Kickoff Breakfast Will Soon Be Served
The Heart of Illinois United Way would like to invite you to join us for the 2007 Kickoff Breakfast on Friday, September 7th at 7:30 am at the Peoria Civic Center. This year’s speaker will be major league baseball legend Ozzie Smith. We would like to thank our sponsors for their generous support for this event: Caterpillar, Inc., Advanced Medical Transport, and Brewer’s Distributing. For more information on how to RSVP for this event, please visit www.hoiunitedway.org







Bill and Margie Springer Serving As 2007 Campaign Chairs
Bill Springer, Vice President for Caterpillar’s Marketing & Product Support Division, and his wife Margie Springer are the 2007 United Way Campaign Chairs. Read about the 2007 Campaign Chairs…

Campaign Ideas and Materials Available
The Heart of Illinois United Way understands that it takes motivation, determination, and funding to adequately serve the community. With this in mind, the United Way put together reference material for launching a unique, enjoyable, successful campaign. Your Recipe for a Sizzling’ United Way Campaign is a cookbook full of recipes, ingredients, and tips for a spicy campaign. The cookbook includes tips on planning your event, fun ideas for campaigns and themes, sample emails and voicemails, trivia, and much more to enhance the quality of your United Way campaign. To download Your Recipe for a Sizzlin’ United Way Campaign and other campaign materials, please visit www.hoiunitedway.org.

Pacesetter Training Grills Up Ideas for a Sizzling Campaign
Pacesetter Training was held in early June at the Tri-County (Peoria) Urban League. The theme was a barbecue entitled “Make A Difference in Your Own Backyard”, which focused on the ingredients needed to “fire-up” a sizzling campaign. More than 40 people representing the 47 Pacesetter organizations attended the event. The Urban League hosted an agency tour and Cancer Center for Healthy Living (a new United Way agency) made a presentation. Pacesetter training is designed to motivate the Pacesetters into running model campaigns to help us kickoff a successful campaign in the fall. They were given the Your Recipe for a Sizzlin’ United Way Campaign cookbook and a gift basket from United Way. We hope it is a sizzling summer!

Day of Caring
The Heart of Illinois United Way 2007 Day of Caring is quickly approaching. The event will take place on September 7th thanks to our sponsor, OSF St. Francis. This event brings together volunteers from local companies and organizations with United Way member agencies in need of help. Our volunteers perform a variety of tasks such as painting, yard work, light carpentry, serving meals, working with children, and much more! The length of time, resources, and skills depends on the agency’s project. For more information on the 2007 Day of Caring or to signup a team contact Gina Edwards at (309) 674-5181 ext. 234 or visit http://www.hoiunitedway.org/dayofcaring.htm

Tune-In: Heart of Illinois United Way Simulcast Airs September 10th
The annual United Way Simulcast will return to the airwaves of central Illinois. The commercial-free, half-hour broadcast will air on all of our local television stations: WAOE, WEEK, WHOI, WMBD, WYZZ and WTVP. Every year the Simulcast features outstanding individuals who, through the use of our member agency programs, have made substantial improvements to their quality of life. Individuals are chosen to represent each of our four key areas: Youth, Family, Self-Reliance, and Health. Make sure to tune in Monday, September 10, 2007 from 6:30–7 p.m. to hear about how community dollars are changing what matters.


Success by 6® Helps Educate Peoria’s Youth
The Heart of Illinois United Way’s Success by 6® early childhood initiative is dedicated to ensuring that all children, from birth to age six, are healthy, safe, nurtured and ready to succeed. More than 20,000 innovative “Getting Ready for School” Calendars have been distributed throughout Peoria, Tazewell, Putnam, Stark, Woodford, and Marshall counties. From monthly learning themes to daily activities, the 15-month calendar, which covers June 2007-August 2008, provides a wealth of information including activities, suggested reading materials and a variety of resources. More on Success by 6®…

Kevin and Sarah: A Fresh Start Matters
Two years ago, Kevin and Sarah Campbell were homeless in Houston with their two sons. To help rebuild their lives, the family moved to Peoria to live with Kevin’s sister. With their many struggles of relocating, the parents took advantage of Crittenton Center’s Crisis Nursery. As they found jobs, they still needed help. Fortunately, Crittenton Centers provide high quality, developmentally appropriate childcare to low-income, at-risk families who have to work second shift. After finding employment, Kevin and Sarah enrolled their two sons, Josh and Jeremiah, in the program. Today, they are buying a home and are thankful for Crittenton and their services.

The Multi-Year Funding Process
The multi-year funding process is a course of action taken by United Way in order to ensure that community funds are creating a long-term impact. Allocation volunteers from the community are trained to effectively assess a member agency’s use of funds spanning a period of three years to make sure that the outcomes of the program are creating positive long-lasting effects. The process also allows for new programs that address needs identified through the Community Assessment to apply for funding even if it is not a grant application year.

Thank you to our 2007 Award Recipients
Gail Garrison, United Way Board and Dave Mingus, Neighborhood House
Gail Garrison, United Way Board; Gerd Prewett, Human Service Center; and Jason Mosakowski, United Way Board
The Annual Awards Breakfast was held in May. The Awards Breakfast is a time to honor those who have helped us this year in our efforts to improve the health and human services needed in the Peoria area. More than 169 organizations were recognized for outstanding campaigns with 27 organizations winning Bronze awards, 33 organizations winning Silver awards, and 109 organizations winning Gold awards. Also recognized were the top ten companies with the highest campaign totals; Caterpillar Inc. was number one raising a record $5,213,178 for United Way. The Horace J. “Hoot” Gibson award was awarded to CFO of Fayette Companies, Gerd Prewett, for her exemplary volunteerism for the United Way. The first recipient of the new United Way Partner Award was Neighborhood House for their outstanding efforts supporting the United Way and collaborating with other United Way agencies.

Charity Golf Classic
The 2007 Heart of Illinois United Way Charity Golf Classic was held on Friday, August 3, 2007 at Quail Meadows Golf Club in East Peoria. This year’s Charity Golf Classic was once again sold-out and the players enjoyed a great day on the greens. Peoria Firefighters #50 grilled lunch to perfection and players enjoyed a variety of donated door and raffle prizes.

Thank you to our 2007 Charity Golf Classic Presenting Sponsors:
Advanced Technology Services, Inc.
RLI


Plus thank you to these additional sponsors:

Birdie Sponsors
AmerenCILCO
Caterpillar Inc.
CEFCU
First Bank
Illinois Mutual
LaSalle Bank
Proctor Hospital

Par Sponsors
Children’s Hospital
Mutual of America
National City Bank

Foursome Plus Tee or Green Sponsors
Associated Bank
Busey Bank
Brewers Distributing
F&M Bank
Hagerty Steel & Aluminum
Illinois National Bank
Methodist Medical Center of Illinois
PSA-Dewberry Inc.

Tee or Green Sponsors
Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen PC
Heartland Bank & Trust Co.
Interfraternity Council of Bradley University
Pekin Insurance
Peoria Firefighters #50
Thomas Insurance Marketing

Cart Sponsor
NECA/IBEW

Registration Sponsor
Howard & Howard Attorneys, PC

United Way Night at the Peoria Chiefs
It was a hot night of baseball action at this year’s United Way Night at the Peoria Chiefs. Pacesetter companies, United Way agencies, volunteers and families came out to cheer for the Chiefs on Wednesday, August 8. Bill and Margie Springer, chairs of the 2007 Campaign, threw out the first ball of the night, while our campaign cabinet was recognized on the scoreboard and the campaign video played for all in attendance.