LIVE UNITED Y’All!

When Luke was not quite 18 months old, I began to have concerns about his speech development. I consulted family members, friends, co-workers, and expert volunteers for their opinions. Of course, by asking so many people I got quite a range of advice. There were a lot of folks who thought that I had very high expectations for Luke, and that I should wait until he was at least two before I really worried. Others thought that as his mom I knew best and it couldn’t hurt to have an evaluation done. In the end, I decided that I did know my child better than anyone else in the world. If he didn’t qualify for services then I would know that I had been overreacting but wouldn’t have worried that I hadn’t done enough for my son.

So, I spoke with a friend who works for First Steps, and she guided me through the process. It was actually pretty easy. I made the referral for Luke. Within a few days, the Initial Service Coordinator (ISC) assigned to Luke contacted me to set up a time for us to talk. She came to my office and asked me several questions about Luke and we set up a time for his evaluation. The evaluator came to our home. She played with Luke, asked us more questions about our observations of him and made notations on the forms she was using. Based on her findings, he did qualify for speech services. We then chose a Primary Service Coordinator (PSC) who helped us choose a speech therapist.

Luke’s speech therapist would see him at a variety of locations based on her schedule and what worked for us. Sometimes she would see him at his child care center, sometimes at our house, and sometimes at one of his grandmothers’ homes. It was so nice to have his therapy at places that he was used to and comfortable with. His therapist was kind and offered us tips about what we could do with Luke on a day-to-day basis to encourage his speech development.

When enrolled in First Steps, the PSC and therapists periodically review the established Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP). At our second review, the speech therapist shared that she thought that Luke might have some sensory issues and recommended that we have an evaluation to see if Luke qualified for Occupational Therapy. I was a little shocked and admittedly devastated. I had been able to accept his need for speech that was seemingly common, but a sensory integration disorder? That I wasn’t prepared for.

I didn’t understand. This was my child. The child I read to everyday from the time he was in the womb, the child I played, sang and danced with, my sweet boy. I never thought that my child would be the recipient of services. In my job I help to make sure that services are available to those in need. I am not used to being the one in need. So, I began to look into Sensory Integration Dysfunction. A lot of the descriptions that I read on the web and in recommended books did seem to fit my sweet boy. So, I knew what I had to do. If he had something going on that he needed help with, it was my responsibility to make sure that he got the help that he needed. Even if it meant that my expectations had to change.

We had further evaluation and he qualified for Occupational Therapy. Luke’s experience with OT was amazing. In my opinion, it actually helped with his speech more than the speech therapy alone had. This “diagnosis” wasn’t the end of the world. It was a way for Luke to learn to manage some of his challenges. It was a way for him to be more comfortable in the world.

At the beginning of April, my not-so-little Luke will turn three. I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone by. His third birthday will also mark the end of his time with First Steps. He has come a long way. I now understand almost all of what he is saying, although he doesn’t use all of the correct sounds. He transitions easily from one activity to another, and is a well-adjusted, normal little boy.

Based on my conversations with his therapists, his PSC and my contacts at JCPS I have decided to let Luke take the summer off from therapy. He would likely only qualify for speech through the school system and the school year is coming to a close. So, we’re going to enroll in swim lessons, continue going to Gymboree and work on his articulation during our normal conversations. We’ll see how he’s doing in September. If I think that Luke still needs an extra boost in his language development, we’ll seek an evaluation through the school system or look into private services. I will always make sure that he has everything that he needs to be the best person that he can be.

Education early childhood education, parenting, Success By 6

You may be wondering, how can I earn a little extra cash for my favorite school or organization? Well, this is easier than selling wrapping paper and quicker than baking cookies for a bake sale…

All you have to do is visit  www.metrounitedway.org/kgkaf and complete the following sentence:

I live united by _____ ______ ______.

That’s it! Fill in three words and tell us how YOU live united! Then pass along this link to everyone in your school/organization, because whoever gets the most entries wins! For those of you who may be having after-lunch-Friday-writer’s-block, here are a few ideas:

I live united by…

Supporting local merchants

Planting a tree

Reading to children

Walking not driving

So what are you waiting for? Go sign up and spread the word! Your organization could win $300, and you don’t even have to sell magazine subscriptions or candy bars! 

