Latest / WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio / Ashley Richter of United Way

Transcript

Ashley Richter of United Way · WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: Good morning, Sock Valley. You've joined the Waking Crew here
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: on AM fourteen sixty FM ninety five to one WI Xen,
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: where you're never more than moments away from all the
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: local news, sports and entertainment information needed to start your day.
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: And now it is time for our talk line portion
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: of the show, where today I am joined by our
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: good friends from the United Way of Leonogo Counties. Today
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: I get the pleasure of speaking with the executive director,
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: Ashley Richter. Ashley, how are you this morning? Good?
• 0:31
  Speaker 2: Thank you?
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: It is a it was a cold one. I trust
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: your drive into work was safe. There was most of
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: the roads were plowed, but you get some of these
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: these blown over spots and it would just kind of
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: remind you like, well slow down.
• 0:45
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: Great. Well, we've got a lot to cover today, some
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: exciting stuff, kind of starting with an event that you
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: guys already had a shop day, right.
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: Yeah, So we have a couple of different events coming up.
• 1:03
  Speaker 2: Usually I feel like, you know, December could be a
• 1:06
  Speaker 2: little bit of a slower month for us as far
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: as you know, a lot of our big events are
• 1:10
  Speaker 2: done for the year. We just wrapped up our Girlfriend Gala,
• 1:14
  Speaker 2: our online virtual auction. But this December is actually really busy,
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: which is great. So I feel like there's never really
• 1:20
  Speaker 2: a slow time because our work, you know, it's always running.
• 1:23
  Speaker 2: But as far as event goes events, we do have
• 1:26
  Speaker 2: quite a few things running December, and one of the
• 1:29
  Speaker 2: things we have is actually coming up Saturday. So this Saturday,
• 1:35
  Speaker 2: December sixth, which is crazy saying December like I was
• 1:40
  Speaker 2: a great Yeah, it's December. So we have a Shop
• 1:43
  Speaker 2: for a Cause day with Society Boutique here in Dixon
• 1:48
  Speaker 2: and at that event, Society will be donating back to
• 1:52
  Speaker 2: United Way a percentage of all sales, and I believe
• 1:55
  Speaker 2: they move their like holiday open house to this Saturday
• 1:58
  Speaker 2: as well, so they'll have a lot of fun things
• 1:59
  Speaker 2: going on at the store. But yeah, we're really excited
• 2:03
  Speaker 2: about that this Saturday. So if you still have you know,
• 2:05
  Speaker 2: some holiday shopping to do, or just want to get
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: out and you know, look for yourself or look for others,
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: it's just going to be a great weekend. I feel
• 2:13
  Speaker 2: like too in the in the downtown just to get
• 2:14
  Speaker 2: out and shop, but definitely check out Society, you know,
• 2:17
  Speaker 2: as they're also doing that event to benefit United Way.
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: Awesome, you know, this is just, uh, you know, one
• 2:25
  Speaker 1: one example, because like you said, you've got so much
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: going going on. But this is really why I love
• 2:29
  Speaker 1: this time of year. I feel like these events really
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: start to blossom. Not that we don't have events throughout
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: the rest of the year, but uh, there's just something,
• 2:38
  Speaker 1: you know. The snow adds that magical element and people
• 2:41
  Speaker 1: like really get out to brave the cold for these events.
• 2:45
  Speaker 1: What else is going on this month?
• 2:48
  Speaker 2: Okay? So then also, so that's a new event this Saturday.
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: Another new event we have on Monday, December eighth, we
• 2:57
  Speaker 2: are partnering with Real Mice Study Fitness Studio and Dixon.
• 3:02
  Speaker 2: They are going to be offering a Candlelight gentle yoga
• 3:06
  Speaker 2: class for United Way. So this is a private class.
• 3:10
  Speaker 2: It's not a regularly scheduled class that they have on
• 3:13
  Speaker 2: their schedule, and that will be Monday, December eighth, from
• 3:17
  Speaker 2: six thirty to seven thirty on at the studio. The
• 3:20
  Speaker 2: cost of twenty five dollars to take the hour class
• 3:24
  Speaker 2: and they will be donating also a portion of the
• 3:26
  Speaker 2: class back to the United Way. It is limited on spots.
