United Way honors top humanitarian, appoints campaign chair, board prexy

By ANNA TELATOVICH atelatovich@sungazette.com
“It’s my belief that every person in this room is choosing to pass along a little spark of love and humanity,” Dean Kriebel told hundreds of Lycoming County United Way volunteers and staff gathered Monday night at the nonprofit agency’s annual meeting at the Genetti Hotel.

Kriebel told the group how his young son, stricken with a rare neurological syndrome, was helped by the Children’s Development Center, one of the 43 United Way funded program partners.

“United Way helped us primarily through the CDC, getting Andrew the therapy he needs,” Kriebel said. The 7-year-old now can use cutlery, climb stairs and ride a tricycle thanks to physical and occupational therapies provided by the center.

According to LCUW executive director Scott N. Lowery, Kriebel is proof that “Results Matter” — the slogan for the 2007 fundraising campaign — “is a lot more than just a saying.”

More than 1,000 United Way volunteers worked on the 2007 campaign so “that we are able to help provide resources that brighten the lives of thousands of our friends and neighbors right here in Lycoming County,” Lowery said.

The organziation’s highest volunteer award, the Douglas C. Dickey Humanitarian Award, was presented to John R. Brunette during the event and new people assumed the roles of president of the board of directors and 2008 campaign chairman.

The Dickey Award is given for dedication, commitment and leadership contributing to the county’s welfare.

Brunette, who began devoting time to the local group in 1992, shared the award “with all the United Way volunteers. It is they who put the welfare of others in the forefront of their lives,” he said.

Another dedicated person who stepped into Monday night’s spotlight was Michael Bush who assumed the role of 2008 campaign chairman.

The funds raised in each year’s campaign is “not a haystack,” Bush said. It’s enough “to make a difference in the life of a young child, or someone transitioning to a new job, or learning to read.”

Through the dedication of donors of volunteers, United Way creates an “arsenal of hope,” Bush said.

As several six-year board members stepped down, Joanne Ludwikowski assumed the role as president of the board. Board members only can serve two consecutive three-year terms.

During the meeting, Lowery presented honors to companies that achieved more than 30 percent of their giving potential based on one-hour’s pay per month, businesses who contributed 10 percent or more over the previous year, the top 25 employee campaigns and the top 12 corporate contributors.