General, Giving contest, support

Today has been a good day.  Usually when I say I’ve had a good day it’s because several great things have happened that day to put me in a good mood.  For example, last Sunday was a great day because I finished my take-home Strategic Management exam (finally), I went to two cake tastings with my fiancée (yum!), I reached the seven mile mark in my mini-marathon training, and, best of all, I kicked everyone else’s tails in NCAA bracket (at least for the first two rounds)!  Today, however, has been a good day for just one reason.  I spent nearly two hours this morning talking to one of our Metro United Way volunteers about a subject I’m passionate about: traveling.

A week or so ago, I was talking to a co-worker about my upcoming adventure to Vietnam and Thailand.  She suggested that I meet one of her volunteers from Southern Indiana because he just returned from teaching in Vietnam.  I told her I was starting to get a little nervous with my trip right around the corner, and she thought this volunteer could give me a few travel pointers.  So, I dropped him an email and set up a time to chat with him over coffee this morning.  I have to admit, I was a little hesitant about going.  After all, it was raining and I didn’t want to give up my parking spot at work, and I had never met this man before.  Once I arrived at his office though, I was so glad I had decided to go!

Have you ever met someone who just totally inspires you the minute you meet him or her?  Have you ever just sat there and marveled when listening to someone else tell his or her story?  That’s exactly how I felt listening to Jerry.  Here was someone who embraced life.  He has traveled to 92 countries, retired from a job he loved, and now gets to use his talents and passions to give back to the community through his volunteer work.  I walked out of there thinking, “Wow, that’s who I want to be when I grow up!”

The most meaningful part of our conversation was when he turned the table on me and said, “So what about you?”  It’s been a while since someone asked me what I was passionate about, much less indulged me by talking with me about it for two hours!  Jerry was able to offer me suggestions and advice, as well as potential connections for how I can tap in to my passion for travel and international issues even more.  In my job, I get to ask people all the time what they are passionate about, and help connect them to their passions.  It was a different feeling today being on the receiving end of that question.  The experience with Jerry made me appreciate even more the community impact work we do here at Metro United Way.  Relationships really are the key to our work.  Sometimes, a little question can go a long way.

General, Volunteering community impact, relationships

Do you wish for change but not know how to take action? I’ve got an easy action you can take on March 28th, this Saturday, at 8:30 PM and it’s as simple as flicking a switch.

All you have to do is turn out the lights.

World Wildlife Fund is asking individuals, businesses, governments and organizations around the world to turn off their lights for one hour – Earth Hour – to make a global statement of concern about climate change and to demonstrate commitment to finding solutions. Metro United Way will be participating on March 28th at 8:30 PM until early the next morning and we hope you will too. 

Learn a little more about Earth Hour and its history from this video: Earth Hour 09

To help you out after 8:30 PM on Saturday, here’s a list of 10 things you can do in the dark:

1. Tell ghost stories!
2. Go for an evening walk. 
3. Play hide and seek (indoors or outside!).
4. Early bed time!
5. Meditate. Ommmmmmm…
6. Enjoy a night under the stars- go camping! Make s’mores!
7. Take in the stars from your own backyard- identify constellations.
8. Play nighttime games like Capture the Flag with a group of friends.
9. Get artistic in your driveway with glow-in-the-dark sidewalk chalk.
10. Visit your neighbors and ask them to share in Earth Hour by turning out their lights!

Did I leave out your favorite dark-time activity?  Share your favorite night-friendly to-dos in the comments!

Photo via Flickr by limonada .

Advocacy, General Community, environment, green

Hi!  Let me be upfront with you. I am pretty easily amused. I also am a curious person. Curious about people and what makes them tick…interested in what inspires people as individuals and groups to care – about our community, a particular cause, the greater good – and what is important to them personally when they give, advocate and volunteer. I also enjoy keeping an eye on what others are doing that’s a little …or a lot…unusual but reaching masses and raising funds for a worthy cause.

So with a preface stated, here are a few oddly funny things I recently came across that caused me to pause and say to myself WOW (remember we like that word at Metro United Way ) and hmmm.

Gorillas ….Ask people to raise $350 and dress like a gorilla to run 4 miles…nearly 1,000 people dressed up like a gorilla and ran… the 7^th annual Great Gorilla Run raised over $400,000. WOW!

Santas….Same premise but another visually entertaining sight while helping a worthy cause. Some 7,000 donned a red suit and white beard, laced up their running shoes and raised money for charity in New York.  There was even a Santa Speedo Run charity event that draws red hat revelers by the thousands and made for …um…funny photos as well!   Hmmmm.

And then there is Romeo the blogging cat. Yep, Romeo the Cat raised over $3500 via his blogging and Twitter activities. Really?

