MICROFT
V O LUM E 3 I SSUE 4
Leading Times
O CT O BER – D E CE MBE R
2015
Year’s End
Volunteer
Opportunities
A note from your United Way RSVP Director, Michael Glorioso
As we go into October, November and December of 2015, we look back on
this past year and wonder where all the time went. This has been a very busy, exciting and rewarding year for the United Way RSVP of Northwest Indiana. This year
we added Porter county to our program and truly became regional. The number of
volunteers and stations grew, helping to offer more assistance to those who need it
the most. We also added a new staff member, Bryce Shaffer, who many of you have
had the chance to talk to and meet. We were honored with an Urban League Diversity Award for all the amazing ways we promote diversity and inclusion within our
community. This is only a sampling of our many accomplishments; we have much to
be proud of this year!
We look toward 2016 with hope that we will make an even bigger impact in
our community and help more men, women and children. We are currently a group
of 325+ volunteers assisting 45 different agencies throughout Northwest Indiana.
We are volunteers who help deliver meals to the homebound, feed those in need
through our food pantries and mentor the youth and adults. We provide respite to
families of loved ones in need and assist veteran and military families as well; we
are a group who knows what it means to give back.
Thank you for all your amazing work; I can not wait to see what 2016 holds
for us.
Holiday Cheer Event
Call Michael or Bryce
for more information.
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Join other RSVP members at this great Holiday Tradition!
It’s the most wonderful time of
the year and we just have to sing about
it! You are formally invited to the
United Way RSVP Afternoon at the
Theatre event on Wednesday,
December 9th at 1pm at the
Memorial Opera House,
located at 104 Indiana Ave. in
Valparaiso.
A musical Holiday
Card to the audience, this
Holiday tradition
continues. Join some of
the Opera House’s favorite performers and their
special guests, South Shore
Orchestra, for an afternoon of
Christmas carols, holiday standards,
and audience sing-along.
The door for this Holiday Cheer
Event will open at 12:30pm. All
active* United Way RSVP volunteers
can attend this event free of charge.
Spouses, other family members and
friends are invited to come as well for
the discounted rate of $10.00 per
ticket, which can be
purchased from a United
Way RSVP representative
at the door. All RSVP
volunteers who attend
will also receive a special
holiday gift!
Make sure to reserve
your tickets now by calling
Michael at 219-464-3583. All
reservations need to be in before
December 1st. Don’t wait because
we are making a list and checking it
twice, all are welcome because you have
all been so nice!
*active– volunteered in the past six
months
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Meals on Wheel La
Porte is looking for
drivers to deliver
meals in the La
Porte Indiana area
over the winter
month and beyond.
You must have a
valid license and a
giving spirit.
Big Brothers Big Sisters in Gary is looking for mentors for
their Gary Boys &
Girls Club location.
Our Advisory
Council is still looking for members in
the Lake and La
Porte County Area.
RSVP is looking for
on-call volunteers in
all counties to help
with small or large
projects that might
come up. Only requirement is your
time. Please call the
RSVP office for
more details.
Quote of the
Day:
“Gratitude turns
what we have into
enough.”
-Unknown
V O LUME 3 I SSUE 4
P AGE 2
Spanish You Need to Know
Join us to learn some basic phrase that can help at your agencies and in your everyday life
Hola, Como estas? Con que te puedo ayudar ?
Are you interested in learning what that sentence means and how to respond?
Join us for our free basic Spanish classes taught by Luis Tovar, United Way’s
Labor Liaison and United Way RSVP’s very own volunteer Nancy
Bedolla. We will be offering the class in two of our four counties, Porter and Lake, and will offer them in the other counties based on interest.
The class in Porter County will take place on October 20 from 23:30pm at United Way of Porter County. The other in Lake County will be on October 22
from 2-3:30pm at Lake Area United Way. Space in limited so please contact Mike or
Bryce at 219-464-3583 to register today.
Disaster Prep: Sheltering in Place
Are you prepared for a winter storm?
As most of you know winter is coming and
with it comes subzero temperatures and snow,
LOTS OF SNOW! If you had to shelter in place for
72 hours, would you know how?
We are providing a
special Disaster Preparation
Training for all of our
United Way RSVP members on sheltering in place
during a winter storm. Here
you will learn what preparation are needed to survive in your own home for up
to 72 hours in the case of an extreme snow storm.
You will learn how to make an emergency go kit,
how to conserve water and other skills that might
come in handy while you are waiting to be plowed
out of your home.
We are offering four times for this informational session:
 November 18th at AHEPA Apartments Phase
IV Located at 1950 w. 79th Place Merrillville,
IN from 10:30 am to 12pm
 November 19th at AHEPA Apartments Phase
III Located at 2022 W. 79th Place, Merrillville,
IN from 1pm to 2:30 pm
 November 20th at Porter County United Way
Located at 951 Eastport Center Drive,
Valparaiso IN from 10:30am to 12pm and also
from 1pm to 2:30 pm.
We only have space for 50 guests per session so
make sure to RSVP for your seat by calling
Michael or Bryce by November 9th. You don’t
want to miss out; this information could help to
protect you in the event of an emergency!
Holiday Fun Facts
Fifty percent of kids prefer
to receive chocolate candy
for Halloween, compared
with 24% who prefer nonchocolate candy and 10%
who prefer gum
In 1939, President Roosevelt
proclaimed that Thanksgiving
would take place on November 23rd, not November 30th,
as a way to spur economic
growth and extend the Christmas shopping season.
