The Academy of Performing Arts partnered with United Way of the EUP for their Feature Performance of Cinderella this May. Over 1,600 people attended the show and a portion of those tickets totaled $800.00 for the United Way campaign.
Here's a picture from the 4th of July Parade. Left to Right: Lisa Corbiere as the Wicked Stepmother, Tracey Laitinen-Director of United Way of the EUP, Brielle Smith as Cinderella, the Honorable Elizabeth Church as the Fairy Godmother, Luanna-Luxton Armstrong-Creator/Director of the Academy of Performing Arts, Tim Darr as Coachman and the Princesses of Cinderella and the Prince-Paige Politano and Taylor Storey.
Thank you again to the Academy of Performing Arts for making our Community a better place to live!
Summer of Service: Underway
Five members of the Boys and Girls Club of Bay Mills are taking part in a worldwide YVC event called Summer of Service. Over the next two months, they will try to rack up 100 hours of volunteer service in the areas of environment and disaster relief. While the program offers an education award if they make it, they’ll also have fun working alongside friends and the satisfaction of knowing they helped their community.
Here we’ve caught a few of them at one of their early activities: cleaning up the Old Indian Burial Ground on Lakeshore Drive. According to participants Lauren and Darryl, the afternoon of raking up leaves and sediment was enjoyable enough, if a little hot.
Lauren, Darryl, supervisor Candice and Samantha
Yoga/Pilates Fundraiser
Participants in the Yoga-Pilates Summer Shape-Up stretched, toned, balanced and relaxed in a 75-minute class co-taught by Allie Brawley and Kristi Cleary on Saturday, June 26th. After learning (and feeling!) the benefits of yoga and pilates, participants enjoyed refreshments and great door prizes. The event, which took place at Kristi's Fitness Studio (111 West Portage at Ashmun), raised $200 for United Way EUP and will be repeated in the Fall.
For more information you can contact Kristi or Allie at Kristi's Fitness Studio on Facebook.
2010 Day of Action
This year’s Day of Action (June 21) fell on the summer solstice, so what better project for it than to alert people to their risk of getting skin cancer? A plucky band of 15 Youth Volunteer Corps members set up tables outside of Sault Ste Marie’s K-Mart and Walgreen's, spending the afternoon giving out flyers, raising awareness and having fun. In addition, Wallgreen's supplied free water bottles with sunscreen samples, medication cases and other things to give out. By the end, 250 information sheets were disseminated and $65.76 had been raised. Collecting donations had not been the original plan, but as generous passers-by insisted, the YVCers agreed that the money should go to the American Cancer Society. Thanks to everyone who made this possible!
Annual Thank-You Breakfast
This morning United Way hosted its annual Thank You Event where donors, volunteers and organizations were recognized for their contributions to the 2009-2010 Campaign. This year Henry Guzzo, Campaign Chair said his farewell and invited the incoming Chairs-David & Judy Jahn and Rick & Mary-Jo Barck, Co-Chairs for the 2010-2011 Campaign. Many organizations and individuals were recognized for their outstanding efforts this year!
L to R: Mary-Jo Barck-WMH, Mindy Kavanaugh-Sault Tribe, Michelle Dillon-Edison, David Jahn-UW Campaign Co-Chair, Dan Dasho & Cory Wilson of Cloverland Electric. Each of these organizations received top honors raising more than $11,000.
Fishing Fun in Curtis
Saturday June 12th saw families gathered at the Three Lakes Academy in Curtis to learn how to fish from Dan Douberville of the Fish and Hunt Shop. For some of the children, this event was their first exposure to fishing and now they are hooked. With Dan’s one-on-one instruction, they learned to cast with precision and got a feel for what he called “the rhythm of fishing.” The smiles on their faces and the applause that filled the room with each success were heartwarming- to say the least.
Volunteers Spike
Despite difficult economic times, the number of Americans volunteering in their communities jumped by 1.6 million last year, the largest increase in six years, according to a report released today by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Corporation’s annual Volunteering in America report found that 63.4 million Americans volunteered through a formal organization last year, giving more than 8.1 billion hours of volunteer service worth an estimated $169 billion.
Previous research would suggest that volunteering should drop during an economic downturn, because volunteer rates are higher among job-holders and homeowners. Instead, volunteering increased at the fastest rate in six years, and the volunteer rate went up among all race and ethnic groups.
