United Way announces new program during annual meeting

Julie Smith/News Tribune
Stephanie Lehmen, second from right,  was the recpient of this year's Linda McAnany Outstanding Volunteer Award. Pictured with Lehmen are United Way President Ann Bax, at left, Sharon Campbell, incoming board chair and Andy Fechtel, outgoing board chair.
Julie Smith/News Tribune Stephanie Lehmen, second from right, was the recpient of this year's Linda McAnany Outstanding Volunteer Award. Pictured with Lehmen are United Way President Ann Bax, at left, Sharon Campbell, incoming board chair and Andy Fechtel, outgoing board chair.

Central Missouri, like all communities, struggled during the past three years because of the pandemic and recent inflation. And unlike most other communities, the region faced additional challenges because it entered the pandemic as it recovered from a tornado.

Despite all the challenges, the community continues to thrive, and area residents give more and more of their time and their hard-earned cash to help neighbors, United Way of Central Missouri leadership told about 250 people gathered for the organization's annual meeting Thursday afternoon.

It is in part because of the generous, philanthropic nature of the community that the United Way announced a new program aimed at connecting retired folks with volunteer opportunities, President Ann Bax told members of the organization during the meeting.

The United Way uses the annual meeting to elect new officers, recognize those who have served well over the past year, reflect on successes and begin plans for the future during the annual meeting.

Bax announced the kickoff of Give 5 -- a civic matchmaking program to connect Central Missouri retirees (and soon-to-be retirees ages 60 and older) with meaningful volunteer opportunities.

"As the community's mobilizer of volunteers, we are thrilled to bring the Give 5 program to our community in partnership with Aging Best, thanks to a grant from the State of Missouri," Bax said. "Participants learn about the most challenging problems facing our community and uncover ways their skills and passions can be utilized to help make a difference in addressing social and systemic issues."

Those who participate in Give 5 will help out in a variety of areas that have social impacts, she continued, including education, child care, housing and more.

One day each week for five weeks, participants visit 18 United Way agency partners to learn about how their volunteer support can affect those agencies. On graduation day, participants select one or more nonprofits to which they commit five hours a month of volunteer service.

The program, matching retirees with unfulfilled volunteer opportunities, represents an opportunity to reimagine what volunteerism can look like, Bax said.

She offered examples of the connections that could be made -- such as retired health care professionals advocating for Rape and Abuse Crisis Service clients; retired professionals teaching Salvation Army of Jefferson City clients life skills, such as budgeting and cooking; or people with building trades knowledge offering their skills to Transformational Housing in Jefferson City.

More information is available at https://www.unitedwaycemo.org/give5. You can also contact Hannah Gerard for more information by calling 573-636-4100 or emailing [email protected].

Bax said she expected the first Give 5 program class would fill up quickly and it will be limited to 20 people. Sessions will be 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Wednesdays (March 29, April 5 and April 12); and 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. April 19. Graduation day is April 26. Applicants are expected to attend all four session days.

Back to business

It has been three years since the annual meeting was held in person, Bax said. Those past three years have proven that the community can accomplish anything it sets its mind to, she said.

Andy Fechtel, the outgoing United Way board chairman, said the past few years have been a journey and the community was just beginning to settle into a "somewhat normal" routine, which "felt really good." He said the past few years had re-energized people's passion to take care of each other and their neighbors.

"We saw neighbors helping neighbors. We saw people helping people they did not know," Fechtel said. "We saw people coming together for a common cause."

Bax said an example is the volunteers who stepped up to serve at mobile food pantries. All of the mobile food pantry volunteer slots are filled through 2023, she said.

The United Way recognized outgoing board members Ben Musholt, Mark Mueller, Britt Smith, Bev Stafford and Stacy Sturm.

It elected five new members to its board of directors -- Trenton Barbour, Greg Callahan, Darren Heckman, Sally Moore and Janet Wear-Enloe.

Three board members received re-appointments to second three-year terms -- Tammy Chute, Ryan Freeman and Ryann Kampeter.

As Fechtel prepared to leave his seat as the board chair, Bax reminded him of his years serving the United Way in many roles.