A recent New York Times submission to David Pogue’s blog reads in part…

Dear David:” My cat is on Twitter and he’s raised almost $3,500 in a little over THREE WEEKS for animal rescues… I launched a Twitter account for my cat…to make one of my colleagues laugh, but something interesting happened: Romeo started getting followers. There are a lot of humans, A LOT of other Twittering cats, some dogs and even hamsters, horses, turtles and birds.”  Caroline Golon

Metro United Way provides a highly efficient, easy path to increase the force of your charitable giving in our community. We leverage your giving to reach some 150 program at 90 organizations that will touch the lives of 2 of every 3 people in their lifetime.  We recently announced the 2008 annual campaign saw some 80,000 donors in our community collectively give/pledge $28.5 million to advance the common good.  It is here with us at Metro United Way where you can create lasting change, get help and give help, and make a significant lasting impact for children, adults and our community. 

If you also want to dress up in something unusual, run in your skivvies, or dance the night away like Cinderella then let us know. We want to hear from you. To our legion of 80,000 donors who have given from their hearts during these changing times to help their neighbors, co-workers, and people you may never meet,  THANK YOU for partnering with Metro United Way to change things for the better for all of us.

 Kelly Hutchinson, Donor Relationship Manager

Events, General, Giving blogging, fundraising, Giving, Metro United Way

As a part of Metro United Way’s focus on health, we are proud to join United Way of America in this week’s ‘Cover the Uninsured Week’, an annual effort to highlight the need to cover America’s uninsured.

During these tough economic times, more and more people are losing their jobs – and as a result, their health insurance. Today, 46 million Americans, including 9 million children, are living without health insurance.  You can help raise awareness about this important issue by getting involved locally and nationally.

Living without health insurance is a risk no one should have to take.

There are many different ways you can get involved in our Metro Louisville region as well as nationally:

·         Get informed and involved with the Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Plan (KCHIP)  advocacy efforts by clicking on Governor Steve Beshear’s website: http://kidshealth.ky.gov/en/

·         Get informed about the Indiana Children’s Health Insurance Plan called Hoosier Healthwise by clicking on this link: http://www.in.gov/fssa/ompp/2544.htm

·         Learn the most up-to-date news about the issue by signing up to receive the Cover the Uninsured Weekly News Digest at www.covertheunisured.org

• Hear everyday stories of the uninsured in the U.S. at http://covertheuninsured.org/stories

• Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper and tell them why you believe our nation’s leaders should make health care coverage a top priority.
• For more information about Metro United Way’s work around health contact Kelly Thompson at kelly.thompson@metrounitedway.org.

Myths and Facts about the Uninsured:

(Source: www.coveredtheuninsured.org)

MYTH: People without health coverage don’t work.

FACT: More than eight in 10 of the non-elderly uninsured (82.8 percent) live in families where the head of the family works.

MYTH: Most people without health insurance are very poor.

FACT: In 2006, more than 33 million of the uninsured had household incomes of $25,000 or more, compared with nearly 14 million in households earning less. (The federal poverty level for a family of four in 2006 was $20,000.)

MYTH: It doesn’t really matter whether a person has health insurance.

FACT: An estimated 18,000 – 22,000 Americans die each year because they don’t have health coverage.

MYTH: Virtually everyone who works for a large employer has health coverage.

FACT: One in five uninsured workers (22.4 percent) are employed in firms with 500 or more employees.

FACT: Since 1997, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) has provided health coverage to children whose parents work but cannot afford or are not offered health insurance. Because of SCHIP, more than 7 million children can now see a doctor when they are sick and get the health care they need to stay healthy.

Advocacy, Events, Health children's health, healthcare, kchip

I’m currently taking two classes at IUS: the first is a writing class, requiring a research paper, and also a Women’s Health class, requiring a 10-minute presentation on any topic with connection to the health of women. Being lazy (and resourceful) I have connived a way to use one topic for both assignments. Fitness.

During my time-consuming (and interesting) research, I thought I’d focus on diet and the myriad of ways you can incorporate exercise into your life. My research has reminded me how far-reaching the effects of obesity are and how lack of fitness shapes our lives. I thought I’d talk about how I have become interested in fitness as an attempt to slow the effects of aging and how much better I feel since I’ve been exercising regularly. I have also been emboldened to share the message of how quality and length of life are very directly related to obesity and fitness.

