‘Tis the season
is the season to spend time with family, celebrate holiday traditions and make spirits bright. This weekend you will find my family partaking in one of our favorite holiday traditions: decorating the Christmas tree.
My husband and I love unwrapping the ornaments from our childhoods along with the ornaments we have collected as a family over the years. It’s so fun to reminisce over Christmases gone by. I’m sure your family also has their own holiday traditions that you cherish – taking the kids to see Christmas lights, singing carols or sharing the story behind Christmas.
Being in my line of work, I am reminded in the humblest way to give thanks for having a bed to sleep in, nutritious food to eat and clean water to drink – basic needs that I try not to take for granted. However, this time of year presents challenges for many who need a helping hand this season.
Though many of us associate the changing of the season with holiday cheer and traditions, many families in our community are struggling to meet their basic needs, let alone partake in and create new holiday traditions with their families. Last year, more than 225 people were provided with emergency shelter, and 433 people were provided with utility assistance. Over 7,900 individuals were provided with a hot meal, and 86 families were safely housed and protected from eviction. Disaster services and house fire assistance were provided to 83 people, and 432 victims of domestic violence were provided with shelter, advocacy and support. ‘Tis the season to fight for our community’s basic needs.
So, how can you help to make a difference this Christmas season? Give to United Way. Your gift to United Way is a gift that keeps on giving 365 days a year. Your gift helps improve the education, basic needs and health of the Gordon County community. Each year, United Way improves the lives of over 60,000 children and adults. A gift to United Way is truly an impactful gift.
I am thankful for the village of supporters within our United Way. Without our volunteers, advocates, givers and partner agencies, where would we be? The village that makes up the United Way shares in the drive to create goodwill towards all. The United Way village works diligently to make the Gordon County community a better place now and for generations to come.
I would like to thank the United Way
Board of Directors, our corporate partners, our staff and partner agencies for the success of the 2020 United Way campaign so far. We have spent the last several months meeting with local companies and organizations, touring our partner agencies, hosting campaign presentations, leading volunteer projects and kicking off our campaign at the Unity Run. To date, our team has completed over 55 company presentations and 16 impact tours, with more presentation scheduled through December.
I am so incredibly thankful for our generous community. Many merry thank yous to those who have donated in their company-wide United Way campaigns, mailed in a donation or gave online. Here is a list of those who have pledged or donated to the 2020 United Way campaign thus far:
AdventHealth, Angela and Billy Green, Apache Mills, Atlanta Gas Light, Bentley Dye Services, Bert and Anne Vaughn, Betty Beamer, Bob and Carol Nance, Calhoun City Schools, Carrie, Dan and girls (Tanna, Cara, and Grace Key), Charles and Vickie Spence, City of Calhoun, Craig and Elizabeth Box, Debra Owens, Dennis and Sharon Alexander, Engineered Floors LLC., Erin and Al Hill III, Al IV, Nance and Caroline Hill, Family Savings, FieldTurf, First Bank of Calhoun, Fitness First of Calhoun, Fox Systems, Francis Burton Cochran, Gary and Lucia Eastham, Gordon County Government, Gordon County Schools, Haley and Pam Stephens, H and P Stephens Properties, Harry Young, Jennifer and Brian Latour, Jeremy and Bekah Kirby, Joe and Nelda Ragsdale, Kimm and Beverly Primmer, Kroger, Kyle and Vivian Smith, M&S Logistics, Mannington Mills, Mathew and Parlo, Michael’s Carpet, Mike, Nash and Robert Nance, Mohawk Industries, North Georgia National Bank, OMNOVA Solutions Corporation, Patricia Stephens, Presley and Dean Hamilton, Ronnie and Margie King, Shaw Industries, Starr-Mathews Agency Inc., SunTrust Banks, Synovus Bank and UPS.
We are still actively reporting and scheduling campaigns. It’s not too late to be added to our list of donors. Give the gift that keeps giving all year long. Give today at www.gordoncountyunitedway.org or email us at info@gordoncountyunitedway.org.
Thank you for helping to make spirits bright in the Gordon County community.