In August, we will be holding the "United Way Block Party Weekend featuring Sunday Scoop" during the Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau Sportsfest weekend. The event will take place on Kanawha Boulevard August 19-21, and will feature carnival rides, food and fun! The weekend’s events will conclude with our special event finale - SUNDAY SCOOP on August 21 from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.! This family fun event will feature all-you-can-eat ice cream being "scooped" by corporate competing teams. The major sponsors of this event include United Dairy, Kroger, Bristol Broadcasting and Suddenlink. Corporate competing teams committed to date are Alpha Natural Resources, Brickstreet Insurance, CASCI, Dow Chemical, Sam's Club, Servpro, and WOWK TV13.

If you like to plan ahead and have decided to stay around town for Labor Day weekend, bring the kids to the "United Way Family FunZone" on Magic Island on Saturday, September 3rd. Thanks to our sponsors Alpha Natural Resources and Chesapeake Energy, kids can play all day on a number of inflatables that are good for all ages for an entry fee of just $5. Proceeds from this event go into our Community Impact Fund. The FunZone is part of larger event called WV Games. You can visit the following websites for more information:

http://www.thewvgames.com

http://www.charlestonwv.com/news_events/
events/event/WV_Games,355.aspx

http://www.charlestondistancerun.com/

"Whether you like carnival rides, inflatables, or eating ice cream, the next 2 months have a little something for everyone" stated Janice Amspoker, Campaign Director for the United Way of Central West Virginia. "It is great to end the summer with events that are both fun and affordable for families with proceeds benefiting the social service needs of those in the community. We are so excited about these events and the employee campaigns that are on the horizon" concluded Amspoker.

For special event sponsorship information, or to set a date for your company's internal employee campaign, please call 304-340-3500 as soon as possible.

United Way of Central WV will celebrate its campaign kick-off this year with a volunteer day called Day of Caring that will be held on Wednesday, September 14, 2011. Day of Caring is a community-wide event benefitting nonprofit agencies in Kanawha and Putnam counties. Day of Caring is a call for people from the community and businesses to come together to create positive change in the lives of children, families and seniors.

The day will begin with a kick-off rally and brunch at the Charleston Civic Center from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. From there, teams will work throughout the afternoon on community projects they have adopted.

United Way is looking for businesses, service clubs, churches, and families, who are interested in forming a volunteer team to take part in Day of Caring! Projects and team registration forms are at the United Way website www.unitedwaycwv.org; click on the Day of Caring link.

Some of the projects that will need adoption include:

• Make minor repairs to a Boys & Girls club building; painting, cleaning and landscaping.
• Collect baby clothing newborn to size 5, pack summer and unpack winter clothing at a Starting Points Center.
• Prepare a mailing ‚Äì fold letters, label and stuff envelopes ‚Äì for a Christmas toy and food drive.
• Spruce up a non-profit site by landscaping and applying mulch.
• Provide minor maintenance help to low-income seniors living independently.
• Receive, sort, hang, bale and display donations at a thrift store.
• Paint, mow grass, trim shrubs, landscape at a women‚Äôs recovery home.
• Install a fence at a local playground.
• And many more!!

United Way and central West Virginia are blessed to have a number of outstanding individuals who serve as United Way board members and community volunteers. The United Way Newsletter (UWN) will profile of these individuals in this and future editions.


BRENDA GRANT

BOARD MEMBER SINCE 2009 CHAIR – COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER

Brenda Grant currently serves as Chief Strategy Officer for Charleston Area Medical Center ( CAMC). She has been employed at CAMC for the past 24 years and has filled various roles during that time.

Prior to joining CAMC, Brenda was on the nursing faculty at the University of Charleston. She received a BSN degree from Alderson Broaddus College and her MBA from the College of Graduate Studies.

UWN: What does LIVE UNITED mean to you?
BG: "LIVE UNITED means that we are each responsible for making our community a great place to live and work. Responsibility is the key word. We can never achieve what we want for our community if we are not invested and believe that we can work together and really make a difference."

UWN: Why do you volunteer with United Way?
BG: "I began volunteering at United Way to support the community needs assessment. I saw the commitment of the staff and other volunteers and wanted to be part of the positive change that United Way creates for our community. I have served on the Community Services Committee for four years and have been a United Way board member for two years."

UWN: Was charity a part of your upbringing?
BG: "I grew up in a family where our church was the primary recipient of our giving and continues to be now. Our United Way contribution is our “second mile” giving and is also very important to us. We hope to instill a sense of awareness and responsibility for helping those in need to our family through giving both our time and financial support."

UWN: Why are you so committed to making sure United Way makes a positive community impact?
BG: "United Way ensures that our financial contributions are used to support programs and services that have been through an extensive citizen review process. I see and hear the commitment of the community volunteers that review program requests. I know that our contributions are being used to improve lives through feeding, clothing, housing, educating, and creating a safe environment for those living in our community."

Domestic violence in West Virginia is one of the state’s leading social problems. According to data released in 2009 by the National Center for State Courts, West Virginia leads the nation in domestic violence protective order filings among states reporting. Data collected by the Bureau of Justice Statistics indicates that access to legal assistance is the leading factor in reducing domestic violence in victims’ lives. The return on your investment in the United Way funded Safety and Self-Sufficiency Project is significant. The Project will serve approximately 300 domestic violence victims in the coming year, in Kanawha, Putnam and Boone Counties, totaling over 900 hours of attorney time. Most victims will have at least one child in the household.

Carla's Story - A Safety & Self Sufficiency Project Success: The Putnam County Domestic Violence Advocate referred "Carla" for legal help, after Carla’s husband Malcolm shot at her at close range, emptying the clip of his service revolver into the floor of their Teays Valley home around Carla's feet. After the shooting, Malcolm continued to threaten, harass, and stalk Carla, and he was subsequently arrested for violation of a Protective Order. Shortly after Carla's divorce case was referred to Legal Aid, Carla was hospitalized for post-traumatic stress related symptoms, and had to leave her job as a convenience store clerk.

Carla's divorce litigation involved multiple challenges, including Malcolm's efforts to hide income and assets, his attempts to evade being served with Court papers, and his continued violations of the Protective Order, which required the LAWV attorney's active efforts in Court and with law enforcement to protect Carla's safety.

Despite these hurdles, Carla, with the help of her attorney, was able to achieve an unusual court victory: based on the testimony of her medical team, the Judge in her case ordered that Malcolm be responsible for any medical expenses related to the domestic violence that were not covered by insurance. This in turn led to Malcolm's agreement to a legal separation rather than a divorce, which allowed Carla to remain covered by Malcolm's military health insurance. As part of the separation agreement, Carla was awarded monthly alimony for as long as she remained unable to work due to her domestic violence related health problems.

Since the entry of Carla's separation order, she has relocated to a nearby state, where she continues to receive treatment for her symptoms. However, the chance for a fresh start in a new location has enabled Carla to begin taking classes and to resume a part time job. If she is able to sustain work for six months, her alimony will be reduced, but she will still be eligible for health insurance to cover her ongoing recovery.