“Start Your Day with United Way” for the 2011 Annual Community Fundraising Campaign Kick-off event at Florida Gateway College

Discussion

August 22, 2011

Anonymous CNHI The Suwannee Democrat Mon Aug 22, 2011, 04:00 PM EDT

Lake City — United Way of Suwannee Valley cordially invites all business leaders and community members to attend its annual community fundraising campaign kick-off event. The event will be conducted at the Florida Gateway College Howard Conference Center on Friday, Sept. 2. A breakfast buffet of pancakes (blueberry, pecan or plain with fruit toppings), bacon and sausage, fresh fruit, orange juice, coffee and water will be served from 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. with the program to follow. The meal price is $9. The theme for the breakfast is “Start your day with United Way.”

The featured speaker will be Alvin “Al” Plymel, who previously made a presentation as a leader in the business community at the local United Way’s campaign report luncheon in Hamilton County and shared his passion for caring for our neighbors. Plymel is a 1989 graduate of Lafayette County High School, Mayo, and a 2007 graduate of Lake City Community College (now Florida Gateway College). He is currently enrolled at North Florida Bible College. Plymel is married to Rachel, his high school sweetheart and now wife of 20 years. The couple has one son, Hayden, who is in the eighth grade in the Suwannee County School system. Plymel is a deacon at Westside Baptist Church, Live Oak. Plymel’s motto is, “All things within God’s will are possible.” Plymel is the service center manager for Altaquip in Jasper. The company is a repair facility for outdoor power equipment. The company primarily services Lowe’s and Home Depot stores and also serves walk-in business.

The event kicks off the community fundraising campaign, which has as its theme “The Art of Giving.” Local artists have been invited to display their work at the kick off and monthly campaign report luncheons rotated around locations in Suwannee, Hamilton and Columbia counties. The table decorations for the kick-off event will be art work produced by preschool children and after-school program participants at Happy House. Throughout the campaign season the report luncheons will include agencies presenting on the campaign theme.

“Our United Way Communications Committee felt it should try a kick-off event in the morning as opposed to the usual evening dinner events. Families are so busy with extracurricular activities, the breakfast event is intended to be a beginning to the work day,” said Rob Wolfe, chair of the Communications Committee, which is responsible for planning the campaign events. “The committee was very intentional about setting the buffet time to allow parents with children to get children off to school or day care before joining others who can arrive earlier. All are invited and encouraged to join our community in celebrating our local United Way and in supporting our annual community fundraising campaign.”

Reservations are required and may be made by contacting the United Way office at 386-752-5604 x 102 by Aug. 26. Tables of eight can be reserved by either families or businesses. Make checks payable to United Way of Suwannee Valley, Inc. 325 NE Hernando Avenue, Lake City, FL 32055.

United Way of Suwannee Valley is a community impact and fundraising organization which, utilizing volunteers on all levels, advances the common good by identifying unmet community needs and seeking to alleviate those needs through United Way of Suwannee Valley initiatives and the funding of 23 affiliated health and human service agencies.

Text Only

Branford News

Suwannee County's vals and sals
Editor's note: In today's paper (May 25) salutatorian is above Mara Lance's photo. Lance is a Suwannee High School valedictorian.

SHS

Valedictorians
Laura-Kaitlyn Boatright
Mara Magee Lance

Salutatorian
Christopher Cole Thomas

BHS
Valedictorian
Robert Hansen
GPA - 3.83

Salutatorian
D’Vonte Cherry
GPA - 3.76

May 25, 2012 5 Photos
Democrat Morning Update for Friday, May 25
Good morning. This is what's happening in your county today.

May 25, 2012 1 Photo
FCAT 2.0 math and reading results
Suwannee falls right in line with state averages

May 24, 2012
Pest infestation spreads
Outbreak now affects more than 6,000 acres in O’Brien

“The infestation is growing at a pretty fast rate and in this case, it’s killing a lot of the laurel oak trees in the O’Brien area or seriously infesting them.”  - Suwannee County Forester Brian Cobble on the horned oak gall wasp outbreak

May 24, 2012 3 Photos
Third grade FCAT 2.0 reading and math results to be released today
May 24, 2012
Democrat Morning Update for Thursday, May 24
Good morning. This is what's happening in your county today.

May 24, 2012 1 Photo
Democrat Morning Update for Wednesday, May 23
Good morning readers.

Check Suwannee Democrat online each morning to learn about traffic news, weather and best bets for the day. Have a great day!

May 23, 2012 1 Photo
Suspected shooter in convenience store killing in Lake City is Suwannee County resident
Man remains at large. His alleged accomplice was arrested Saturday.

May 22, 2012 2 Photos
Pest outbreak identified
Area covers more than 5,380 acres, or 7 miles from one point to the other in southern Suwannee County.

The forest pest is known as the horned oak gall wasp.

May 22, 2012 3 Photos
Democrat Morning Update for Tuesday, May 22
Good morning readers.

Check Suwannee Democrat online each morning to learn about traffic news, weather and best bets for the day. We hope you enjoy.

May 22, 2012 1 Photo
More Branford News Headlines

With school almost out, how will your kids spend summer?