02/04/11 Thursday night’s Volunteer and Donor Recognition dinner at Christo’s Banquet Center was the celebration event for the 2010 United Way Campaign. Campaign Chairman Melissa Owen announced that they surpassed their goal of $450,000.
Mike Lintner from Marshall Starke Development Center served as the Master of Ceremonies. He introduced Chris Eberly, President of the United Way Board of Directors. Eberly took time to thank the community for all their support and said, “This is a precious place to live…it’s a joy to be part of Marshall County.” He closed by saying, “People give from their heart and pocketbook to help the needy in Marshall County.”
2010 Chairman Melissa Owen said, “It’s been a very challenging year, personally, emotionally and physically but I made it through living in a great community.” During her speech she talked about the words that came to her as she was looking back over the campaign. Those words included: inspiring, fulfilling, beneficial, moving, necessary, fortunate, challenging, the right thing to do and WE DID IT!”
Growing up in a family with 12 children Owen said her father inspired her to work hard, volunteer, give back and then give some more.
During the evening Melissa recognized her cabinet, the pacesetters (3M AO Safety, Coca Cola, Gibson Insurance, Key Bank, St. Joseph Regional, U.S. Granules and UPS), the Dine Out Partners (Beef O’ Brady’s, Bourbon Street Pizza, Brass Rail, Cafelicious, Christo’s, Community Hospital Café, Corndance, Culver Coffee, Dairy Queen, Edgewater, Edward Christian, Gladie’s Deli, Grandma’s Kitchen, Granny’s, Jimmy John’s, Journey’s End, King’s Buffet, Maggie Moo’s, Mancino’s, Mi Camino, Opie’s, Rotary Pancake Days, Ponderosa, Shaggy’s Diner, Sister’s Tea and Wings Ect.) the Golf for United Way Partners (Swan Lake, Mystic Hills, Country Club, Plymouth Rock, Sprig-O-Mint, Tri-Way) and the Leadership Givers.
2010 Campaign Awards were presented to Gibson Insurance for the Per Capita Giver; Argos Community Schools were awarded the traveling trophy for the Marshall County Staff & Faculty Giving. Menominee Elementary was awarded the Marshall County Student Giving traveling trophy and Nishikawa Standard in Bremen was again presented with the #1 Giver Countywide traveling award. Nishikawa is the only name on the award since 2004.
2011 Campaign Chairman Chad Dreibelbis said, “Past, present and future support is essential to meet the needs to help those in our county.” He noted in doing some research that during the past three campaigns approximately 2,050 individuals or 8% of the entire workforce in the county are participating. He would like to raise the percentage to 15 or 20%.
The evening concluded with a live auction presented by Dave and Sam Goebel from RE/MAX Oak Crest Realty and a silent auction.