Cover the Uninsured Week Proclaimed
Cover the Uninsured, a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is a national effort with two goals: (1) highlight the fact that too many Americans are living without health insurance, and (2) enroll them in available coverage programs. Sault Ste Marie got into the act as Mayor Anthony G. Bosbous declared April 25 to May 2 Cover the Uninsured Week.
L to R: Kevin Kalchik, Commissioner Moore, Jennifer Dunton, Andrea Osborn, Christine Lundquist, Reenie Butler, Steven Cannello, and Mayor Bosbous.
Above and Beyond Hero Award
A diabetes educator working in Luce County named Lynn Kihm has received the Above and Beyond Hero award for her tireless efforts. These include starting a series of fundraising walks (which raised more than $58,000 to help the poor pay for care and supplies), supporting her county’s new access-to-care program and the lifesaving day-in-day-out work that’s so easy to take for granted . Congratulations!
L to R: Katherine Kroll, DO & husband Mike Prokopovich of Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center, Gwinn; Lynn Kihm, diabetes educator at Helen Newberry Joy Hospital; Emerald City Dental Center, Manistique; Dr. Imm on behalf of Mattew Bixby, volunteer at WUPHAC, Hancock; and the Downtown Eye Care, Marquette – 2010 UPHAC Hero Award recipients.
Girl Scouts Outdoor Training
29 girls and 15 adults just completed Outdoor Training in SSM on Saturday May 22nd. Participants practiced setting up tents, developed skills in orienteering, knots, and outdoor cooking.
JCPenney Bake Sale for the United Way
JCPenney, Sault Ste. Marie, put on a bake sale for the United Way of EUP on Saturday May 8th. The event generated $232.73 for United Way! Thank you!
World Dance Tour Benefits STARS and the United Way
On May 14th and 15th at LSSU Fine Arts Auditorium, the STARS World Dance Tour performed for two sold out houses. Proceeds from the event benefited the Soo Theater Arts Resource Studios and the United Way. The show ran efficiently thanks to volunteers from United Way and the local dance community helping backstage. STARS Dance Director Dianna George's students, Kaley Darga, Lea Cilluffo, Courtney Bailey and Sara Eles performed to music from around the world.
More than 260 students and helpers graced the stage with pieces of original works. LSSU Fine Arts Building Director Tom Davis ran lighting, Dr. Craig Flinkinger ran sound and Nick Cremeans ran the slide show which was created by Tom Ewing. Last but not least, Tom Gage who was instrumental with the moving of set pieces. The show couldn't have gone on without these and hundreds of volunteer hours by too many dedicated people to name in this short space. Thanks to the United Way and these many volunteers for making this show a huge success!
From left to right: Miss Chippewa County Fair Queen 2009, Selena Meser, Sault Ste. Marie; 2nd Runner Up, Katie Raynard, Pickford; Tracey Laitinen, Executive Director of the United Way of the EUP; 1st Runner Up, Allison Rader, Pickford; and numerous dancers who were thrilled with the visit from royalty.
Stamp Out Hunger Surpasses a Billion Pounds
As of this year, NALC's Stam Out Hunger food drive has broken one billion pounds in food donations since its inception in 1993. In spite of these hard times, Americans donated a record 77.1 million pounds of food.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on May 8th. The total weight for Sault Ste. Marie was 7,512 pounds. With the outlying areas we were at 11,920 pounds total.
This year the agencies that benefited from this food drive were:
Salvation Army
First Church of Christ
Diane Peppler Resource Center
United Presbyterian
A Place to Go
Feeding America
Great Lake Recovery
Living Word Church
St. Joseph's Church
Safe Haven
New Hope Community Church
If you have a food pantry and would like more information for the 2011 Postal Food Drive please call 632-3700 so we can include you.
Let’s Get Moving
The Strategic Alliance for Health and the Building a Healthier Community Coalition is sponsoring the Let's Get Moving! Program between May 1st and June 30th. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has partnered with them and issued a challenge to Manistique, Munising, St. Ignace, and Sault Ste. Marie: the community with the highest average mileage per person logged over the two months will receive $2,000! Second place will receive $1,500, third place $1,000 and fourth place $500.
The only stipulation for the money is that the community must use it to enhance the infrastructure in some way that benefits a physically active lifestyle. This could mean bike racks, wayfinding signs, benches, etc! Participants will log their miles online and will be able to see how their community is doing in comparison with the other three at any time.
Eagle Riders Support Teen Center
The Eagle Riders #3701 held a benefit dinner for the Luce County Community Resource And Recreation Center to help keep the Teen Center open, raising $279.