Effects of Obesity- Why do we care?
The Surgeon General has declared obesity responsible for 300,000 deaths every year — a toll surpassed only by tobacco, to which 400,000 deaths are attributed. So why is tobacco getting so much more attention – obesity is KILLING us.
Diabetes- Obesity is the major cause of Type 2 diabetes. Even moderate obesity dramatically increases the risk of diabetes.
Cancer- Being overweight contributes to an increased risk for a variety of cancers including breast, colon, gallbladder, and uterus.
Heart Disease- Hardening of the arteries is present 10 times more often in obese people compared to those who are not obese.
Blood Pressure- Increases the workload of the heart because it must pump more blood through additional blood vessels.
Joint problems, including osteoarthritis - Obesity can affect the knees and hips because of the stress placed on the joints by extra weight.
Sleep apnea and respiratory problems - Sleep apnea, which causes people to stop breathing for brief periods, interrupts sleep throughout the night and causes sleepiness during the day. Respiratory problems associated with obesity occur when added weight of the chest wall squeezes the lungs and causes restricted breathing.
Brain Function- Exercise increases energy levels and increases serotonin in the brain, which leads to improved mental clarity.
Psychosocial effects - People who are overweight or obese frequently suffer disadvantages.
Psychological effects- Regular physical activity can improve your mood and the way you feel about yourself. Researchers have also found that exercise is likely to reduce depression and anxiety and help you to better manage stress.

And on and on and on with the effects…

So along with the jillions of dollars worth of medical care and prescriptions, we need to spend a few more dollars for some good sneakers and USE THEM. There are all kinds of studies out about why obesity is increasing but the only magic fix is to Eat Less and Move More. I’ve found that if you begin with the ‘move more’ – it motivates you to eat less. You think a little harder about those fries after working so hard to burn calories. Wouldn’t it be great to feel great!? Strap those sneakers on and get moving!

Image from clipartheaven.com

General, Health fitness, Health

by Cindy Lehnert

With the return of spring becoming official today, I find myself inspired by the way in which Mother Nature can transform the drab landscapes of winter into wondrous works of art. The flowers are bursting forth from the ground, the trees are budding and the birds and animals are returning from their long migrations and winter slumbers. The world around us seems filled with hope and beauty once again.

But what if Mother Nature was simply too busy to perform her miracles of change and simply ushered in the new season without all the pomp and circumstance? Spring would still come, but much of the joy would be lacking.

Our lives are so full with work, family and personal commitments that we often struggle to keep up with them and when we take a good look, they can seem a little gray. None of us can argue that these things we busy ourselves with are not essential and fulfilling, but couldn’t we find just a few ways to make our lives more fulfilled and contribute to the beauty of our world? Surely we could find just a few minutes to try.

One way we can create beauty in our lives is to fill them with positive experiences. We can give the gift of helping when and where we can. We can choose to focus more on others and less on ourselves. In very sensible ways, we can create a difference and make the world a better place. Ten or fifteen minutes a day can be enough to make a real difference in the lives of those around us and in turn, brighten our own worlds.

At the end of the day, giving a little of ourselves when we can find the time will help us to feel needed and thankful for what we have. Volunteer activities can take very little time and effort, but add so much to our lives. While none of us has the power to make life better for everyone, every one of us has the power to make life better for someone.

Take a few minutes as you settle into bed this evening to think about what you could do in ten minutes to make the world a better place. Let me know in the comments below what you come up with. If you find you have a little more than ten minutes to give, contact the Metro United Way Volunteer Connection by phone at (502) 266-6328 or online at www.metrounitedway.org/volunteer.

General Live United, spring, Volunteer

I have agreed to have my head shaved as part of an event to support childhood cancer research.  Now, if you met me on the street, I think I would strike you as being a fairly normal, rational person.  So why would I agree to do such a radical thing – one that will cause me personal embarrassment and provoke heaven-only-knows what kind of responses?  Here are my reasons:

1.  A young friend of mine is currently undergoing treatment for leukemia.  He and his mother have spent the last month at Kosair Children’s Hospital where he has endured a bone marrow transplant, nausea, nosebleeds and memory loss, not to mention constant testing of everything that’s going on in his body.  Through it all, he’s maintained his sweet disposition and an unwavering faith in God to get him through this.  When I think of all he’s been through since he was diagnosed last summer, all that he has yet to face, and all the other kids in our community who are going through similar trials, getting my hair shaved off seems very minor indeed.

2.  My young friend’s mom was interested in having her head shaved to raise money for the cause of childhood cancer research and to honor her son’s struggle.  But she didn’t want to do it alone.  She’s been able to recruit several male friends who’ll have their heads shaved, but she said she’d feel better about doing it herself if another woman would do it with her.  So to offer my emotional support, I said I’d do it, too.