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: I think we can have about twenty to twenty two
• 3:33
  Speaker 2: people in the class. So there are sign up information
• 3:37
  Speaker 2: on our Facebook page that you can see how you
• 3:39
  Speaker 2: can sign up through Rule my studio for the class,
• 3:43
  Speaker 2: but we did want to open it up to the community,
• 3:45
  Speaker 2: so if you're you know, interested in giving back to
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: United Way and also just you know, love fitness classes
• 3:52
  Speaker 2: or especially with this the candle Light yoga, it's perfect
• 3:54
  Speaker 2: for everyone. And we also just wanted to do that
• 3:58
  Speaker 2: kind of flow down mindfuls like Stress Release Class two
• 4:02
  Speaker 2: because we know the holidays can be very busy, you know,
• 4:04
  Speaker 2: for everyone, so just taking that moment to kind of
• 4:07
  Speaker 2: like relax, stretch, reset, and also support United Way. So
• 4:11
  Speaker 2: we're really excited about that and that's coming up Monday,
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: December eighth, so kind of like a little bit of
• 4:17
  Speaker 2: something for everyone. But like you said, it's such an
• 4:20
  Speaker 2: exciting year with I feel like people are in that
• 4:22
  Speaker 2: spirit of giving and also just really seeing the community
• 4:26
  Speaker 2: come around United Way and wanting to support the work
• 4:29
  Speaker 2: we're doing because you know, our work benefits so many
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: people in the community. We really have something for everyone
• 4:35
  Speaker 2: and we try to you know, make sure that everyone
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: has what they what they need. So I'm just really
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: exciting to see all of our local businesses coming together
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: to support what the work we're doing.
• 4:45
  Speaker 1: I absolutely love this. I love that you were thinking
• 4:48
  Speaker 1: of de stressing people because as happy as the time
• 4:50
  Speaker 1: of this is, of a year as this is, You're
• 4:53
  Speaker 1: absolutely right, it can be very stressful. So this is
• 4:56
  Speaker 1: a very thoughtful event. I do have one question, Ashley,
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: I'm not gonna need to be able to get my
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: foot behind my head to do the yoga, am I no?
• 5:05
  Speaker 2: No, So this is definitely beginner friendly, so I'm gonna
• 5:09
  Speaker 2: I would say, it's going to be more of like
• 5:11
  Speaker 2: light stretching, more mindfulness. Yeah, light stretching, meeting everyone where
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: they are, so yes, you do not have to be,
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: you know, someone of the Times Yoga Weekly to come
• 5:22
  Speaker 2: to this class. Definitely a great one for beginners and
• 5:25
  Speaker 2: just getting that nice like you know, slow down, light stretch.
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: So definitely for everyone.
• 5:30
  Speaker 1: I love it. I love hearing that, and you know,
• 5:32
  Speaker 1: I want for anybody listening and who might not you know,
• 5:35
  Speaker 1: they I'm sure everybody's familiar with the you know, the
• 5:38
  Speaker 1: name of United Way, but I'd like you to tell
• 5:40
  Speaker 1: folks a little bit of just about what your organization does.
• 5:43
  Speaker 2: And yeah, so a big thing with United Way is
• 5:48
  Speaker 2: I was like to talk about history. We started. We've
• 5:50
  Speaker 2: been in Dixon since the nineteen fifties and it started
• 5:53
  Speaker 2: out as a Dixon Community Chest, which is essentially a
• 5:56
  Speaker 2: group of people that noticed and even a community and
• 6:00
  Speaker 2: they thought, how can we support our local nonprofits? And
• 6:02
  Speaker 2: so they went out and they started fundraising. Individuals that
• 6:05
  Speaker 2: went out that care about the community, that fundraise dollars
• 6:09
  Speaker 2: to then redistribute to local organizations that were in need.
• 6:14
  Speaker 2: And then you kind of fast forward to now the
• 6:17
  Speaker 2: United Way of Lee County and that's essentially the same
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: work we're doing under you know, a different national brand.
