(February 5, 2020)
– More than 250 Southern Kentucky residents joined United Way of Southern Kentucky (UWSK) for the LIVE UNITED Awards and Annual Meeting on Tuesday, February 4th at the Knicely Conference Center in Bowling Green.
The evening served to recognize the triumphs of organizations that excelled in furthering the mission of United Way of Southern Kentucky in 2019. Thirty-nine awards were presented during the celebration to individuals and organizations representing Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson and Warren counties.
Steve Thurmond, United Way of Southern Kentucky Board Member and Executive Director for the Franklin-Simpson Chamber of Commerce, emceed the event as United Way of Southern Kentucky presented the following awards to organizations for their support in 2019:
VOLUNTEER AWARDS
Volunteer Investment Awards
Top Organizations with the largest % of employees volunteering in multiple United Way functions:
- ELPO Law
- Fruit of the Loom, Inc.
- Logan Aluminum
- Trace Die Cast
- U.S. Bank – Area Wide
SPIRIT UNITED AWARD
Organization that embodies the Live United spirit through year-round support and enthusiasm for United Way:
Honorable Mention: The City of Bowling Green
Winner: Trace Die Cast
GIVE AWARDS
Greatest Giving Increases (employee and corporate giving combined)
Increase of $5,000 – $9,999
- 3A Composites USA
- Precision Strip
- U.S. Bank – Area Wide
Increase of $10,000 – $14,999
- The Murphy Construction Group
Increase of $40,000+
- Logan Aluminum
Leadership Investment Awards (employee giving)
Most leadership dollars (gifts of $1,000 or more) from organizations employing:
- Less than 100 employees: BKD, LLP
- 100 – 250 employees: The Murphy Construction Group
- More than 250 employees: Fruit of the Loom, Inc.
TOP 10 CAMPAIGNS
Top 10 campaigns for overall corporate and employee giving in 2019:
10. The City of Bowling Green
9. The J.M. Smucker Company
8. LORD Corporation
7. Warren RECC
6. The Murphy Construction Group
5. Trace Die Cast
4. U.S. Bank – Area Wide
3. General Motors Corvette Assembly & Local UAW 2164
2. Fruit of the Loom, Inc.
1. Logan Aluminum
United Way of Southern Kentucky presented the Shooting Star Award. The Shooting Star Award winner was chosen from applications submitted by United Way partner programs on behalf of clients who had exemplified courage and tenacity in overcoming obstacles and has used United Way services to build a better life. This year’s Shooting Star Award was awarded to:
- Kristina Anderson (Submitting Agency: Family Enrichment Center)
Community Impact Partnership Awards were presented to organizations who have excelled in moving the needle on United Way’s Community Impact work through their partnership. Each has been instrumental with their impact in the areas of Education, Income, Health, and/or Safety Net. The Community Impact Partnership Awards were presented to:
- The Ridley and Hull Group of Wells Fargo: Kindergarten Readiness/Born Learning Trail & 2-1-1 Contact Center
- Life Choice Pregnancy Center: Kindergarten Readiness
- U.S. Bank – Area Wide: Kindergarten Readiness
- Logan Aluminum: Kindergarten Readiness/Born Learning Trail
- Graves Gilbert Clinic: Kindergarten Readiness/Born Learning Trail
- W.R.O.T.E: College & Career Readiness
- Fruit of the Loom, Inc.: Imagination Library
- City of Morgantown: 2-1-1 Contact Center
- Simpson County Fiscal Court: 2-1-1 Contact Center
- City of Horse Cave: 2-1-1 Contact Center
- WBKO: Advocacy
- WGGC 95.1: Advocacy
Finalists for the premier award of the year, the LIVE UNITED Award, were presented via video throughout the evening. This award was presented to the company that exemplifies United Way’s core Give, Advocate and Volunteer goals through outstanding campaign support including increased giving, high participation and per capita, advocating internally and externally on behalf of United Way throughout the year, and exceptional volunteer participation from a large base of employees. Special consideration was given to those organizations with specific support to United Way’s work in Education, Income, Health, and/or Safety Net.
The top three finalists for the LIVE UNITED Award included:
- Logan Aluminum
- The Murphy Construction Group
- U.S. Bank Area Wide
the Live United Award was presented to:
- Logan Aluminum
During the Annual Meeting, four new incoming members of the United Way of Southern Kentucky Board of Directors were approved:
- Robert Boone, South Central Workforce Development Board
- Dave Forney, Logan Aluminum
- Andrea Shannon 3A Composites USA
- Jon-Matthew Thomason, UWSK Young Emerging Leaders and BKD, LLP
During the Annual Meeting, the following members of the United Way of Southern Kentucky Board of Directors were approved for an additional term:
- Andrew Bedi, TriStar Greenview Hospital
- Rob Clayton, Warren County Public Schools
- Stefanie Jones, Fruit of the Loom, Inc.
- Milli McIntosh, Simpson County Schools
- Ann Puckett, BKD, LLP
- Heather Rogers, SKYCTC
- Steve Thurmond, Franklin-Simpson Chamber of Commerce
- Darren Woodruff, U.S. Bank
In addition, the following slate of officers were approved by the membership for 2020:
- Tommy Adams, Charles M. Moore Insurance – Chairman
- Stacey Hughes, Dorman Products – Chair-Elect
- Rev. Steven Pankey, Christ Episcopal Church – Treasurer
Debbie Hills, President and CEO for United Way of Southern Kentucky, said, “Tonight’s celebration is the culmination of a year of outstanding efforts by many partners in the community. The accomplishments by the organizations recognized tonight will support long-term community change in our priority focus areas of Education, Income, Health and Safety Net. Most important are the thousands of lives that will be impacted through that work which is made possible by the combined generosity of those honored tonight, as well as hundreds of other organizations that support our efforts.”
For more information on how you can LIVE UNITED by giving, advocating, and volunteering with United Way of Southern Kentucky, visit www.LIVEUNITEDToday.com or call 270-843-3205.
United Way of Southern Kentucky (UWSK) is a local, independent, non-profit organization that works to identify and address the issues that matter most, change conditions and improve lives. The mission of United Way of Southern Kentucky is to be the leader in bringing together the resources to build a stronger, more caring community.United Way is focused on the building blocks for good quality of life – Education, Income, Health and Safety Net. Therefore, the vision of United Way is a Southern Kentucky where all residents are educated, healthy, and financially stable. Incorporated as a charitable non-profit entity in 1956, UWSK has long served a major role in the community by bringing people together to create opportunities that make a measurable difference in the quality of life for people where they live and work. ###
