Thank you for participating in the United Way Week activities all this week. It was great to see so many smiling faces in Bryan, Montpelier, West Unity, Pioneer, Edon, Edgerton and Stryker as United Way volunteers passed out free donuts in those communities. We went through 40 dozen donuts over the course of the week! Thanks to Chief Supermarket for contributing the donuts for this event.

Thanks also to Bryan Municipal Utilities and Time Warner for airing the United Way infomercial during this week. The 25-minute program explains all about United Way, how you can help, and tells the stories of four of our agencies. You have two more chances to see this program:

• Friday, Oct. 27 - 7:00 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 28 - 7:30 p.m.

The United Way Week Coloring Contest wraps up today. Local artist Lanna Pendleton Hall and I are going all over the county this afternoon to judge the entries. We will announce the winners in next week's newsletter.

Our 2nd Annual Breakfast of Champions took place this morning at Mohre's Sprited Dining. Attendees heard from United Way CEO Chris Malanga, campaign chairman Bill Pepple, leadership giving chairs Tom Herman and George Brown, and president Heather Teegarden.

The keynote speech focused on the United Way?s history of serving the entire county ? the progress made, challenges that lie ahead, and the direction the organization is taking.

Thanks to Bob Mohre for sponsoring the free breakfast. We look forward to making this event even bigger next year!

This week marked 37 years of the Bryan Area Foundation's service to Williams County.

People give THROUGH the Bryan Area Foundation not TO the Foundation. The BAF serves its donors by administering charitable gifts in accordance to their wishes. What is important to donors is what is important to the foundation. The BAF will work with potential donors to provide for their favorite church, school or other charitable organization no matter where those organizations are located.

United Way and the Bryan Area Foundation often work in partnership to ensure that the needs of the community are met without duplication of services. We value the foundation greatly - our United Way Endowment Fund and reserve funds are held in the foundation.

Campaign Chairman Bill Pepple often talks about why he values the United Way of Williams County. As a business owner, Bill had a problem to work through:

• I want to make a difference in my community.
• I want to give to worthy causes.
• Every organization is passionate about their mission.
• I can't give to everyone.

The solution:

Bill also likes the United Way's extensive citizen review process where local experienced volunteers assess community needs. They then determine how to distribute funds, guaranteeing that money raised is spent locally, serving the most pressing issues in Williams County.

"I was down with no job and my children were in foster care. I also lost my home and had nowhere to turn. The Sanctuary of Williams County helped me to obtain stability, supporting me in finding a job, getting a place to live, and helping me get my children back.

"It is good to know that if I feel like I am in trouble, I can always get guidance and support. I credit the Sanctuary with helping me get to where I am today... giving me the stability in my life. I couldn't have done it without them."

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