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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 1, 2013
CONTACT: Mary L. Kinney
Public/media relations director
317.921.1224 during business hours
317.498.0647 after hours
Mary.kinney@uwci.org
LEADERSHIP AND VOLUNTEERISM SUMMIT TO HONOR
TOP PROGRAMS, LEADERS AND SERVICE
United Way of Central Indiana and The Central Indiana Corporate Volunteer Council
announce honorees to be recognized March 13
INDIANAPOLIS – March 1, 2013... Two companies, one nonprofit and three individuals will be honored March 13 for volunteer programs, leadership and service at the Leadership and Volunteerism Summit hosted jointly by The Central Indiana Corporate Volunteer Council (CVC) and United Way of Central Indiana.
Tickets are still available for the fourth annual event which includes morning sessions about community issues and volunteer leadership and concludes with lunch and the awards presentation. To purchase tickets, visit uwci.org and click on the March 13 link under Upcoming Events.
Awards and honorees include:
Corporate Volunteer Program of the Year: PNC Financial Services Group for Grow Up Great, a $350 million, multi-year bilingual initiative that began in 2004. The program prepares children from birth to age five for success in school and in life. Today, it has served more than 1.5 million children. And, more than 26,000 PNC employees have logged more than 320,000 volunteer hours since the program launched.
Corporate Volunteer Project of the Year: Roche Diagnostics for engaging more than 200 employees who volunteered more than 600 hours to create an outdoor classroom at Brook Park Elementary School. A Keep Indianapolis Beautiful project, Roche provided financial support to install 2,500 plants in a bio-retention pond and rain garden, more than 90 large Indiana native trees, and build and mulch eight garden beds. Their time was valued at nearly $13,000.
Nonprofit Volunteer Program of the Year: School on Wheels for engaging 440 volunteers who gave more than 6,000 hours of tutoring sessions to help 407 homeless children experience academic success through regular tutoring and mentoring. The program's impact is measured in a variety of ways including performance on the state's ISTEP tests which resulted in 89 percent of tutored students increasing or maintaining their math and English/language Arts scores.
Leadership Ignited Outstanding Board Service: Jerry Adams, for chairmanship of the board of directors of Second Helpings Inc. During his tenure, Adams has challenged the organization to "think bigger and reach further," resulting in volunteer hours that have risen 50 percent, net revenues increasing by more than 21 percent, and new partnerships for food rescue through high profile sporting events including Super Bowl LXXVI.
LIVE UNITED Volunteer of the Year: Carol Adams for tracking and recording all the food that is donated to Second Helpings Inc., on track to weigh in at two million pounds. In the past year, she has given 206 hours to the critically important accounting and timely recognition of donors, saving the agency thousands of dollars a year if they had to pay someone for the job.
Bob Watson for transporting people who are undergoing cancer care as an American Cancer Society Road to Recovery volunteer driver. Since 2008, Watson has completed more than 600 transportation requests and driven 22,387 miles. In 2012 alone he completed twice the number of rides as the number #2 driver, helping ensure patients receive the life-saving cancer treatments they need to survive.
“Hoosiers are known for their willingness to give back and make a difference. So many community volunteers are changing our community and improving lives. This is an important way to recognize and thank them.” said Alan Witchey, director, United Way of Central Indiana's Volunteer Center.
