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Annual Gala - Oh What A Nite!
| United Way of Anderson County (UWAC) began this year's fundraising campaign with a successful African Safari themed kick off gala held on August 28th at the Double Tree Oak Ridge.
 | | Gala Co-Chair Leslie England & Rick Morrow |
What a night to remember, as more than 200 civic community members, most in African and Safari themed attire, came together to celebrate the beginning of UWAC's 2010-2011 campaign season. The evening raised over $40,000 thanks to the generosity of event sponsors, those who donated items for the silent auction and the public who attended.
The philanthropic sponsors for the event included; WSI-Oak Ridge, Bechtel Jacobs, B&W Y-12, EnergySolutions, Fluor, K9 SOS, Methodist Medical Center, Oak Ridge Utility District, SAIC, UT-Battelle, AMETEK, Information International Associates, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, ORNL Federal Credit Union, SunTrust Bank, USEC, URS, Whitson Construction, Tetra Tech, Enrichment Federal Credit Union, G2 Engineering, PAI Corporation, Synergy Solutions, Y-12 Federal Credit Union, Oak Ridge Playhouse Costume Shop, Pennywise Prop Rentals, Ridge Greenhouse, Sandra Herrera, Scott Fraker, White Rock Printing and WVLT.
The evening started by walking into a fictitious Kenya airport terminal, through pseudo TSA
 | | Charles & Edwina Crowe |
security Deric Swim and Flora Taylor to be greeted by a pilot and two stewardesses' (played by Kenneth Herring, Nikki Bradley and Saraih Lowry). The beating of drums enticed the crowd to a safari hut manned by tribal warriors, Skye Stalsworth and Lake Lowery. Once inside the attendees were overwhelmed by the sensational traditional West African drumming and dancing of Guumbawatoto of Knoxville. UWAC Executive Director Rick Morrow and Campaign Chair Mike Belbeck spoke at the event, as well as presented this year's campaign video.
Emcee Dane Bradshaw kept the crowd thoroughly
 | | Jimmy Tucker & Maguire James |
entertained, as he introduced exceptional musical acts preformed by event co-chair Leslie England, Emily Waddell and Nikki Bradley, as well as Jimmy Tucker, Maguire James, Kathryn Posten James, Judie Douglas, Caitlin Schaub, Judy Oritz of the Oak Ridge Playhouse under the direction of Gala Co-Chair DeWayne Kirchner.
 | | Emcee Dane Bradshaw |
"What an unbelievable evening!" said England. "This could not have been made possible without the talent of the entire event committee of Angie Gallaher, Carol Smallridge, Courtney Henry, Emily Waddell, Harrison Arnold, Heather Emert, Jeanne Mitchell, Joe Melia, Katie Jett, Kenneth Herring, Laquitta Carpenter, Linda Kimmell, Martha Drewry, Nancy Stanley, Nikki Bradley and Ruth Ann Maddox.
The 2009 campaign raised $1,385,481 which supplied stable funding to 32 agencies and assisted over 43,500 community members. The 2010 campaign goal of $1.4 million will touch 46,000 lives and provide funding to 34 agencies.
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WSI Oak Ridge Hosts BBQ Competition to Benefit UWAC!
Written by Jennifer Hubbs, WSI Oak Ridge
 Calling all BBQ enthusiasts! Are you a pit master? Kings and Queens of the grill? BBQ legends with family and friends? If so, then clean off your grill for the WSI Oak Ridge BBQ competition.
This fun filled family event is open to the public and will take place October 2nd, 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Carbide (Clark Center) Park. Proceeds from the event will benefit the United Way of Anderson County (UWAC).
The more teams the merrier! Once competitors fire up their pits, the air will be filled with the overwhelming aroma of smoke and spice, as the public prepares to eat some great BBQ and the judges get ready for some serious tastings.
Prizes (teams are eligible for both prizes):
· $500 for Most Plates Sold
· $500 for Judge's Pick
BBQin' not your thing? We have plenty of other stuff to do!
· Kids fishing tournament for children 13 and under.
· A "bounce house" for the kids! · A "Cruise In" for anyone that would like to show off their car or motorcycle (if interested, contact Vinny Cinelli at 576-9886). · Live music Now, all we need is you! Come out, cook or eat some BBQ, have some fun, and support United Way. Delicious plates of BBQ that will satisfy everyone's appetite will be available for a $5 donation. Children's meals will also be offered.
