United Way Celebrates Volunteers & Campaign Success
Amberly Wolf, president of the Orrville Area United Way board of directors, welcomed volunteers and community partners to the organization’s 53rd awards celebration and 2011 annual meeting.
Wolf, who also served on the campaign cabinet, congratulated campaign volunteers, and expressed appreciation to the communities of Orrville, Dalton and Marshallville for their support. She said, “It is my pleasure to announce that the 2010 campaign has exceeded the $550,000 goal, with $565,000 raised to date.”
She thanked partner agency representatives, and informed them that reaching such an ambitious goal means more dollars to invest in their programs and services for those in our communities of Orrville, Dalton and Marshallville who need assistance.
She also thanked the event sponsors, noting that no United Way dollars were used to provide the meal: the Orrville Pointe provided the meal, the Orrville Dairy Queen provided gift certificates for the ‘interactive game show’ and Trinity United Methodist Church hosted the event for the fourth year in a row.
Mark Dickerhoof, treasurer of the Orrville City Schools, Dr. Jack Kristofco, Dean of Wayne College, and Steve Miller, retired educator, were elected to their second 3-year terms on the United Way board. Elected to serve their first terms were Jeff Eshelman, from the J. M. Smucker Company, Maria Galan, Quality Castings Company, and Dr. Heather Howley, Wayne College. 2011 officers elected were Rev. David Kowaleski, senior minister of Trinity United Methodist Church, president, Patricia Carr, fiscal officer for Orrville Public Library, vice president, Kerry Pickett, partner in Pickett & Pickett Tax & Investments, secretary and Karen Shultz was re-elected Treasurer. She is with PNC Bank.
Retiring directors honored for their years of service were Karen Milley, past president, Will Armentrout, Lyle Baker and Dino Carozza.
In her review of the United Way’s 2010 accomplishments, Wolf said, “The Orrville Area United Way is not just a fundraising organization. In its third year, our United Way’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site, housed in the Orrville Public Library, put more than $120,000 back into the community through income tax refunds and rebates by assisting lower income workers apply for the Earned Income Tax Credit.”
She announced that the VITA site would again be coordinated by Kerry and David Pickett of Pickett and Pickett Tax and Investment Services in Dalton.”
“288 children are receiving books thanks to our United Way’s partnership with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, and local residents and agencies are savings thousands of dollars on the costs of their medications through our Wayne Rx network. A satellite office opened in Dunlap Community Hospital in 2009.”
“And while we continue to help those in crisis within our community, we will also focus on the root causes of those crises, the goal of our mission statement: to improve lives by uniting people and resources,” she noted.
Wolf introduced Dr. Jack Kristofco, Dean of Wayne College, who is in his seventh year as chairman of the Citizen Review Committee. Dr. Kristofco thanked his volunteers, honoring the time and effort that will culminate later this month, when 2011 program grants are determined. “Volunteers look for specific outcomes, changes, benefits produced by a program,” he said, adding “collectively, United Way funded programs create impact on the community at large through our individual programs and the outcomes they produce.”
These volunteers include:
Panel 1, Nurturing Children and Youth: Leslie Picot, chair, Amberly Wolfe, Lyle Baker, Mark Dickerhoof, Rev. Dave Kowaleski, Robin McFarren, Dr. John Roncone and Karen Shultz.
Panel 2, Helping in Hard Times: Paul Vance, chair, Kelly Ryan, Jason Ayers, Robin Houston, Phil McFarren, Wilma Raynor and Lisa Reusser.
Panel 3, Developing Life Skills: John Lorson, chair, Kerry Pickett, Will Armentrout, Justin Haislip, Elliott Mason, Steve Miller, Sarah Morrow and Carol Pleuss.
Panel 4, Promoting Health & Wellness: Judy Kropf, chair, Patricia Carr, Patty Alioto, Melissa Contini, Jon Ritchie, Janet Strimlan, Colleen Teague and Morgan Winget.