United Way Day of Caring very successful

VW independent/submitted information

The United Way of Van Wert County held its 18th annual Day of Caring event last Friday. This annual event helps replenish food and blood supplies within the community.

After a record setting 2015 campaign, expectations were set high for 2016 and the event did not disappoint.   As always, when there is a need in the county, local businesses and residents step up to the plate to give, volunteer, and advocate.

The food drive beat the record set last year of 34,116 items by collecting over 36,000 items, but was also just under the goal of 40,000 items. The blood drive also beat the record set in 2015 of 181 units, by collecting 229 units to replenish local blood bank counts.

“This year’s Day of Caring was a great success in many ways,” said United Way Executive Director Vicki Smith. “We had shared with Van Wert County residents the most needed items for the Salvation Army food pantry and our community responded with a record number of those items collected.

“We also asked our area residents to give blood because the Red Cross was at critical levels,” Smith added. “We also were able to collect 229 units and possibly save 687 lives. This is truly a community event and we couldn’t do it without the many volunteer hours.”

“Every year, the Day of Caring committee sets a goal for total number of items; this year we also stressed pantry items of most need,” said 2016 Day of Caring Chair Patrick Crummey. “The end result was a food drive that provided quality over quantity, and hopefully allows the Salvation Army to make the most use of its resources to provide to families in need past the end of the year.”

To help set new records in 2016, the United Way Day of Caring Committee connected with many area businesses, organizations, and citizens to get more people involved. The local schools held food drive events and challenges between classrooms and other county schools. Area banks competed in a friendly challenge to see which bank could collect the most food items, with area banks collecting over 10,000 items and First Federal Savings & Loan in Van Wert winning the challenge.

The Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio partnered with the United Way to collect food items during a meet-and-greet with former “Happy Days” actors Anson Williams and Don Most. Participating businesses throughout the Van Wert area held food drives as well.

Many thanks to Vantage Career Center for the use of their facility and to the staff and students for all their work helping sort the food drive items.

Planning for next year’s 2017 United Way Day of Caring is underway. To find out how area residents can impact their community, contact The United Way of Van Wert County at 419.238.6689, email unitedway109@gmail.com, or visit www.unitedwayvanwert.org.