United Way hands out annual Spirit awards

The United Way of Southeast Missouri awarded three annual Spirit awards Thursday.

The Spirit of Community Award goes to a local company that has led the efforts in supporting the organization. The city of Cape Girardeau won this year's award. United Way executive director Nancy Jernigan said though the city is not known for overpaying employees, the workers are generous in giving a share of their earnings much higher than average.

City employees enjoy a day that includes selling squares for target practice, along with a barbecue. In-house competition includes penny wars and other activities to foster excitement and fun around the goals. At the end of the year, departments that meet their goals get to see the department head with strange hair coloring for a day.

"They don't have to support us, but they do, plenty," Jernigan said. "They understand service and how important it is."

The Spirit of Community Award this year goes to the Community Caring Council. Jernigan said the council's mission "aligns with ours so closely that its leader, Tom Davisson, and I serve on each other's boards to be sure we don't duplicate."

The United Way and Community Caring Council have worked together frequently on focus groups and surveys. Four key focuses are transportation, substance abuse, access to medical services and family issues.

The Spirit of Giving Award is given to someone who has served as a board member or volunteered a significant length of time or given financially.

This year's award was given to the Rust family.

The tight economy caused a 10 percent drop in overall donations from last year. Some money is still trickling in, adding to the $939,000 collected so far. Jernigan said the shortfall will ripple through all the programs and bring a commitment to raise more money and "get in front of more people" to tell of the needs in the community.

The not-for-profit came just $71,000 short of its $1.01 million goal for the year. Thirty workplace campaigns saw significant increases in their employee pledges.

Jernigan said she hopes the business community will allow time off during the workweek for employees to help with a volunteer reading intervention program. It just completed its second year in early elementary grades of Jackson schools and has been at Blanchard Elementary kindergarten in Cape Girardeau for one year. This fall it will start at Alma Schrader Elementary.

It began when a Jackson teacher was frustrated with students' reading ability. The same volunteer helps a student read for 30 minutes at the same time each week. The student sees four volunteers per week for a total of 50 sessions per year.

This past year, Jernigan said, about 90 students' reading "came up to grade level." Some 80 to 100 volunteers participated.

"The kindergarten teachers at Blanchard just loved it," Jernigan said. "It's a great opportunity for people to get involved to just do a little bit that provides a foundation for a student that will serve them all their life. It's huge.

"The books cost almost nothing," she said. "Now with a shortage of resources everywhere you look, it's a win-win situation."