Building Community - News from Acton-Boxborough United Way

Acton-Boxborough

United Way

May 25, 2011

Dear Neighbor,

Spring rains and warmth have finally arrived in Acton and Boxborough. Spring is also the time of year when the ABUW Board of Directors determines grant allocations in a time of rising need and continued budget cuts. Your donations to the Spring Appeal or to sponsor a Relay Team in the June 5th Community Challenge provide valuable support to local families; summer camp at NARA for children who might otherwise be home alone; financial counseling; daily meals for homebound seniors; and so much more.

Your involvement and generosity are crucial to our efforts to strengthen the community. Thank you!

Jane Boatright, ABUW President and Rachel Sagan, ABUW Executive Director

Celebrating 30 Years of Service to the Acton-Boxborough Community

In This Issue

Community Forum

Upcoming Events

Business Sponsors

YIP Collection for HGRM

Quick Link

ABUW website

Upcoming Events

Mini-Triathlon Challenge

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Less than 2 weeks to go!

Bike, Run and Row

with teammates in a fun mini-triathlon. Proceeds benefit local agencies.

Join us for our second year at the Community Chest Challenge.

Form a team;

Join a team; or

Sponsor a team

Click to Learn More

Annual ABUW Meeting

Wednesday, June 15th

7:30 - 9:00 pm

Sargent Memorial Library

427 Mass. Ave, Boxborough

Please join us as we reflect on the past year's work and welcome new directors and committee members.

Day of Caring

Thursday, Sept. 22, 2011

Please join us for the ABUW 2011 Day of Caring. We welcome local businesses, community groups and individual volunteers from the A-B Community who will be linked with projects at local human service agencies. Community spirit, employee team-building, rewarding experiences - see what can be accomplished in one fun day of cooperative volunteer work!

For more information on all events, contact Rachel Sagan, Executive Director

abuw@abuw.org

Spring Community Forum Report

Collaboration and Integration Focus

by Beth Farley, ABUW Volunteer

Collaboration and integration; those were the buzzwords stressed by the Executive Director of Lazarus House of Lawrence, Bridget Shaheen. Shaheen was the featured speaker at the Spring Community Forum sponsored by the Acton-Boxborough United Way on May 5^th. Speaking to nearly 40 representatives of community service organizations from the Acton and Boxborough area, Shaheen highlighted the methods and techniques that have proven successful at Lazarus House as they strive to positively impact the lives of the people in Lawrence . . .

By collaborating with other service agencies in Lawrence, Lazarus House seeks to never replicate existing services. Encouraging the attending agencies to also work together, Shaheen stated, "When we stop being territorial, people are better served".

For the full story on the ABUW Spring 2011 Community Forum, please click here.

Business Sponsors

Thank You from ABUW

We warmly thank our latest local business sponsors. Please join us in recognizing their generosity & community spirit.

Acton-based landscape construction firm, Capizzi & Co.

has joined the Live United 365 campaign.

Sponsors for Community Chest Challenge Teams:

KoKo FitClub - Gold Sponsor

Survey Crafter - Silver Sponsor

Acton Medical Associates - Bronze Sponsor

Middlesex Savings Bank* - Bronze Sponsor

* and an early table sponsor for Casino Royale

In addition, our High School Directors and Volunteers recently held a successful raffle. We thank Serafina's Restaurant of Concord and our Southern New England AAA Office for their generous donations of raffle items.

Youth In Philanthropy

Collects Pots & Pans for HGRM

ABUW Youth in Philanthropy members Jenna Mullen and Esther Hwang cheerfully greeted people streaming into Acton Town Meeting, collecting pots and pans for Household Goods Recycling of Mass. Collection bins were also set up at the Acton-Boxborough High School and Junior High. The students collected 25 large boxes of all kinds of pots and pans for HGRM clients, many of whom are starting from scratch to furnish and equip their homes. Youth in Philanthropy is an after-school club at ABRHS that raises funds and supports local non-profits by making up to $10,000 in grants annually and providing in-kind support such as this drive. YIP Collects for HGRM

Please FORWARD this email to your friends, family and business associates in Acton and Boxborough.

Cathy Utt, eNews Editor, Board of Directors