IN THIS ISSUE

Community Investment Volunteers Sought
 

Campaign News:

• Akron Dental Society

• Advanced Elastomer Systems

• PPG Industries

• Americhem, Inc.

• Baker McMillen

• AAA Akron Auto Club

• Casnet

Meet the Team:
Brett Kimmell

Be A Holiday Angel!

Rocky Richardson Receives LeadDIVERSITY Award

Use Your IRA for
Year-End Gifts

Volunteers Needed for
Tax Program

First-Time Campaigns

Brown Bag Seminars

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You can donate securely online or call 330.762.7601 for more information.

• Air Enterprises, Inc.
• Ardmore, Inc.
• Cambridge Home Health Care
• Country Pure Foods, Inc.
• Evant, Inc.
• Gayson Silicone Dispersions, Inc.
• HCR Manor Care
• Interfaith Hospitality Network Summit Co.
• Mickey Thompson Tires
• North Akron Savings Bank
• OPEN M
• Portage Country Club
• Rose Pest Solutions
• Stewart's Caring Place
• VIOX Services, Inc.
• Witschey, Witschey & Firestine Co., LPA

Brown Bag Seminars are a great way to provide informational and educational seminars to your employees in the workplace.  They work well as an addition to your United Way campaign, or can be held any time of year. Click here to learn more!

Youth & College Brown Bag Seminars also now being offered!

BE A VOLUNTEER

United Way representatives were once again honored to be the featured guest speakers at a monthly dinner meeting of the Akron Dental Society on November 12th.

United Way of Summit County President, Bob Kulinski, updated the Society members about United Way's current focus on "School Readiness for Children" and "Economic Stability for Families" and the plans to set aside funds for programs that address these important Community Impact priorities.

President-elect Dr. Cynthia Marshall-Petroff urged members to consider contributing ½% or even 1% of their gross annual production to the United Way campaign.  The Akron Dental Society consistently ranks as one of United Way's top ten Leadership Giving organizations. United Way of Summit County and its affiliated agencies are deeply grateful to the Akron Dental Society and its membership for its long and distinguished support of United Way.

Pictured (back) Dr. Cynthia-Marshall Petroff, Dr. Edward T. Marshall, Jr., Bob Kulinski:  (front) Dr. James F. Claypool, and Dr. John H. Gerstenmaier, Jr.

Advanced Elastomer Systems Running Strong Campaign
Advanced Elastomer Systems, a division of Exxon Mobil Chemical, continues to support our community as they kicked off their annual United Way campaign. With strong leadership and management support, a United Way Committee comprised of 34 Akron based employees worked together to plan and execute a very successful week long campaign. This year's campaign began with a kickoff that highlighted special events, campaign goals, and examples of how employees make an impact in the community through United Way volunteering and support. It ended with a wrap-up event where employees enjoyed a silent gift basket auction and heard the results from the campaign.

Special events this year included their own on-line auction, prize drawings for giving and increased giving, a fall harvest bake sale, a Bean Bag Toss game, a Lunch and Laughs event, and a pumpkin decoration contest. Other activities include a Born Learning needs drive and the volunteer grant program. The grant program encourages employees to contribute their time and talent to charitable organizations by providing a $500 grant for at least 20 hours of volunteering.

The campaign finished strong and yielded another year of increased giving!
The UW committee will continue to plan quarterly events next year to make
2008 another success!

Baker McMillen/Waddell Manufacturing Company  kicked off their United Way campaign on Friday, November 9th with a presentation about United Way.

In addition to employee pledges, Baker McMillen will be raising money by publishing a company cookbook, with sales to benefit United Way, and an "Iron Chef" competition for employees that will make their recipe and bring it to the Christmas luncheon.  The winner will get a $50 donation made in their name to United Way.  Other incentives include being entered into a drawing to win lunch with president Bill Kimmerle, and the chance to win extra vacation days.

Thanks to Baker McMillen President, Bill Kimmerle, Campaign Coordinator Tony Silvidi and all of the employees at Baker McMillen for supporting our community through United Way.

• Donate toys for children
• Donate items for agency clients & families
• Wrap Christmas gifts
• Adopt a family or child
• Donate gift certificates for families in need

Browse our online list of holiday volunteer opportunities. For more information, please contact Pam Beals at the United Way of Summit County Volunteer Center, 330.643.5512 or email pbeals@uwsummit.org.

Rockette (Rocky) Richardson, member of United Way's Dorothy O. Jackson Society Committee and Leadership Society received the American Greetings LeadDIVERSITY Outstanding Alumni Award at the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio's Humanitarian Dinner on November 7th.

Rocky, currently Vice President/Director of Community Development for Charter One Bank has worked in the financial services industry for more than 20 years. As a graduate of the LeadDIVERSITY Class of 2003, Rocky has been lending herself to organizations across Northeast Ohio. The LeadDIVERSITY Outstanding Alumni Award is presented to an alumnus who embodies the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio mission to advance diversity, challenge assumptions and advocate for understanding; and uses LeadDIVERSITY education to be a successful and positive change agent moving diversity issues forward in both their corporate and personal communities.

Rocky was an original member of the United Way of Summit County's Project Blueprint Advisory Committee that designed the current Project Blueprint minority leadership development program. We are proud of her contributions to the United Way of Summit County and our community. Congratulations Rocky!

Use Your IRA for Year-End Gifts
As we approach the holiday season, we hope you are looking forward to a celebration blessed with good health and prosperity. One year-end ritual for many families is an annual gift to United Way of Summit County. If you are 70 ½ years+ (or you help an older loved one with their finances) you should know that gifts made directly from an IRA to United Way or other eligible charities count toward your required minimum distribution.

Example: Betty is 75 years old and her required distribution is $10,000, which is taxed along with other sources of income. She wants to continue making donations totaling $2,000 to United Way and several other charities. Betty requests that her IRA office transfer a total of $2,000 (or any amount up to $100,000) directly from her IRA account to United Way and the other charities. Under the IRA rollover provision, Betty avoids paying income tax on the $2,000 total. She will not, however, be able to use it as a charitable deduction. But she will pay tax only on the remaining $8,000 and not the full $10,000 required distribution.

How do you make a gift from your IRA? Simply contact your IRA office and request that your gift be transferred directly to United Way. We receive a much-needed donation and you avoid additional tax because the amount taken from your IRA is not reported as taxable income. For more information visit our website at www.uwsummit.org and click on "Planned Giving" or contact Charlene Corlett at 330.643.5537 or ccorlett@uwsummit.org.

Each year the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Program of Akron files taxes, free of charge, for low and moderate income individuals and families.  Their goal is to ensure that families and individuals are aware of the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit that they may be eligible to receive. And also that they receive these dollars free of tax filing charges and become aware of services that can help make them more fiscally responsible and stronger.

The EITC Program is in need of volunteers for the upcoming tax season:

• Tax preparers
• Greeters
• Intake Assessors
• Office Assistants
• Quality Reviewers
• Site Coordinators

Training will be provided for all volunteer positions.  If you are interested in volunteering contact Pam at the United Way Volunteer Center at 330.643.5512 or email pbeals@uwsummit.org.