Missouri State’s United Way Campain for 2011 has wrapped up and prizes for various departments have been announced.  MSU raised $101,687, exceeding the $100,000 goal!

Prizes are as follows:

Grand Prize – Percentage of employees participating, Broadcast Services, 67%

Reception for up to 50 at Interim President Clif Smart’s home.

Highest number of new leaders, Administration & Information Services,  5    

10 tickets to one of the following shows at the Hall: “Ballet Memphis” February 29; “Danu” March 6; “Ricky Nelson Remembered” April 21

Highest average gift, Library, $322.07

35 tickets to the Maroon and White Suite for Bears Basketball, Dec. or Jan.

Most improved percentage of employee participating, President’s Office (Athletics & Entertainment & Intercollegiate Athletics.)   

35 tickets to the Maroon and White Suite for Lady Bears Basketball, Dec or Jan

Most money earned during the Week of Living United activities, Administration & Information Services,   $275.00.

30 tickets to “Night Sky Essays: A New Winter Solstice concert” December 2

Below is a list of Leadership Circle members who donated $500 or more in 2011:

The winner of  the United Way contest for “Most Money Earned During Week of Living United” has been announced.  Administrative & Information Services topped out at $275.00!  They collected a dollar for each chance to win a giant candy tree.  Paula Wilhelm’s name was drawn.

AIS will received 30 tickets to “Night Sky Essays: A New Winter Solstice Concert” at Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts.

Don’t forget that the other four United Way contests continue until October 28. Those contests and prizes include:

• Highest percentage of employees participating: Reception for up to 50 at President’s House.
• Highest number of new leaders: 10 tickets to a show at the Hall.
• Highest average gift: 35 tickets to Maroon and White Suite for Bears Basketball.
• Most improved percentage of employees participating: 35 tickets to Maroon and White Suite for Lady Bears Basketball.

Encourage all your colleagues to participate in the United Way Campaign before next Friday!

Departments across campus are hosting a variety of fundraisers for the United Way during the “Week of Living United” October 7th through 14th.

The Development Office will host a bake sale on the first floor of the Meyer Alumni Center on Monday, October 10th starting at 7:30 am. They will also have an M&Ms contest with chances to guess the number of M&Ms in a jar.  Guesses are $1 each or 5 guesses for $3. The winner will take home the M&Ms and a $25 Target gift card.

The Dean of Students Office encourages you to “Drop your change for the Dean” and will collect spare change at the Union Club during the Week of Living United.

The Academic Advisement Center has started a “How Many Tootsie Rolls” fundraiser at their office in University Hall 109.  Guesses are just 25 cents each, and the closest guess gets the jar of Tootsie Rolls.

There’s still time to organize a fundraiser in your department.  Remember, the area that raises the most money during the Week of Living United will win one of the President’s prizes!

The University Relations team at Missouri State University, which includes 22 full-time staff members who work in the areas of athletics communications, publications, photographic services, university communications and web/new media, participated in the United Way’s Day of Caring by holding a supply drive for the nursery at Bailey Alternative School. The presence of the nursery on the Bailey campus in Springfield allows young women to finish high school even if they have had a baby.
University Relations dropped off the following to Bailey:
1,310 baby wipes
10 boxes baby cereal
2 large jugs apple juice
54 jars baby food
2 large jugs applesauce
10 cans Spaghetti-Os
1 bulk box Goldfish crackers
2 bulk bags animal crackers
7 cans toddler “puffs”
1 large, 1 small stainless steel trash cans
$110 cash toward a new crib

The United Way’s Annual Day of Caring will be held on Thursday, August 18th this year.  This event is a great opportunity to get out and give back to the community.  There are several volunteer projects coordinated on this date, and groups or individuals can sign up to get involved.

This would be a great opportunity to get your University department involved with the United Way.  For example, University Relations is organizing a “baby shower” for the Bailey Alternative High School.  There’s a nursery on Bailey’s campus that allows students to keep attending class even if they’ve had a baby.  These young mothers often look to the nursery to help provide diapers, clothes, and toys for their children.  University Relations will be collecting baby items to replinish the nursery’s supplies.

This is just one example of the many worthwhile projects that will take place on the Day of Caring.  Projects include painting, landscaping, cooking and stuffing envelopes, just to name a few.  To find a complete list of volunteer opportunities, visit http://www.uwozarks.com/day_of_caring.asp and click on the Project List link.

Over the weekend of June 17-19 MSU students volunteered their time to raise money for Joplin.  Students stood at the gates of the Show Me Music and Arts Festival, held at Springfield Underground, and collected money to help the victims of the Joplin tornado.  The 3-day outdoor concert featured country, rock and pop acts as well as comedy and celebrity chef stages.  An estimated 34,000 people were in attendance.

Photo:  Lauren Divine, Miranda Tucker, Anna Arthur, Allison Hall

United Way was present at the event all three days.  Over 30 MSU students volunteered to collect donations in buckets at the entrances.  United Way also had a booth set up with T-shirts and beach towels for sale, and on Sunday night, they hosted a live auction.  With the help of MSU students, approximately $15,000 was raised.  This is just another example of the great work that United Way does in our community by responding to the needs that arise.  Not only are they helping the victims of the Joplin tornado, they are giving college students and other residents a chance to volunteer and get more involved in the community.