One of our donors and a member of our Young Leaders Society, Lisa Varner shared this learning experience she had with her daughter. This is part of how she Lives United.

My daughter's school (Greenway Elementary) was having their annual United Way week. Yesterday was sunglasses day and Kinley donned a pair of pink shades and a matching outfit.

I placed a dollar bill in her folder with her lunch money check. I didn't think about it again until the next morning.

As we drove to school, I dug out another dollar for her to participate in hat day.

She explained that she turned in the dollar on Monday to the lunch lady, along with her check because she didn't know it was for sunglasses day. I asked if she had to remove her sunglasses since she didn't pay. She told me no, that no one noticed. I told her to take $2.00 today to make up for the dollar she shorted United Way yesterday. She told me not to worry about it.

I then explained United Way helps people by paying for activities at Boy Scouts, helping pay bills, and even the Literacy Council where Mommy volunteers. I told her how the Literacy Council helps teach grown ups how to read.

She asked why they don't know how to read and I told her some people just never learned when they were growing up.

I told her I give money to United Way too. She said, "Okay, Mom, give me the (other) dollar." I think she understood, at least a little, the importance of giving to United Way.

The Board of Directors of United Way of Marion County has awarded Endowment Fund grants totaling $99,479 to 12 local service programs.  The goal of the Endowment Fund is to support health and social service needs through gifts from this special fund provided by planned giving assets, separate from the Annual Campaign.

The programs receiving grants include:   

• Annie Johnson Senior & Family Service Center Food Pantry Addition
• Arnette House Group Home Bedding Replacement 
•  Boys & Girls Club Project Learn in Dunnellon
• Citrus Hearing Impaired Program Children Hearing Aid Fund
•  Devereux Florida Health Field Training for the Chronically Unemployed
• Early Learning Coalition of Marion County  Caring for Cribs
• Girl Scouts of West Central Florida It's Your Story-Tell It!
• Hands of Mercy Everywhere The Teaching Childcare Program
• PACE Center for Girls Making Math Meaningful
• Stirrups N Strides Therapeutic Riding Center Scholarships for Children and Adults with Disabilities
• Story Book Meadows  Equine Assisted Psychotherapy/Learning
•  United Way of Marion County Bank on Marion

"The purpose of the Endowment Fund is to continue the community impact of United Way into the future.  Many of the grants awarded this year fulfill the wishes of our donors because it is contributing to such needs as building expansion and program supplies.  It is very challenging to secure grants that will fund such necessary expenses," said United Way president, Maureen Quinlan.  "However, without the proper facility and equipment, it is very difficult for the staff of our local human service agencies to accomplish their work in an effective and efficient manner."

The Endowment Fund of United Way of Marion County was created in 1989. The first distribution of funding was made in 2006 once sufficient income had been generated.  All gifts to the Fund are invested, and only a portion of the income is spent, ensuring that the Fund will grow in perpetuity. 

Legacy gifts to United Way may be made through charitable bequests in wills, life income arrangements, or estate planning, as well as gifts from retirement plans, property, or life insurance.  For more information, contact Tina Banner, United Way VP Resource & Development, by calling 352-732-9696 or by email to tbanner@uwmc.org.

Give.

Community Yard Sale: Saturday, December 4 from 8am-1pm in the Heathbrook Parking Lot

Ocala Christmas Parade: Saturday, December 11. United Way is looking for volunteers who are interested in participating in the United Way float.  come show the community how you LIVE UNITED

Young Leaders Society Community Service Project: Thursday, December 16 at 10am.  Young Leaders will be bringing the power of word to Head Start classrooms by reading "The Night Before Christmas."

If you are interested in participating, call Summer Gill at 732-9696 or e-mail at sgill@uwmc.org for more information.

Mark your calendars the 18th annual Day of Caring will take place on Saturday, March 5, 2011. 

Day of Caring offers area businesses, individuals, organizations and civic clubs the opportunity to help local nonprofit human service agencies accomplish much-needed projects during one day of organized volunteerism.

Sign up forms will be available at www.uwmc.org December 10.

Lockheed Martin employees had fun raising money for United Way in a bowling tournament that raised $600! Congratulations to Ocala PAC-3 program who won first place!

Members included Rick Lacy (who also won high individual game with a 236), Daniel Martin, A.J. Siebrecht, Roy Fairless, and John Lindsey.