3.  I’ve never had good hair anyway.  My hair is baby fine and straight and it doesn’t hold a style unless I put a ton of goop in it.  I don’t spend a lot of time messing with it because it never seems to make a difference even when I do.  That’s why I’ve worn it in the same short cut for the last 35 years – I can never figure out what else to do with it.  So I figure that getting it shaved off is no great loss.

4.  Since I don’t think that I have a great emotional attachment to my hair, I’ve had a theory for many years that if, God forbid, I should ever get cancer and lose my hair, I wouldn’t feel loss over it the way that many women do when they’re undergoing treatment.  Getting my head shaved is a good way for me to test that theory and find out just how personal my hair is to me.

Losing my hair seems like a small sacrifice to make and is a way for me to LIVE UNITED.  Living United to me is being willing to make the extra effort so that others can benefit.  It’s putting your money where your mouth is.  It’s investing yourself in things you believe in.  It’s realizing that there are things more important than yourself.  It’s taking a risk.  It’s letting your little light shine.

What’s your definition of Living United?

General Community, living united

My name is Gil Betz and I am the COO at Metro United Way. This is my first “blog” posting so any comments should take this into consideration.

Before I talk about the exciting events associated with The Karen Gallagher Kennedy Arts Festival, I have to get some things “off my shoulder.” Last night I saw a brief  story on Entertainment Tonight (not a show I routinely watch) that caused me to pause and wonder who comes up with this stuff. The story centered on First Lady Michelle Obama and the fact that she has worn sleeveless dresses at least three times. Oh my, how can this be I wondered. This crushing news almost made me take to my bed.  I decided then and there that I will not be wearing my sleeveless muscle shirts any longer.  The markets will tumble and world peace will escape our grasp…all because of sleeveless dresses! Only in America would we focus on this kind of nonsense. 

But what is not nonsense is The Karen Gallagher Kennedy Arts Festival. We decided to change the name of the festival to better reflect the many talents of Karen Gallagher Kennedy. Karen was a long time member of our Marketing and Communications Department, a dedicated community volunteer, a skilled writer, a person who saw the world around her as a work in progress and whose soul embraced you as soon as she smiled and said hello. 

Karen’s untimely passing in  2005  from lung cancer is one of those life experiences you do not want to happen. In Karen’s honor, Metro United Way started the Karen Gallagher Kennedy Youth Film Festival in 2006.  This year we are renaming the festival to The Karen Gallagher Kennedy Arts Festival  and including an essay contest in addition to the video contest. The essay contest is being added to reflect Karen’s writing talent.  Also,  we are opening the festival to youth from kindergarten through high school. In previous years the festival was only open to high school age youth. These changes will allow all age groups to participate, just as Karen volunteered many hours of service to others, regardless of age.

Here is the scoop about the festival. The LIVE UNITED 3 Word Essay Contest is really easy. All you do is complete this sentence with 3 words. I LIVE UNITED by (add your 3 words).  The organization submitting the largest number of  3 word entries will win $300. The contest closes on midnight May 6, 2009. The LIVE UNITED Video Contest is open to individuals and teams who will submit a 30 second PSA (Public Service Announcement) and/or a 3 to 5 minute video on LIVE UNITED. The theme is wide open, so we should have a wide variety of thought provoking and creative entries. The entries will be placed on YouTube and 50% of the overall score will be determined by the number of views each entry receives  and the other 50% of the score will be determined by a panel of judges. The contest ends at midnight on May 6, 2009.

We will celebrate all the winners and participants at a gala on May 7, 2009. I’ll write more about this as we get closer.

To enter either contest, use this link: www.metrounitedway.org/kgkaf  and select the Karen Gallagher Kennedy Arts Festival tab. You will find a link to the welcome video, rules and deadline dates for each contest.

Now, here is the ask. Please help promote the festival. If you are on MySpace, YouTube, Twitter or other social neighborhood outlets, please  spread the word. If you have school age children or know others who do,  encourage them to have their schools participate in the essay contest. This is a great class participation activity and spending time thinking about LIVING UNITED is always a great use of time. Entrants to the video contest can always use their cell phone to produce a 30 second PSA video. Video productions do not need to be fancy.

I will keep you updated on the festival and please email me at gil-dot-betz-at-metrounitedway-dot-org if you want to “roll up your sleeves “and help with the festival. Sleeveless shirts and dresses are permitted.

Events contest, essay, film, Live United, writing, youth