Thursday, December 24, 2009

Merry Christmas from us to you!




The United Way office is closed today as we prepare to celebrate the Christmas holidays with our families and we wish the same for all of our friends and supporters. We have several stories of what the real spirit of Christmas is on our web site showing the outpouring of community spirit that has filled our offices with excitement and joy for the last several weeks. We have stories about the incredible work of Energizer, the Corporate Volunteer Council, the Youth Leadership Program and the High School Volunteer Council. Pat Tarasovic has been incredibly busy in helping to coordinate these efforts, but I think she would agree that it has been a rewarding and inspiring experience.

The economy may be improving, but it certainly is still extremely difficult for many people. Thanks to all of the groups above, the holiday season will be considerably brighter this year. And it's not just because of  the material gifts that have been provided, but rather the sense of community that all these projects generate. People in the Valley genuinely do care about their neighbors and given the opportunity are more than willing to help those less fortunate. Just take a look at the pictures on our website, and you will notice that everyone is smiling - and they are either working for someone else or donating to someone else! I can tell you that the smiles on the faces of those who benefitted were just as big!

I'm always amazed at how willing people are to respond to the needs of others in the Valley, and I have one smaller story to relate which illustrates the point. I received a call last Friday afternoon from a gentleman who had a very simple, but very complex request. He had a relative who was involved in an accident a year ago and had been rendered a quadraplegic. His medical needs are being taken care of but his freedom of movement has been severly limited, This man spoke of a family tradition of a Christmas party, and they really wanted to get the injured relative out of his home to attend the party. It was seeminly a small request, but terribly important to the injured man and his entire family.

Transportation to and from the event was the problem because of the need for a specially equipped van for the move. The man had located someone who could help with the transportation to the destination, but could not do the return leg because of the time of day. They had tried everything, but had hit a wall and called United Way as a last resort. I told the man that I didn't know what we could do, but I would try and get back to him as soon as possible. One of the great things that we have in the Valley is the Valley Council for Health & Human Services which is composed of just about the entire health and human service community in the Valley. Years ago, we linked them all by e-mail for quicker communication. I sent out an e-mail explaining the situation and asking for help and advice, not expecting to find an immediate solution. To my pleasant surprise, we got replies from four area groups offering their help, and several other e-mails offering encouragement even if they could not help.

I immediately called the man and gave him the good news. Though helping get someone to a family Christmas party may not seem like a major achievement, in this case it was something very special and means a very special event for a family just seeking a few hours of sharing and family celebration. This is one of those special moments when my job at United Way feels very satisfying!

It's been an incredible couple of weeks at United Way, and we want to thank everyone who has helped to make this holiday season so special. From all of us here at Valley United Way to all of you, we wish you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year.

For more information about Valley United Way, visit our website at www.valleyunitedway.org.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Students Learn By Doing



Friday, we had a story about members of our Youth Leadership Program and the High School Volunteer Council and their involvement in a couple of holiday projects. It serves as a great reminder that the next generation of community leaders is ready and willing to take their place when asked.

It also reminded me of two other recent examples of young people here in the Valley giving back to the community that in turn has supported them so well. Throughout the year, we have written about the problems surrounding hunger here in the Valley. One group that has been doing something about that for many years is the Housatonic Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Once again this year, they spent the first two Saturdays in November conducting their annual "Scouting for Food" drive. On the first Saturday, they delivered empty bags to area homes explaining that they would be collecting food the next weekend and urging people to put non-perishable items in the bags for the drive. The following Saturday, they went back and picked up the bags which were then distributed through the Valley's food bank system. It was a great way for the Scouts to not only learn about a pressing issue in our community, but to have a positive impact on it.

A couple of weeks later, I had the great pleasure of visiting Shelton's Senior Center on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving for a very traditional turkey dinner with the seniors. What makes this annual event so special is that the meal is put on by the Keystone Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley Boys & Girls Club. With little fanfare, they have been doing this event for a couple of decades. Not only do they serve the seniors, but they provide entertainment and a raffle full of great prizes for the seniors. It's a great evening for everyone, and I'm not sure if it's the seniors or the kids who leave with  bigger smiles on their faces.

These are all great examples of the value being delivered by many of the youth groups supported by Valley United Way and our generous donors. We all know that these services provide kids with great places to go and stay active. What these programs also show is that the kids are learning an awful lot about themselves, the community and the value of giving back. I congratulate all of them for a lesson well learned!


