Archive for 2013
Principal El: “A dream without a plan is a hallucination.”
Yesterday, Principal Salome Thomas – El spoke to some of our supporters at the Gilmore Car Museum. Principal El has been a powerful advocate for education for over 20 years and is the author of the best-selling book, I Choose to Stay. He shared his story of working in inner city schools and how he…
Read More“Not Just a Merger, but a Transformation”
July 10 marked a huge step for our regional community: the United Way of Greater Battle Creek and the United Way of Greater Kalamazoo merged to form the United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region (UWBCKR). I know, it’s a mouthful! But beyond the longer name this merger represents much more change to…
Read MoreMotivating Monday: Ernest Lanier, A Personal Passion for Community
There were a handful of times during Ernest Lanier’s life when someone he barely knew offered a piece of advice or a modicum of encouragement that propelled him forward. Now Borgess Health’s chief diversity officer pays those examples forward—mentoring young people, working on projects for a variety of community organizations and spreading the mission of…
Read MoreMotivating Monday: Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran, An Advocate for Education
As Kalamazoo College president, Dr. Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran focuses on providing a challenging academic atmosphere for young people readying themselves to embark on an adult learning odyssey. As a local United Way leader, she’s targeted her academic passion at another point in learning: early childhood education. Wilson-Oyelaran, 64, credits the United Way with providing a framework…
Read MoreWellness Wednesday: Local Produce Makes a Difference for Low Income Families
I love a trip to the Farmers Market. I love fruit, I love veggies and I love an excuse to walk around and enjoy the summer. And of course, it certainly feels great to support our locally grown products. Now, the Battle Creek Enquirer has given me yet another reason to love Farmers Markets: increased…
Read MoreEmployee Campaign Managers . . . Start Your Engines!
This morning, while most of Kalamazoo was hitting the snooze button to enjoy the sound of rain just a little longer, our 2012 Employee Campaign Managers were meeting for breakfast and training at the Senior Services Center. We had a great turnout and everyone seemed enthusiastic about beginning their workplace campaigns. This year’s training had…
Read MoreMotivating Monday: Denise Washington, From Poverty to Ph.D
Denise Washington seemed destined to be a poster woman for young, single mothers aspiring to little more than a minimum-wage existence. Forty years ago, Washington was offered a college scholarship to pursue a degree in accounting at Western Michigan University and had a promising internship lined up. But with a semester left before her high…
Read MoreWellness Wednesday: Gold Medal Snacking
Everyone seems to be coming down with Olympic Fever. The 2012 Olympics in London have engrossed people around the world, and honestly, who can blame us? It’s a lot of fun cheering on our favorites and watching the amazing feats of athleticism. The irony of course, is that we are sitting mesmerized by our tvs…
Read MoreAll Eyes on Youth: Support YUW's Blood Drive
There are a lot of great parts of the United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region, however, I have to say one of my favorites is our Youth United Way organization. We have a collection of high school students from around the area who are working toward making their community a better place,…
Read MoreTop 25 Breakfast
Early morning meetings seem to be happening much more frequently around our office. Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the annual Top 25 Breakfast, this year held at the Gilmore Car Museum. What an amazing location with so much history! Though it was early, excitement was in the air from the region’s largest…
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