BATAVIA UNITED WAY         November, 2015


                 ADOPT A FAMILY : HELP WANTED !
 


As we flip the calendar to November, it is only a matter of time before the holiday decorations go up, menus are planned and gifts for our families start piling up  in hiding places  until Christmas.  If you happen to have a little extra Christmas Spirit to share, Batavia United Way is again coordinating the Adopt A Family program with Batavia Public Schools. 
                                                                                
Last year our Sponsors included families, sports teams, churches, book clubs, individuals and more. Together we adopted 72 families and brought a Happy Holiday to Batavians in need. We expect the same, if not greater, number of families in need this year and we are in search of additional Sponsors to accomodate. We currently have qualified families on a waiting list,  ready
to be adopted.
As of today, the Batavia Mothers Club is shopping for 35 children, River City Church has adopted 4 families and  44 individuals have requested  adopt a family assignments.   Batavia Woman's Club will provide stockings for all children and Chip In will supplement with household suppllies.

This year, in order to focus more on the kids, we have tweaked our program. We are not accepting wish lists from the parents of our adopted families (many have requested this!) rather, we are concentrating on the kids needs and wishes and will also include a "Family Gift." For some, this may be a WalMart, Aldi or Kohl's gift card. For others it might be gift certificates to a movie theater and a modest dinner. 

If you  prefer not to Sponsor or shop, donations of gift cards (or checks)  are needed and appreciated. We will shop for families that do not have a Sponsor or supplement where there is a special need. Please know that your donations, by check or our online donation link, will go 100% to Adopt A Family  if this is your request. 

If you are able to help, please contact  [email protected]. 

Thank you for helping us make sure EVERYONE has a Merry Christmas.
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We can't think of Christmas without also mentioning Thanksgiving. As we count our many blessings at Batavia United Way, it is appropriate to thank our volunteer Board Of Directors  for their service.  We set aggressive goals for 2015 and each Board Member contributed many hours of their time, energy, ideas and resources to make it a great year.  As a result, we can provide support to Lazrus House, Tri City Family Services, RSVP, Salvation Army, Water Street Studios, AID and many more who are counting on our assistance.

Thank you for your gift of time and for helping to make our community such a great place to live.

President:          John Dillon 
Vie President:   Kristen Johnson
Treasurer:          Marcia Boyce
Secretary:          Stacie Barnett

Executive Committee:

Dan Bombard       
Lisa Hillquist           
Cecelia Hoffman
Matt Novak
Rick Pumo
Patricia Richardson




  
CONGRATULATIONS !  YOU DID IT!

On October 24th,  268 Men, Women and Children participated in the Batavia United Way 5K/10K and Kids Fun Run on River Street in Batavia.  Thousands of dollars were raised for the 18 area non-profit organiztions we support and d espite the rain, it was a festive atmosphere with music provided by The River radio and A+DJ.  

Participants ranged in ages from 8 to 72 and we were pleased to include the inaugural 5k run for the JB Nelson Elementary School Running Club.

What to do after you cross the finish line? Participate in the Chick Fil A Cow and Ozzie Cougar "chicken dance" - dance off or visit Pal Joey's for a stack of hot pancakes and a cold Bloody Mary! 
 
To enjoy pictures of the event go to: 

Thank you to the 40+ volunteers who worked to make this event a success!  Platinum volunteer event organizers included Tina  Nena, Lisa Clark, Tammy Milligan, Ann Gerardi &Tiffany Thompson. We appreciate all your help!

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the following sponsors for helping to make this event a success :

GOLD                                                          SILVER
Allen Pepa Architechts                            The Chiropractor People
BFC Printing                                              Aldi Corporation
BMO Harris Bank                                      Eliff Dental
Boyce Body Werks                                   Jersey Mike's
Kluber Architects & Engineers               Walgreens
Pal Joey's                                                   Premier Windows and Doors
Geneva Running Outfitters                     Chick Fil A
Dick Pond Athletics
Kane County Chronicle

                      Thank you!
DAY OF CARING



On Sunday, November 8th , 70 volunteers gathered on the front lawn of Suicide Prevention Services on Batavia Avenue to kick off  the annual Batavia United Way Day of Caring. 

Board Member Dan Bombard organized volunteers and divided them into groups, provided an address of a Senior Citizen who needed help with Fall leaf raking and sent them on their way. Manned with rakes, gloves, leaf blowers and energy to burn, the teams raked 17 yards in a few hours on a gorgeous, sunny afternoon. This is 5 more yards than last year!
Volunteers included members of the Interact Club, National Honor Society, Key Club, BHS Boys soccer , Batavia Youth Baseball, BHS Cultural Studies classes, Marching Band, Gymnastics team and various other groups and individuals. Wow! What a great group.

Dan has been organizing this event for years and said this was his largest group of volunteers to date and the most yards ever raked.  Thank you to all who helped make the day a big success.  Many Senior Citizens complimented the kids on great work ethic and incredible show of heart!