For more information about Valley United Way, visit our website at www.valleyunitedway.org.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Valley United Way Youth Groups Share Holiday Spirit with Community Members

Valley United Way Youth Leaders were once again called to action, only this time as Christmas elves to lend a holiday hand in Santa’s visit. Santa Clause, Chris Kringle, yes the big man in red, stopped into Shelton’s corporate park on December 10th in support of a local 3rd annual Toys for Tots fundraiser.


Bob Scinto and his daughter Katie asked for some assistance from Valley United Way in preparing for Santa’s arrival and sharing the holiday spirit. The Youth Leaders, playing the role of elves, helped bake cookies, sing to the children and families and lent a keen eye in taking family photos with Mr. Clause along with expert photographer and Valley United Way Campaign Chair Fred Ortoli.


Santa came into town from 3-7pm, where he posed in family pictures with the children and families of corporate park tenants and employees. Santa was also able to collect all the toys that were brought in for less fortunate children – about 500 toys to be exact. Luckily Santa brought a really big bag and will deliver the presents to TEAM, making sure all the Valley’s children can have a Merry Christmas.


For the 10th consecutive year, members of the Valley United Way High School Volunteer Council went on a Christmas caroling campaign. Singing for at least an hour in a half, members visited the senior citizen residents of Crosby and Wesley Village of Shelton.


After caroling, the students of the High School Volunteer Council left gifts and board games for the residents under the communal Christmas trees. Students from Emmett O’Brien Technical School demonstrated their tech-talent by making paper origami ornaments for the residents.

b

This was also the 5th year students of the Valley United Way High School Volunteer Council hosted a group luncheon at the Italian Pavilion in Derby to celebrate their Christmas coordination.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

MORE HAIR SALONS JOIN ‘HAIR TO CUT HUNGER!’






Valley United Way in conjunction with many Valley Hair Salons continue to assist the community during this holiday season by collecting non-perishables for our neighbors in need. The drive is now 9 salons strong. Anna Durante owner of Capelli Salon and Sue Thomas owner of Susan Thomas Salon, both of Derby, are the latest additions. The Capelli Salon is also offering some incentives to her clients. With any wash/cut/blow-dry Anna will donate $2 of the service to Valley United Way as well as place the clients name into a raffle for a $50 gift basket of hair supplies. She also wants to continue her food drive into the New Year knowing that the need in the Valley doesn’t end with the Christmas holidays.

These hair stylists join the following salons in collecting non-perishables for St. Vincent dePaul of Derby and The Spooner House of Shelton:

*Panache Hair Design: 504 Bridgeport Avenue, Shelton 203.925.1990
*67 West Hair Designers: 39 New Haven Avenue, Seymour 203.888.2949
*Scissors-Hair by Penny: 48 Bridge Street, Ansonia 203.732.2556
*New Day Hair & Skin Salon: 500 Howe Avenue, Shelton 203.924.1673
*Maria’s Hair Gallery: 2 Division Street, Derby 203.734.4247
*Kut Rite: 63 New Haven Road, Seymour 203.888.4071
*Barber on Main: 328 East Main Street, Ansonia 203.732.0500
*Capelli Hair Salon: 131 Main Street, Derby 203.732.1977
*Susan Thomas Salon: Imperial Plaza, 676 New Haven Avenue, Derby 203.735.0927

Our sincere thanks go out to everyone involved. All Valley residents are welcome to bring non perishables to any of the participating salons.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

HAIR TO CUT HUNGER continues……











As December descends upon us, Valley United Way and 7 valley hair salons will continue their gallant efforts in collecting food for the needy. Their Thanksgiving donations to Spooner House in Shelton and St. Vincent dePaul in Derby were great and they expect the collection to be even better for Christmas! Diana Cirillo and Jeni Mastrony of Panache Hair Design-Shelton, Josie Campolattano of 67 West Hair Designers-Seymour, Penny Marganski of Scissors-Hair by Penny-Ansonia, Jennifer Kimen of New Day Hair & Skin Salon-Shelton, Maria Anderson of Maria’s Hair Gallery-Derby, Lisa Raymond-Kut Rite-Seymour and Ron Sisbarro of Barber on Main-Ansonia and their staffs, are raising awareness on how important it is in these difficult economic times to help our friends and neighbors improve our quality of life.

Other hair salons are welcome to join HAIR TO CUT HUNGER by calling Laurel Vicidomino at Valley United Way-203.926.9478 or by emailing laurel.vicidomino@valleyunitedway.org. All valley residents are welcome to bring non perishables to any of the participating salons.