"This moment is always hard for me -- when a board chairman becomes a past chairman," Bax said. "I guess I don't like change. And I guess that is part of being old, which you often remind me I am."

She said she loved how Fechtel used humor to break up awkward moments during board meetings, which reminded her of Fechtel's father.

"It is truly a gift," she told him. "I am pretty sure you may be one of the youngest board chairs in United Way history, but you are certainly beyond your years in leadership and vision. You give so much but expect nothing in return."

Sharon Campbell, the new board chairwoman, said she was pleased about how many people took time out of their day to attend the meeting.

"Even as life has given us doozies -- like a tornado or a pandemic or crazy inflation -- the United Way of Central Missouri continues to see growth," Campbell said. "Growth in the number of volunteers, growth in the annual campaign and growth in the number of lives touched through the partner agencies and the grants that have been provided."

The year that was

Campaign co-chairs Cassandra Atchison and Kyle Shimmens revealed the final tally for last year's campaign reached $2.53 million, surpassing the goal by more than $200,000.

Shimmens has completed two years of service as campaign chairman. He will be replaced by Doug Hagenhoff, who is a Hawthorn Bank vice president.

Shimmens and Atchison announced awards from last year's campaign.

The United Way recognized Cole County government as the small business pacesetter of the year for 2022. Led by the Cole County Health Department, the campaign increased employee giving by almost 30 percent.

The outstanding large firm that was a pacesetter was Rusty Drewing, which increased fundraising by $48,000 over 2021, when it was the Riley Automotive Group.

The United Way gave its small division William W. Quigg award (for outstanding campaign) to Public Schools Retirement System.

The large firm division recipient was Scholastic.

The award for outstanding campaign coordinator went to Missouri Farm Bureau coordinators John Long, Ashton Kidwell, Gail Metz and Jenna Korsmeyer.

Central Bank & Central Technology Services received the award for outstanding campaign event.

The Live United Corporate Pacesetter Award went to Wallstreet Group, which increased fundraising by $14,500 over the previous year, and had 100 percent participation for about the 11th year in a row.

The Live United Corporate Community Campaign Award went to Hitachi Energy.

The top five campaigns based solely on employee giving were:

• Central Bank & Central Technology Services, $187,823.

• Scholastic Inc., $129,346.

• Missouri State Employees Charitable Campaign, $122,000.

• Ameren Missouri, $63,056.

• Osage Ambulances, $51,320.

Strictly corporate giving was topped by Diamond Pet Foods, which gave $275,000.

The Linda McAnany Award for Distinguished Service went to Stephanie Lehman.

The Ruth Meloy Award for Distinguished Service went to Wade Middaugh.

Live United Awards went to Marian Bridges, Vicki Myers and Fechtel.

photo Julie Smith/News Tribune Wade Middaugh, accepts the Ruth C. Meloy Distinguished Service award during Thursday's United Way Annual Meeting at Capital Bluffs. Shown with Middaugh are, Andy Fechtel, at right, Ann Bax, left, and Sharon Campbell.
photo Julie Smith/News Tribune For all of her hard work and dedication to volunteering for the United Way, Marian Bridges, at left, was presented with a Live United Award during Thursday's United Way Annual Meeting at Capital Bluffs.She is shown telling Andy Fechtel thank you for letting her help out.
photo Julie Smith/News Tribune Vicki Myers receives a hug from Ann Bax as Myers was presented with a Live United Award during Thursday's United Way Annual Meeting at Capital Bluffs.
photo Julie Smith/News Tribune Andy Fechtel was presented by Ann Bax, president of the United Way of Central Missouri, with the Live United Award during Thursday's United Way Annual Meeting at Capital Bluffs. Bax was necessarily out of the office for long periods of time the last quarter of 2022 and as United Way Board Chairman, Fechtel took on added responsibilities to assist the staff with any questions or issues that arose during that time.
photo Julie Smith/News Tribune Central Missouri United Way President Ann Bax addresses a large lunch crowd as she unveils the newest program of the United Way--Give 5. According to UW, it's an opportunity designed to learn about volunteer opportunities that match your talents, passions, and personality.