• 6:25
  Speaker 2: So the work is still the same where locally, you know,
• 6:29
  Speaker 2: we have local volunteers, a local board and it's essentially
• 6:33
  Speaker 2: a group of volunteers that care about the community. And
• 6:35
  Speaker 2: every year we go out. We're in the middle of
• 6:37
  Speaker 2: our annual fundraising campaign right now where we're inviting the
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: community businesses to give to think about how can I
• 6:46
  Speaker 2: make an impact in my community? And the sense is
• 6:48
  Speaker 2: still the same of if we all give a little
• 6:50
  Speaker 2: bit together, we can do so much for our community.
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: So if you're sitting there wondering, you know, I see
• 6:55
  Speaker 2: all these community needs, like how can I, how can
• 6:58
  Speaker 2: I help? United Ways a great way to get involved,
• 7:01
  Speaker 2: to donate to your local community, and through those grants,
• 7:05
  Speaker 2: we're able. This last year, we were able to provide
• 7:08
  Speaker 2: community grants for thirty five local nonprofits here in Lee County.
• 7:12
  Speaker 2: So they apply for those grants every year and we
• 7:15
  Speaker 2: kind of see where we're at, how much we fund raise,
• 7:18
  Speaker 2: what we can do, and every year it's different. We have,
• 7:21
  Speaker 2: you know, different amount of organizations apply and they all
• 7:24
  Speaker 2: have to apply for a specific program in the areas
• 7:27
  Speaker 2: of health, education or financial stability. So we're looking at
• 7:30
  Speaker 2: those human services, those basic needs, you know, what can
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: we do to make sure our community has what it needs?
• 7:37
  Speaker 2: And your gift to United Way kind of trickles down
• 7:40
  Speaker 2: and helps support those thirty five local nonprofits as well
• 7:44
  Speaker 2: as our programs that we run, our Summer Eat Smeal program,
• 7:47
  Speaker 2: our Mini Food Center, our two one one Helpline, Value
• 7:50
  Speaker 2: Part and Imagination Library. We have so many, you know,
• 7:53
  Speaker 2: great programs we run as well, but I think our
• 7:56
  Speaker 2: community grant program is one of those things that you know,
• 7:59
  Speaker 2: is our biggest area of focus of helping us support
• 8:02
  Speaker 2: the community and and our and our nonprofits as well.
• 8:05
  Speaker 2: So we have a really good feel on our community's
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: needs and how we can pull together that money to
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: make a big impact. So hopefully answer your question. I
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: could talk about you guys away all day, but I
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: think that's kind of you know, how we started is
• 8:17
  Speaker 2: definitely how things are going now. You know, just a
• 8:20
  Speaker 2: group of people that really care, that want to come
• 8:23
  Speaker 2: together to make a difference.
• 8:24
  Speaker 1: Well, it's an absolutely fantastic organization and phenomenal work and
• 8:29
  Speaker 1: it is. There are there volunteer opportunities if somebody wants
• 8:32
  Speaker 1: to to actually like get their hands involved with the organization.
• 8:36
  Speaker 2: Yeah, so different ways to volunteer with the United Way
• 8:39
  Speaker 2: we have you know, all of our board members are volunteers.
• 8:43
  Speaker 2: Every year with our campaign, we have about thirty five
• 8:45
  Speaker 2: campaign volunteers that help us fundraise. So that's a great
• 8:49
  Speaker 2: way to get involved just to kind of see the
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: work we do as a campaigner. And then we also
• 8:55
  Speaker 2: with our Mini Food Center, we have volunteers that help
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: stock the mini Food Center for us on Wednesday, So
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: you can sign up for any Wednesday that works for
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: you to go pick up food, clean them ani Food
• 9:06
  Speaker 2: Center out and fill it. So that's a great volunteer opportunity.
• 9:11
  Speaker 2: That we need volunteers weekly for that and then in
• 9:14
  Speaker 2: the summertime with our summer each program, we have volunteers
• 9:18
  Speaker 2: to help pack those meals and that runs throughout the summertime.
• 9:22
  Speaker 2: But a great opportunity to get involved with packing those meals.
