This year, United Way administrator
Marla Blair said her organization needs to raise $130,000 to meet
the needs of its partners in 2014.
Saturday night the organization had
its annual Tailgate party at the Maple Club, just outside of town.
The fundraiser brings dollars into the organization through dinner
ticket sales, a silent auction and a few raffles. It was a packed
house with those who had come to enjoy the tailgate food, good music
and a great time spent with family and friends.
The silent auction offered some
excellent merchandise, and bidders seemed to be plentiful, as there
was seldom a time during the evening that there were not at least a
few wandering through the offerings and adding their names to the
bid sheets.
WLCN radio was on hand early in the
evening with a remote feed. They kept the music flowing until it was
nearly time for the live entertainment to begin.
At the door, guests were invited to
enter a drawing for a new iPad and a raffle for $500 worth of
groceries from Lincoln IGA. At the end of the night, Jan Schacht of
the Lincoln YMCA won the iPad, and Lucas Lamb was the winner of the
groceries.
About an hour or so into the
evening, Gene Frioli of Logan-Mason Rehab offered a few words to the
audience about his group and its involvement with United Way. Frioli
was introduced by United Way board member Chris Cicci, who spent the
evening as emcee.
Frioli told the audience he has had
a relationship with the United Way for over 28 years, when he began
as the administrator of the rehab center. He remembered that his
organization was in dire straits but was denied any funding from the
United Way the first year. He said he believed the United Way wanted
to see just how dedicated he was to his organization and how
dedicated he would become to the United Way. In the end, Frioli
worked his way into the board of the United Way and spent many years
working with and for the organization.
The United Way is now a supporter
of the rehab center, and Frioli thanked them profusely for what they
do for his organization. He talked about how the people he works
with at the rehab center have needs that many people never
encounter. He said the funding from the United Way helps those
people to grow.
Frioli paraphrased a comment made
once by Hubert Humphrey and said: "The true measure of any society
is how it treats those in the dawn of life, children; how it treats
individuals in the dusk of life, the elderly; and how it treats
those who are in the dark of life, that is the poor, the
disadvantaged and the disabled."
Frioli also talked about Dr. Leo
Buscaglia, who was better known by many as "Dr. Love." He quoted
Buscaglia: "Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a
smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or the
smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a
life around."
Frioli explained that Buscaglia
began his career in the field of special education, but he
experienced a life-changing event when one of the students at the
university where he taught committed suicide. Afterward, Buscaglia
asked his students if any of them had seen signs of this coming. He
learned that in the group no one really knew the person; no one had
ever made the effort to be a true friend to the student.
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This moved Buscaglia to rededicate his
life to encouraging human interaction, and that is how he became Dr.
Love and would go on to speak at many engagements and host a weekly
show promoting the practice of caring for one another.
This is the work that the rehab
center does. It gives the residents and clientele an opportunity to
have real human relationships, friendships that keep the clients
moving in a positive direction in spite of the challenges they have
in their lives.
Frioli thanked the audience and the
United Way for supporting the work of Logan-Mason Rehab.
Immediately following, Cicci and
Blair presented Frioli with a plaque commemorating his lifelong
commitment to helping others.
The rest of the evening was devoted
to good food, good music and good fun. The Maple Club provided the
menu, which included make-your-own pulled pork pitas, make-your-own
soft tacos, brats, coleslaw, potato salad, guacamole dip and chips,
cheese ball with crackers, and a variety of cookies.
At approximately 9 p.m. the silent
auction was closed and winners later announced. The evening ended
with a live band providing entertainment.
On Monday, Blair was pleased with
the way the evening turned out, but she wanted to emphasize that the
money raised is only a small portion of what will be needed for the
2014 year. The United Way needs the support of Logan County
individuals and businesses in order to be able to help those who
need it most. Donating can be as easy as asking your employer to
deduct a specific amount from each payroll check, or dropping off a
one-time donation at the United Way office. The address for the
office is 120 N. McLean St. in Lincoln, or envelopes can be mailed
to the United Way at P.O. Box 684, Lincoln IL 62656.
"With the federal shutdown and
current financial condition of the state of Illinois, it is obvious
we cannot depend on either level of government," Blair said. "The
agencies that receive state and/or federal funding turn to the
community, through the United Way, to continue meeting the needs of
the residents of Logan County."
It is a call for help that she
hopes everyone will hear and respond to. Even the smallest amounts
add up in the end. |