Community Impact Awards

 
What is the Community Impact Award? 
The nominees for the United Way of the Midlands Community Impact Awards are a person or group of people that have demonstrated a commitment to volunteerism and made an impact to causes, programs or projects that support human service needs in the midlands. Nominations were submitted for volunteers who participated in service projects for Untied Way of the Midlands or a certified partner agency in the counties of Calhoun, Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Richland or Orangeburg in 2008. Each winner did so in a slightly different way, but all of them had a tremendous impact on the lives they touched. 

2008 Community Impact Award Winners: 
  1. Wes Furgess, nominated by LRADAC
    Wes has served as Chairman of the Board and as Vice-Chair. In addition, he has been instrumental in developing numerous committees and projects to assist us in fighting the war on drugs in our community. He is a tireless worker and committed to making the Midlands a better place to live.
    ~Nancy Whiteside
  2. James DuBose, nominated by Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands
    James     is a positive role model not only of volunteerism, but of the important role men can take to end sexual violence.  His dedication to working with survivors of sexual assault provides an immeasurable service to the community in helping those survivors find a path to healing.
    ~ Mary Dell Amick Hayes
  3. Volunteers of the Children's Dental Clinic, nominated by Family Service Center of South Carolina
    In September 2009 the dental clinics will celebrate 50 years of providing reliable and consistent dental care through the services of these devoted volunteers. Over 1,000 children are served annually with over $300,000 of in-kind dentistry being provided by these healthcare professionals, which include several second generation dentists, a husband and wife team, and a number who have committed over 30 years to volunteer service.
    ~ Diane Bouknight
  4. Rose Alicea, nominated by Family Service Center of South Carolina
    Rosa has volunteered her services since 1992 and has donated almost 2287 hours of her time in working with adoptive children who have experience abuse and neglect as well as providing support to the families who have adopted these young people from the foster care system. Over the years her dedication to children through volunteering her time has been estimated to have saved the organization approximately $44,615 in personnel and other operating costs. ~ Debra Beecken
  5. City of Columbia Fire Department, accepted by Chief Bradley Anderson, Deputy Chief Aubrey Jenkins, and Deputy Chief Carmen Floyd, nominated by Columbia Urban League
    On a continual basis, their dedicated staff is on call to help the Columbia Urban League carry out its mission of serving the disadvantaged. Each year, this organization allows its staff to serve as host and hostesses at the Urban League's Annual Fund Campaign and Equal Opportunity Day Dinner, which is our organization's largest fundraiser. Additionally, they show up every year to help unload trucks of food and pack more than 300 food boxes that are distributed to the elderly during the Urban League's annual Christmas Giving Campaign for the elderly. This group of 500 employees risks their lives every day to save others and prevent danger in the communities. From their leaders to their workers who serve on the front lines, the tentacles of this group reach throughout the great Columbia community, leaving their footprints on the lives of many citizens.
    ~ James T. McLawhorn
    6.  
    Congratulations to all of the 2008 Community Impact Award Recipients! 
The criteria for the United Way of the Midlands Community Impact Award are as follows:
The nominee must have volunteered for United Way of the Midlands or a Certified Partner Agency, may not be a winner in any other category, and the nominee's volunteer hours must have been served in 2008.