United Way

of Southwest Minnesota

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GIVE, ADVOCATE, VOLUNTEER.
ENEWS FROM YOUR LOCAL UNITED WAY
October 2011
new pumpkin LU

Students are invited to SPEAK UP about how they can be a hero.

Many school children volunteer, gathering canned goods for a food shelf, raking leaves for a senior citizen, or reading with younger students.  Many students volunteer through class projects, church groups or youth organizations such as scouting or 4-H.

 

These students are making a difference in their communities and now they have an opportunity to tell us about it.

 

United Way of Southwest Minnesota and The Marshall Independent have teamed up to sponsor an essay contest to give children a chance to write about how they may have made a difference in someone's life and what they can do to help those in need.

 

Teachers, parents and community leaders are encouraged to invite children in grades three to six to participate.  Essays for the "How I Can Be a Hero" contest should be original, use good grammar and be inspirational. Deadline:  Thursday, November 10, 2011.

 

Prizes will be awarded to the top two winning essayists in each grade level and their stories will be published in December 3 edition of The Marshall Independent.  Click here for more info. 

What happens when you travel over 300 miles and connect with 2,200 children?  (See below).
Llama Llama 'Read for the Record' Connects with 2,200 Local Children.

90 volunteers in 27 locations helped celebrate the joy of literacy by reading "Llama Llama Red Pajama" by Anne Dewdney on Oct. 6.  Drawing attention to the importance of early literacy while setting a new world record for the largest shared reading experience on a single day was the goal. Our costumed Llama Llama 'galloped' over 300 miles to greet as many students as possible in 16 different schools.

See more photos from the event by clicking here.

Llama Llama has breakfast at WWG
Llama Llama joins the breakfast crowd at 
Westbrook-Walnut Grove Elementary.

 

Read for the Record - Kristel
United Way board member Kristel Schamber prepares
the students at Holy Redeemer for the story.

 

Read for the Record story
Bruce Lamprecht interacts with an enthusiastic group
at Parkside Elementary.
Personal Development Opportunities:

Friday, November 4 (9:00 am - 12:00 noon) Senior Fest 2011 Adult Community Center, 107 4th Street, Marshall - FREE

Pre-register by Nov 1, (507) 337-4938.

 

Thursday, November 17 (11:30 - 1:00) Now is Your Time, Look Forward and Grow! with motivational speaker, Elizabeth Hagen.  $20 (includes lunch) at SMSU Conference Center.  RSVP by clicking here or calling (507) 537-6266.

Give.
You can release your inner hero with a donation to United Way of Southwest Minnesota.  It is easy and it makes a real difference in local people's lives.  Secure Donation Link.
Volunteer.

Click here to find a data base of ways that local organizations can use volunteers.  Maybe there is a spot for you.  You can be a hero!
Volunteer Connection logo
 

Dine Out for United Way Continues

Sub Sandwiches, pizza, burgers, BBQ ribs, and cups of coffee are just a few of the delicious options for helping to support community programs this fall.  Click here for complete information
 

Mark Your Calendar for the popular Wine Tasting Event:  November 18 (6-8 PM) at the Ramada Inn, Marshall.

Prescription Drug Disposal Opportunity

Unused or expired prescription medicines are a public safety issue, leading to accidental poisoning, overdose and abuse. Area law enforcement are holding collection sites on October 28.  Click here.

Venture Grants

United Way of Southwest Minnesota recently awarded venture grants totaling $2,350.72 to two organizations that serve people in this area.

 

$1,085 was awarded to Literacy Volunteers of Southwest Minnesota. The grant will cover development and printing of marketing materials for the new start-up initiative that will serve adult learners in this area. Volunteers will be recruited, interviewed, and professionally trained to be volunteer tutors who are then matched one to one with adults who are seeking literacy services. This will supplement the learning that occurs at the Adult Basic Education program or extend it to people whose work schedules don't allow ABE class participation.   

Literacy Volunteer grant 2011
UW board member Cary Grover presents the grant check to Candace Thomas, Literacy Volunteers SWMN.

$1,265.72 was awarded to the Southwestern MN Opportunity Council Head Start program to purchase four newly updated "Second Step" curriculum kits. These are designed to teach social-emotional skills to children using puppets, songs, pictures and activities. Research indicates that preschool-age children who struggle with social-emotional skills are disruptive in the classroom, spend less time focused on tasks, and receive less instruction and positive feedback from their teachers. 

SMOC Head Start grant 2011
UW board members Donna Swenson & Dallas Dammen present the grant check to Krysta Meyer, SMOC Head Start.

The next venture grant application deadline is January 31, 2012.

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