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: This last summer we served out fifteen thousand meals, so
• 9:29
  Speaker 2: a lot of packing, many hands that make that program possible.
• 9:33
  Speaker 2: So on our website, we do have a volunteer link
• 9:37
  Speaker 2: that you can submit your information and we get that
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: information and then we'll keep you on our volunteer list,
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: so you can always submit that through our volunteer tab.
• 9:46
  Speaker 2: Message us on Facebook, email me. We're definitely you know,
• 9:50
  Speaker 2: love to get as many people involved with volunteering.
• 9:54
  Speaker 1: Well, that's that's that's wonderful. That's great folks. You know,
• 9:57
  Speaker 1: whether you can donate your time, your your money, spreading
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: the word about this organization, there's there's no excuse not
• 10:04
  Speaker 1: to get involved help your community because it's it's coming
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: back to help folks here in the surrounding area. And
• 10:09
  Speaker 1: this is you know, a perfect time of the year
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: to do it. Any time of the year is a
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: great time, you know to be doing these things. But
• 10:17
  Speaker 1: even so more so right now, I think and this
• 10:20
  Speaker 1: is just really wonderful work. Is there any other events
• 10:24
  Speaker 1: or programs that you wanted to talk about, Ashley?
• 10:27
  Speaker 2: So one last thing we are working on getting honest
• 10:29
  Speaker 2: information out. But another example of a business that wanted
• 10:34
  Speaker 2: to get involved with the United Way Timber Creek Golf
• 10:37
  Speaker 2: Course and Bohie's. They are holding a Yuker tournament on Saturday,
• 10:42
  Speaker 2: December twentieth, and not one hundred percent of your registration
• 10:47
  Speaker 2: fee so if you sign up to play Yuker, they
• 10:50
  Speaker 2: will be donating all of that back to United Way.
• 10:53
  Speaker 2: So it sounds like a really fun event. You can
• 10:55
  Speaker 2: sign up as an individual to play uker, they'll do
• 10:59
  Speaker 2: price is for the tournament. They'll also have a hot
• 11:02
  Speaker 2: dog bar, Martinis, wear an ugly Christmas sweater. So they
• 11:06
  Speaker 2: have a really fun event planned and we're so excited
• 11:09
  Speaker 2: to you know, be working with them on that and
• 11:11
  Speaker 2: be benefiting from the funds from that fundrais. They're so
• 11:14
  Speaker 2: really excited. But another great example of a local organ
• 11:17
  Speaker 2: business that you know it's putting together a special event
• 11:20
  Speaker 2: to benefit United Way, and we're just really excited for
• 11:23
  Speaker 2: all the partnerships that we're able to do with our
• 11:25
  Speaker 2: you know, local businesses, especially our small businesses, and you
• 11:28
  Speaker 2: know how everybody is being so creative and you know
• 11:32
  Speaker 2: the ways that they're giving back and trying to help
• 11:35
  Speaker 2: raise funds as well. So that will have more information
• 11:38
  Speaker 2: out on that, but that is going to be on
• 11:40
  Speaker 2: December twentieth, So if any your players are listening, we'd
• 11:44
  Speaker 2: love to have you there and it should be a fun,
• 11:47
  Speaker 2: a fun day.
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: Well, as many as I've met in my lifetime from
• 11:51
  Speaker 1: a family that played, I know there's some of them
• 11:54
  Speaker 1: out there, so folks head on down to that when
• 11:57
  Speaker 1: it's time. So Ashley, thank you so much for not
• 12:00
  Speaker 1: only joining me today, but the wonderful work that you
• 12:02
  Speaker 1: and your organization is doing. It's absolutely necessary and it's wonderful.
• 12:08
  Speaker 2: So I thank you, thank you well, thank you so
• 12:10
  Speaker 2: much for having me. I really appreciate it.
• 12:12
  Speaker 1: No, absolutely, and this won't be our last conversation, so
• 12:16
  Speaker 1: I will have you back on a future segment of
• 12:19
  Speaker 1: our talk line show to you know, just kind of
• 12:21
  Speaker 1: share more of the wonderful work that you guys are doing.
• 12:23
  Speaker 1: So again, Ashley, thank you so much, awesome, thank you