04/15/14 The United Way of Marshall County (UWMC) will host a Campaign Volunteer & Donor Recognition Event on Wednesday, April 23, at the Swan Lake Golf Resort from 5 to 9 p.m. This special event will honor those who proved “the Power of We” during a successful 2013 campaign and spotlight Project Lead The Way (PLTW). Earlier this year, PLTW announced that Northern Indiana was selected to become a model region for PLTW, providing all K-12 schools, public and private, in a five-county area with the opportunity to implement PLTW’s rigorous, world-class STEM program in engineering, biomedical science, and computer science. The partnership creates a $4.4 million matching grant pilot program to offset startup costs and will be available to schools through 2016. Applications for schools in the five-county area of Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, Marshall and St. Joseph are underway. PLTW representatives will be on hand at the United Way celebration to unveil more information about program implementation in Northern Indiana. United Way of Marshall County serves as facilitator in Marshall County for individuals and organizations supporting this regional initiative.
Outstanding United Way campaign efforts by individuals and businesses across the county will be celebrated as well. Special recognition will be given to the 2013 “Fab Five” Campaign Chairs comprised of team members Bill Davis, Dave Goebel, Scott Graybill, John Oliver III and Lance Overmyer. The Jack and Jana Oliver Family including Jennifer Oliver Houin, John Oliver III and Jessica Oliver and Lance Overmyer will be honored as recipients of the 2014 Volunteer of the Year Award for Marshall County from the Indiana Association of United Ways presented in Indianapolis on March 13. Individually and collectively their generosity and support of many charitable causes and organization through the community was noted as well as their deep commitment to United Way that includes many hours devoted to leadership positions both during campaigns and on the executive board and committees. Representatives from nonprofit organizations supported by the campaign will also be featured guests at the event.
The celebration will continue with both silent and live auctions that will kick off the 2014 campaign. Silent auction items generously donated by businesses and individuals can be viewed beginning at 5 p.m. through 9 p.m., with the live auction set to begin at 7 p.m. Walt Disney World park tickets, a pass for up to 20 people to a South Bend Silver Hawks game, a wine tour to Southwestern Michigan, as well as gift certificates to local retail businesses are among some of the auction items. The event is free and open to the public; reservations are requested. Hors d‘oeuvres will be provided and a cash bar will be available. Join the celebration! For more information or to RSVP to this event, visit the United Way of Marshall County website at www.marshallcountyuw.org/RSVP or contact the United Way office at 574.936.3366 by Friday, April 18, 2014.
