Newsletter November 2018

United Way of Greater Kingsport | November 2018 Newsletter

2018 Campaign Continues | GIVE TODAY

The United Way of Greater Kingsport (UWGK) has raised $3.15 million, or 90%, of its $3.5 million campaign goal. The dollars raised through the campaign remain within our Greater Kingsport community to improve lives within the areas of health, education and financial stability. UWGK is able to leverage funds to support 43 programs and 31 member agencies to sustain positive community impact. Join us as we fight for the health, education and financial stability of every person in our community!

Michelle Bacon, Manager, Eastman Site Contractor Training & Medical Center and United Way of Greater Kingsport's 2018 Campaign Co-Chair extends gratitude to the Kingsport Community and emphasizes the importance of finishing the 2018 campaign strong. "We have all heard the phrase - start strong, finish stronger and that is our plan. With a generous giving community like ours, we know we can't lose. Let's encourage each other to remember that we give to achieve the greater good. Ralph Waldo Emerson stated it best when he said, 'To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.'

Together, Kingsport succeeds. Join us as we strive to finish our 2018 campaign strong."

The GIFT of GIVING!

Thankfulness. It's a word, a season, and it's also a state of mind. Thankfulness is modeled to me by people I admire: a young mom, my dad, and my pastor. A simple but effective daily habit is to name three things each day for which you are thankful. This simple habit helps to set our minds on what is good and right and reminds us to count our blessings each day.

Today, I am thankful for your generosity. I realize, as I sign many 'Thank You' letters for financial gifts to our organization, that the number and amount of giving is made up of all members of our community. I thank you.

Some of you I have known for years, yet many of you I do not know. Yet with each letter I sign, I know that a family has a heart for generosity for helping a neighbor in need, and I humbly thank you.

As your family celebrates Thanksgiving this month, please know that we, as the staff and board of United Way of Greater Kingsport, are also thankful for YOU. I'd also like to invite you to our Campaign Celebration Lunch (please RSVP to LMiller@uwaykpt.org) where in addition to announcing how much has been raised, Dr. Marvin Cameron will be speaking on "The Give and Get of Generosity". Come and learn how generosity is beneficial to a person in unexpected ways.

And if you have not yet made a pledge or gift to the 2018 campaign, please take this opportunity to do so. Pledges can be made online at uwaykpt.org/give or mailed to our address at 301 Louis Street, Suite 201, Kingsport, TN 37660. As we are nearing our extraordinary 2018-19 goal of $3.5 million, we need exceptional participation from our community. We invite you to join us!

United We Fight, United We Win! Danelle Glasscock Executive Director

UWGK 2018 CAMPAIGN CELEBRATION!

Click here to RSVP!

Thank you, Kingsport Restaurants!

United Way of Greater Kingsport would like to extend a HUGE thank you to East Coast Wings, Freddy's, Panda Express and Chick-Fil-A! These restaurants have graciously partnered with UWGK and advertised, promoted and donated a percentage of net sales to the 2018 campaign!

Also, THANK YOU to all those who attended these events! We are thankful for each and every one of you who ate at these restaurants for a great cause!

We hope to continue to work with these restaurants and others in the future!

Latest News | Celebration of Chemistry On October 23-24 United Way of Greater Kingsport participated in the National Chemistry Week' s 4th grade Celebration of Chemistry event hosted by Eastman Chemical Company. During this event, around 1,300 fourth grade students from schools in upper East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia attended to see demonstrations and learn how local industry uses science and technology in everyday jobs. UWGK was there to present "Brain Under Construction" educating kids about the importance of brain development and encouraging them to build strong and healthy brains and "Be drug free to be the best brain you can be!" A special 'Thank You' is extended to our volunteers who helped us coordinate and prepare for this event. We received positive feedback from organizers, teachers and students that were in attendance and are looking forward to another successful event next year!

National Drug Take Back 2018

The Kingsport City Police Department encouraged people to go through their cabinets and inventory their medications, then safely dispose of any that were leftover, expired or no longer needed at this year's Drug Take Back Event.

On Saturday, October 27th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., members of the Kingsport Police Department and volunteers set up in front of Dobyns-Bennett High School. This drug take-back event was sponsored by the United Way of Greater Kingsport, the Kingsport Police Department and the Sullivan County Anti-Drug Coalition.

"The goals of this program are to keep drugs off the street, prevent overdoses and accidental poisonings and avoid environmental contamination," states KPD Public Information Officer Tom Patton. "Drugs that can be accepted include prescription, over the counter (OTC), vitamins, herbals, supplements, and veterinary medications. Items that are not accepted through this program include needles or sharps, biohazard materials and illegal drugs."

The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration sponsors two National Prescription Drug TakeBack Days each year, in April and October. National Prescription Drug Take Back Days aim to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.

The KPD has been participating in drug take-back initiatives since 2010, and event installed a permanent drug collection box in the lobby of the Kingsport Justice Center, located at 200 Shelby St. That box is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days-a-year. Patton said it has safely collected nearly 12,000 pounds of medication that was later incinerated.

Thanks to all the sponsors, volunteers and those who participated in this year's event to help make our community a safer place!

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