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.
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