The Fraternal Order of the Eagles Club #3701 decided to match that amount and center director Mary Archambeau received two checks for $279.00. The Eagle Riders are now holding a raffle for a small, non-firing, solid brass cannon. Tickets are available from any Eagles Club Member or at the Teen Center.
From left to right: Marvin Hardy, Woody Gentz, Mike Conlon, Mary Archambeau, Georgia Laverty, Ken Dar, Ed Miller, Lezlee King, John Laverty, Josh Cole, Ross Hefferkamp, and Ron Phelps.
24th Annual National Volunteer Week Recognition Luncheon
The United Way of the EUP Volunteer Center hosted it's 24th Annual National Volunteer Week Recognition Luncheon on Monday April 19th at the LSSU Walker Cisler Center. Nearly 250 area residents were in attendance to celebrate this year's theme: Heroes Make it Happen. Michelle Thalacker, Volunteer Center Advisory Committee chair, led the day's festivities while those in attendance heard from several local youth and their perspective on how heroes make a difference in the community.
Jarred Krull, a 3rd grader at JKL Bahweting shared his essay about Cheeseman. Cheeseman can build houses out of cheese for anyone who needs one, and he’s willing to make them another if they get hungry and eat it. Next, Josh Eilola shared his essay about his own personal hero, his father Bill. Josh's dad sets a fine example by volunteering in the community and always taking time for his family. After the Old Mission Spirit of Community Award was given, the winner, Alexis Ward, shared her essay that highlighted how she intends to serve her community for the rest of her life by pursuing a career in nursing. The keynote address given by Victoria Leonhardt who spoke of her personal hero Ronald Reagan and encouraged attendees to commit to identifying who their hero in service is and to say thank you.
To round out the festivities, the Volunteer Center bestowed their overall honors of the year for the Recognition Spotlight. Those receiving honors included Bordertown Chiropractic (nominated by CHAC) as the Business Neighbor of the Year, St. Ignace Area Hope Board of Directors (nominated by Connie Litzner) as Group of the Year, and Douglas Lundstrom (nominated by Community Action) as Individual of the Year.
Congratulations to all honorees!
Above: Douglas Lundstrom was named the Volunteer of the Year by the United Way of the EUP Volunteer Center on Monday April 19th at the Annual National Volunteer Week Recognition Luncheon. Pictured left to right: Tracey Laitenen (United Way Executive Director), Douglas Lundstrom (Volunteer of the Year), Chris Henry, Jennifer Lundstrom, Michelle Thalacker (United Way Volunteer Center Advisory Committee Chair).
Above: Bordertown Chiropractic was named the Business Neighbor of the Year by the United Way of the EUP Volunteer Center on Monday April 19th at the Annual National Volunteer Week Recognition Luncheon. Pictured left to right: Tracey Laitenen, Andrea Osborn (CHAC director), Dr. Pete Scornaiencki (Bordertown Chiropractic), Dr. Rachel McCoy (Bordertown Chiropractic), Michelle Thalacker
Above: Alexis Ward received the Old Mission Spirit of Community Award from Old Mission Bank at the Annual National Volunteer Week Recognition Luncheon. Pictured left to right: Kristina Beamish (Volunteer Center Director), Kris Thorne (Old Mission Bank), Tracey Laitenen, Alexis Ward, Dave Firack (Old Mission Bank), Christy Petil (Old Mission Bank), Michelle Thalacker.
Above: St. Ignace Area Hope Board of Directors was name the Volunteer Group of the Year by the United Way of the EUP Volunteer Center on Monday April 19th at the Annual National Volunteer Week Recognition Luncheon. Pictured left to right: Tracey Laitenen, Mary Balfour (St. Ignace Area HOPE board member), Jim Balfour (St. Ignace Area HOPE board member), Kathy Lawnichak (St. Ignace Area HOPE board member), Dan Williams (St. Ignace Area HOPE board member), Connie Litzner (HOPE Chest staff), Jeremy Winters, Michelle Thalacker.
Michigan Voices for Volunteerism
The Michigan Community Service Commission kicked off their listening tour titled Michigan Voices for Volunteerism on Monday at the Ramada Plaza Hotel Ojibway in Sault Ste. Marie on Monday April 26th. Community members from the EUP attended to give input on where they feel volunteers can help to solve some of the social challenges Michigan is experiencing.
