member of the Ohio Blades, a central Ohio youth sled hockey team, Dury has been advancing his sled hockey skills to the point that he tried out last year for the U.S. National Team. As you can imagine, there aren’t many opportunities around for sled hockey teams of disabled teens to participate in a competitive environment. So the Blades must travel to play their games and they compete in only a couple of tournaments each year. When financial hardships came upon his family last fall, it appeared that a lack of money might do what his lack of health could not—keep him from taking the ice. The Blades only two tournaments of the year, an event in Windsor, Ontario and the National Disability Hockey Festival in Chicago were fast approaching. There was no way Dury’s mother would be able to afford to send Chuck on these trips. That’s where the Youth Arts & Recreation Grant Fund stepped in. A formal grant request was filed by Ohio Sled Hockey, Inc., a non-profit organization that works with its youngsters to boost self-esteem and translate on-ice success to the daily life of its athletes with disabilities. The Youth Arts & Recreation Committee approved the grant request of $500 and Dury took the ice with his teammates at both events. The Blades finished second in the nation at the national tournament in Chicago. “I would like to take the time to thank you for approving the request on my behalf to be able to go to these tournaments,” Dury wrote. “I have been playing sled hockey for nine years and just love it. Someday, I hope to start up a pro sled hockey team and get more kids involved.” Since its inception in 2001, the Youth Arts & Recreation Committee has awarded more than $64,000 to eligible youth organizations, allowing youth to participate in their programs. For more information or to receive a grant application, visit the Youth Arts & Recreation page or call our office at (937) 644-8381.	A United Way power play allows local boy to take the ice Chuck Dury (#91 on the right) of the Ohio Blades sled hockey team skates in a recent tournament thanks to the Youth Arts & Recreation Grant Fund.   Since its inception in 2001, the Youth Arts & Recreation Committee has awarded more than $64,000 to eligible youth organizations, allowing youth to participate in their programs.
Mini-Golf, Major Impact! You've seen charity golf tournaments on regulation golf courses. Imagine the sme thing -- only on a miniature golf course! It's fun that golfers of all ages and skill levels can enjoy. And 100% of all registration fees support a great cause: local children who will be helped THIS SUMMER through United Way's Youth Arts & Recreation Grant Fund. For your $20 registration fee ($15 for kids 10 and under), you get: All-you-can-play mini golf Hole-in-one contests All-you-can-eat picnic style dinner including hamburgers, hot dogs, and ice cream. Special gift to first 200 golfers. DJ, music, and fun! Bring your foursomes of family, friends, and co-workers for a night of fun and competition at our first Putt FORE Kids! Mini-Golf Challenge. Click here to register. The Youth Arts & Recreation Grant Fund pays the participation fees for children who would otherwise be unable to afford them.	Inaugural Mini-Golf Challenge Thursday April 26, 2007 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.