In Poland, spiders or spider webs
are common Christmas trees decorations because according to legend, a
spider wove a blanket for Baby Jesus. In fact, Polish people consider
spiders to be symbols of goodness
and prosperity at Christmas
Despite their bad reputation, poinsettias aren’t deadly. Latex in the stems and leaves can be irritating, but not much more, to humans and animals
L E AD IN G T IME S
P AGE 3
RSVP NEWS FLASH!
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The following is important information and news for the coming months of the United
Way RSVP of Northwest Indiana . Please read carefully and if you have any questions,
concerns or comments, please let us know.
 Sample Size Drive– We are still accepting donations for the
sample size drive and have had a lot of community response as well.
We are currently partnering with the Calumet College Athletics Department to help collect items for the drive. The drive will go until January 1st and then we will be asking
for volunteers help to sort, package and distribute the items to our local food pantries,
veteran associations and homeless shelters. If you are interested please let Michael or
Bryce know.
Crafting for Love-Collections for the Crafting for Love Project have not been as good as last year. We are
still collecting hand made scarves, gloves, blankets, hats, stuffed animals, jewelry and other craft items. If
you have these items to donate please let us know and a RSVP representative will stop by to pick them up.
The drive closes after Thanksgiving and we will be meeting at the United Way RSVP office to wrap the
items. Let us know if you are interested in assisting with this project.
Direct Deposit– Your direct deposit form was due by October 1st. The form was to be sent back to us with
a canceled check if you would like the money deposited in a checking account and a deposit slip from your
bank if it was to be deposited into a savings. We have had a few bumps in the road but this happens when
anything new is getting put into place. Michael, Bryce and Dawn want to thank you for your patience
through this process. We will not be sending out paper checks after the October 1st date, so if you would
like to still claim the mileage reimbursement benefit send in your direct deposit form ASAP.
 Holiday Projects– Mental Health America of Porter County will be holding their annual Gift
Lift project starting in October and continuing on through December 23rd. They are in need of
volunteers to help sort, wrap and tag Christmas gifts for those in need this holiday season. The
project will start on Monday, October 5th and continue every Monday during the month of October. Four volunteers will be needed for three house shifts from 10am to 1pm in the afternoon.
Volunteers will help to fold, string and place tags on Christmas trees and help sort gifts that have
already been received. Then starting November 30th and each Monday until December 21st, three
to four volunteers will help to sort and wrap gifts to go out into the community. These volunteers will be
needed for the same three hour shift, from 10am to 1 pm. The project will take place at the Mental Health
America of Porter County building located at 402 East Indiana Avenue in Valparaiso. All RSVP volunteers are welcome to assist with the project. If you are interested in participating and want to help spread
some holiday cheer, please call Michael or Bryce at the United Way RSVP office at 219-464-3583 to set
up your volunteer time.
 We will also be doing our annual wrapping project at Campagna Academy located at 7403 Cline
Avenue Schererville Indiana. We will be wrapping toys and other gift donation for the clients who
utilize Campagna’s services. We will be at the Hope build which is located in the back of campus.
Please use the second entrance and go all the way back to the large two story building. Once there
you will have to sign in and they will direct you where to go. The project will be from 1pm to 4pm
on Friday December 18th. Please call Michael or Bryce to add your name to the list.
Senior Bowling– We have been asked to see if any of our member would like to join the Senior Bowlers at Stardust Bowl in Hobart, Indiana. They are in need of bowlers 55 and
older for their bowling league on Tuesdays at 1pm. Each team consists of 4 bowlers.
For more information please call Ross at 219-663-8609 or Stardust Bowl at 219942-0432. Please leave your name, phone number and a good time to call you back.
United Way of Porter County
951 Eastport Centre Drive
P.O. Box 2028
Valparaiso, IN 46384-2028
Phone: 219-464-3583
Fax: 219-477-5845
E-mail: [email protected]
[email protected]
Christmas Greeting
From our very own United Way RSVP volunteer Dave Gallagher
We’re on the web!
www.nwivolunteer.org
Remember to Like us on
Facebook at
facebook/unitedwayrsvp
I have been one of St. Nick’s assistants through many
Holiday Seasons. It is a season of joy and celebration-for
most of us. Many in this area once again face a very sad
Christmas. Help is desperately needed to bring the joy of this
special season to those in need.
Unfortunately, finding help grows more difficult each
year. I spoke to a women of means who told me she belonged
to an organization that “used to help the poor” but the mother and three
children they had helped last “did not seem sufficiently grateful” so they quit
donating. I replied to her, “I hope on the final day– the Lord does not look at
us and say I find you insufficiently grateful.”
Another donor brought me a box of trash. I told her I couldn’t fix it, so I
couldn’t use it and I would not give needy children other people’s garbage.
She replied, “why not, they’re poor aren't they? They should be grateful for
anything.”
Children will be victims of such callous attitudes again this Christmas.
Children who once had joyful Christmas mornings and are now labeled the
“new poor,” innocent victims of hard times.
The dreams of these children will be shattered by the reality of having
to do without again. Their tears can be heard if you listen, please listen– not
with your ears, but with your heart.
Someone's child needs you.
If you would like more information about any of our new United Way RSVP Stations and the opportunities they
have, please contact Michael or Bryce at (219)464-3583 or email: [email protected]