Andrea Caron, MSU Extension, and Kristina Benoit, DHS
Boy Scouts Celebrate 100 Years
325 Boy Scouts and 250 Cub Scouts gathered for a weekend of celebration, education and exercise on May 14th, commemorating Scouting in the UP’s first centennial. Groups explored the beautiful trails around Marquette, learned about the history and culture of the Upper Peninsula and took a trip to the Northern Michigan University campus to learn all about career opportunities in a wide variety of technical, legal and artistic fields.
Finally, the scouts took a hike in the footsteps of their founder, Perry Hatch (portrayed by Jim Beckman, Scouting’s Grand Old Man.) Jim shared his memories of the founder and an extensive collection of memorabilia. In all, the weather was ideal, the scouts were many and the celebration itself was a huge success!
Global Youth Service Day
Hiawatha Shore-to-Shore (HSS), the local chapter of the North Country Trail Association, received a Cost Challenge Share award from the National Park Service for materials needed to repair the North Country Trail from damage by unauthorized vehicles. In honor of Global Youth Service Day on April 24th, volunteers met at 12:30 pm, at the Castle Rock Trailhead in St. Ignace, to work on the North Country Trail hauling materials and constructing the trail tread. The North Country Trail Association is a great organization with a lot of trail!
A total of 19 volunteers gathered on Global Youth Service Day, sponsored by the United Way of the EUP's Youth Volunteer Corps and Ace Hardware in St. Ignace to kick-off the long term Castle Rock Restoration project for the North Country Trail. The volunteers helped remove invasive species from a small section of the trailhead, build 400 ft of new trail, and carry 3,450 lbs of wooden planks to a building site located 1/2 mile from their starting point. By the end of the day, the volunteers who helped carry the planks walked nearly 17 miles. Eric Allen of the Coast Guard said that carrying the wooden planks was challenging, but it was also most rewarding to see the large pile of lumber move up the trail.
PEERS embraces new name, same mission
"It was our desire to change our name, but not to change our mission: To help children become responsible adults by matching them in one to one relationships with volunteer mentors who create a positive, lasting impact by sharing their friendship, guidance and support." PEERS continues to LIVE UNITED by remaining a member agency of United Way., formerly known as Big Brothers/ Big Sisters of Sault Ste. Marie, transitioned smoothly into their new name. According to their website, "It was our desire to change our name, but not to change our mission: To help children become responsible adults by matching them in one to one relationships with volunteer mentors who create a positive, lasting impact by sharing their friendship, guidance and support." PEERS continues to LIVE UNITED by remaining a member agency of United Way.
Soup for Seniors Day
United Way hosted "Soup For Seniors Saturday" on January 23, 2010 in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The project was funded by Kids Care Clubs and Quaker. Forty-one volunteers of all ages gathered at LSSU's Cisler Center; children learned about MLK, Jr. through activities while older volunteers prepared homemade soup and chili with LSSU's Student Organization For Diversity. Volunteers then packaged and delivered the soup to 80 seniors living in Community Action's Senior Apartments; volunteers also took soup back to their own neighbors.
The volunteers constructed an MLK "Wall of Dreams," where each of them traced their silhouettes and finished the following statements: "MLK was..." and "My ideal world would be...". This wall was displayed in the LSSU's students dining hall.
Pictured here are (from left to right) Zack Gross, Community Action resident Elenor Schrader, and Malual Deng.
Project Connects With Community
Continuum of Care hosted Project Connect, a community resource fair, on March 24, 2010 in Avery Square. The event targeted those who need assistance with finances, housing, employment, or health issues. Seventy-eight people attended Project Connect, their ages ranging from 17 to 82 years old. Of these attendees, 45 had dependent children at home, 29 had a disability, 5 were homeless, and 55 were unemployed. Almost half of the attendees stated that they found Project Connect very useful and many were referred to local agencies for further help. Continuum of Care is coordinated by Barb Reed and is allied with United Way of the EUP.
Thank you to participating agencies and volunteers for a successful Project Connect!
42 Volunteers Earn Their Disney Days
The recent promotion by Disney Parks—‘Give a Day, Get a Disney Day’—benefitted many volunteers in the Sault Ste. Marie area. The program offered one free admission to a Disney theme park to one million volunteers. Through the efforts of the United Way Volunteer Center, forty-two free Disney tickets were issued locally for a total savings value of $3,147.90. These volunteers came from the eastern U.P. and the northern Lower Peninsula.
On average, each person donate
Mailing Address
United Way of the Eastern Upper Peninsula
PO Box 451
511 Ashmun St., Suite 200
Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
