The United Way of The Ocoee Region just had its annual luncheon, located at the Museum and Cultural Center at 5ive Points. United Way, along with its
The United Way of The Ocoee Region just had its annual luncheon, located at the Museum and Cultural Center at 5ive Points. United Way, along with its community partners, has been known for its charitable works in Ocoee since 1938 (though they’ve undergone a couple of name changes since). The luncheon opens up with customary prayer and President and CEO, Stephanie Linkous. Linkous expresses the importance of their mission, from breaking the generational cycle of poverty, providing necessities to those in need, to creating a healthy pathway for the youth of America.
As the meeting continues, awards are presented to people who have been a great asset to the organization or have shown significant standing in their charitable works. The first award presented was the Colonel Jim Tucker Award, recognizing leadership in their community, given by their own Tanya Mazzolini, the Chief Financial Officer of United Way. The recipient of this honor is CEO of Life Bridges, Diana Jackson. Mrs. Jackson is a licensed clinical social worker of almost 40 years, known for her outstanding work with adults who live with mental and physical disabilities.
With an informational intermission in between awards, Director of Community Impact, Shawna Staup, explains some of what United Way has accomplished within the past year. One of the main focuses of her speech is a touching story of a widowed mother of two. The mother had recently lost her husband to cancer, and with herself and children to provide for on a single income, quickly sunk into poverty. However, with the help of the United Way Case Management and Housing Navigation program, she was able to find affordable living and get the goods that her children needed in time for school to start. This is just one instance of the help that the United Way of the Ocoee Region has provided.
The next award is presented by last year’s winner of the Charlotte Thorogood Woman of Impact Award, the owner of BonLife Coffee, Erika Moore. The winner of this award is Mix 104.1’s very own Ashley Flowers. Flowers is a United Way Pillar Society member, Young Professional’s Circle Cabinet member, and a Women United member (as well as being a mother of five).
Finally, after a presentation by Kayla Shugart, Director of Development, going over and thanking the over one hundred community partners and donors of UWTOR, our final award is to be presented. Given by last year’s recipient, Matthew Tolbert, we have the William F. Johnson award. This is the highest award given for community service, something that has only been given to 39 other people. This person has an extensive list of achievements, having served on the board of the United Way, currently in the United Way Investment Committee, is a founding member of the Community Foundation of Cleveland and Bradley, Citizen Rep. of the Bradley County Audit Committee, and serves on the Ocoee Foundation Board. This person is Alan Smith.
As the luncheon ends, Linkous returns to close us out, with one final ceremony, as a new chairman of the board, Dr. Matt Tolbert, steps in. As she thanks her audience, she speaks upon the importance of community service within your town and how you may never fully understand the great impact of what one helping hand can do.
Mix 104.1 provided Live Stream Coverage of the Event