If you are interested in participating in the barbeque competition or would like more information on the event please contact Jennifer Hubbs at 276-9280, email hubbsjm@wsi-or.net.
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Ready - Set - GO! It's Campaign Season! |
 United Way of Anderson County (UWAC) will look to the community to raise $1.4 million for its annual campaign.
"This is truly a community effort and one that the Campaign Cabinet feels is attainable," said Campaign Chairman Mike Belbeck, CAO of Methodist Medical Center.
This year's Campaign Cabinet volunteers include David Bradshaw, Ray Smith, Brenda Curtis, Jim and Marilyn Reafsynder, Martha Drewry, Sherry Browder, and Mike Watkins.
If the campaign kick off gala is any indication of things to come, UWAC is well on its way to meeting the goal. The event raised over $41,000 and celebrated the beginning of the campaign season.
"Our focus this year is on "lives touched" and the positive impact the community has in assisting those individuals," said Belbeck. "Truth be told, when the economy struggles, funding for agencies goes down, yet the agencies are seeing a burgeoning number of people seeking aide."
The 2009 campaign raised $1,385,481 supplying stable funding to 32 agencies and assisting over 43,500 community members. The 2010 campaign goal of $1.4 million will touch 46,000 lives and provide funding to 34 agencies.
Funds collected will stay in the area to serve the communities' neighbors, family and friends to help in individual crisis.
UWAC's mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of our community to create lasting change. This is done by addressing issues based on local needs through 34 community partners in three areas: helping children and youth succeed; strengthening and improving basic needs; supporting our aging populations.
"I find that the people who work or live in Anderson and Campbell County feel blessed to have secure jobs and are willing to help their neighbors in times of need," said UWAC Executive Director Rick Morrow. "It is through this campaign that we will have the opportunity to make sure that individuals have the building blocks to create opportunity. The funds we raise over the next few months will provide agencies with the resources to do their work to help those people who need it most." |
Emory Valley Early Learning Center Earns National NAEYC Accreditation
Submitted by EVELC
| Emory Valley Early Learning Center (EVELC) located in Oak Ridge has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) - the nation's leading organization of early childhood professionals. Nationally, more than 7,000 programs are currently accredited by NAEYC - making up just 8 percent of all preschools and other early childhood programs nationwide. In Anderson County, EVELC is the first and only program to receive NAEYC accreditation.
"We're proud to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC, and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards," said Heather Martin, Director of EVELC. "NAEYC Accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible. I am so proud of our team of staff whose hard work and dedication have made this accreditation a reality for the children and families we serve," continued Martin.
To earn NAEYC Accreditation, EVELC went through an extensive self-study process, measuring 
the program and its services against NAEYC Early
Childhood Program Standards and more than 400 related
Accreditation Criteria. The program received NAEYC
Accreditation after an on-site visit by NAEYC Assessors in
July to ensure that the program met each of program
standards and accreditation criteria. "I am so proud of the
work of the Early Learning Center. We have such a
dedicated staff and it is shown through receiving this
accreditation," states Jennifer Enderson, President of
Emory Valley Center.
In the 25 years since NAEYC Accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high-quality early childhood education. "The NAEYC Accreditation system raises the bar for child care centers and other early childhood programs," said Jerlean E. Daniel, Ph.D, executive director of NAEYC. "Having earned NAEYC Accreditation is a sign that EVELC is a leader in a national effort to invest in high-quality early childhood education."
The NAEYC Accreditation system was created to set professional standards for early childhood education, and to help families identify high-quality preschools, child care centers and other early education programs. To earn NAEYC Accreditation, a program must meet each of NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards.
EVELC offers comprehensive and family-centered preschool programming for children from 12 months to age five through a fully inclusive early learning environment. Inclusiveness, expert knowledge, and a care and concern for all children makes EVELC distinctive across its service areas of Anderson, Campbell, Scott, Morgan, Roane, and Knox counties of East Tennessee.
For more information about NAEYC Accreditation, visit www.naeyc.org/academy or for information about EVELC, please visit www.emoryvalleycenter.com/earlylearning.html.
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UWAC Check out our new video!!!
Become a fan! 
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