The 2006 Annual Fundraising Campaign is in full swing and we appeal to all residents and businesses in the community to support our efforts. Our neighbors in need are counting on our help, as are the programs and services that provide assistance to them - please make your donation today. Our goal for this year is to raise $100,000, and we are only 25% of the way towards reaching that goal. Please give today!

Your donation can be made securely online by clicking here, or donors can send a check to the ABUW at PO Box 2258, Acton, MA 01720-6258.

At our 25th Anniversary Celebration, held earlier this month, the current Board of Directors was joined by past Board members, friends, donors and guests to commemorate the occasion. The highlight of the evening was the announcement of over $20,000 in leadership gifts to kick off the campaign, which has a $100,000 goal for 2006.

Adding a special touch to the evening, Senator Pam Resor presented the ABUW with an Official Citation from the Massachusetts State Senate recognizing the ABUW for our "constant commitment to the community'. Three of the four ABRHS student Board members are seen here with Senator Resor - from left, Robyn Murphy, Senator Resor, Jyoti Jasrasaria and Erika Buckle.

Thank you to all who joined us at this celebration, and/or those who contributed to the Leadership Gift that kicked off our 2006 campaign. Very special thanks go out to our Special Events Committee, led by Rebecca Capodilupo, and including Carolyn Randolph, Marilyn Peterson, Margaret Richardson, Deborah Berger Todisco, and all those who helped make this a great night for the ABUW.

Both as a way of evaluating our operations and governance structure, and as a requirement of our membership in the United Way of America, the ABUW recently completed a Self-Assessment of our organization. Past and present Board members, along with community partners and agency representatives participated in this exercise, and the information learned from this study will be used as the foundation for the strategic planning process we have planned for spring of 2007.

Results of the study will be available from UWA in late November. We are grateful to all who participated in this important study, and for the community's support of our ongoing efforts to increase our effectiveness, efficiency and our support of the community.