FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UNITED WAY OF SUMMIT COUNTY

CELEBRATES LOCAL VOLUNTEERS

(AKRON, OHIO) — United Way of Summit County Volunteer Center will celebrate the spirit of volunteerism at its sixth annual Volunteer Celebration.  This year’s theme is “Volunteers Inspire by Example.”  The guest speakers will be Bud & Susie Rogers, longtime community volunteers.

The Celebration will be held Thursday, April 19, 2007, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at St. Joseph Family Center, 610 W. Exchange Street, Akron.  This event will celebrate outstanding volunteer efforts of individuals and groups in our community.

Bud and Susie Rogers are Akron natives and well-known activists.  Bud is the retired president of BW Rogers Co., and past chair of the United Way of Summit County Fundraising Campaign, past chair of the American Red Cross – Summit County Chapter Board of Directors, and past chair of the Boys and Girls Clubs Board of Trustees, and a volunteer for numerous other non-profit groups.  Susie is past president of the Western Reserve Academy/Pioneer Women, Junior League of Akron, Cuyahoga Valley Association and the Akron Garden Club.  She is also an Emeritus member of the Board of Governors for Akron Golf Charities.

A local college student, Mary Dunn, will also speak about her recent trip to the Gulf Region as part of United Way’s Alternative Spring Break.  Dunn, a junior at the University of Akron, was one of 5 Summit County students who joined hundreds from across the country during the month of March to help rebuild areas devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

As part of the Volunteer Celebration, four “Volunteer Stories” of individuals or groups who have displayed extraordinary volunteer services within their organization will be presented in a profile video.  Students from Professor Gabriel Giralt’s Independent Study program at the University of Akron’s School of Communication have developed the video stories for a class project.  

The four representative stories are: Barb Clark, Akron Symphony Orchestra; James “Jim” McCauley, St. Vincent De Paul Food Rectory at Immaculate Conception Church; Suzanne & Alyssa Meckert (Mother/Daughter team), Humane Society of Greater Akron; and Javonne Porter, Child Guidance & Family Solutions.

Chuck Victor, chair of the Volunteer Celebration Committee, said, "One of the best things about this event is that the people recognized at the Volunteer Celebration truly inspire others by their example.  They’re just good, hard-working people who volunteer a great deal of time to making our community a better place to live, work and raise a family.  If it wasn’t for the Volunteer Celebration, we might not know their story, and we might not get the chance to say thanks.”

Bob Kulinski, United Way of Summit County president, said, “Volunteerism is vitally important to our community because it benefits local non-profit organizations, and provides opportunities for people to give back to their community and develop new skills and relationships.  Our Volunteer Center is the focal point for matching interested volunteers with agencies who need their help and we are very proud of the results our Center produces each year.”