United Way to Promote ‘Invest in Success’ for kids

United Way of Southern Kentucky hopes the community comes out Thursday to “Invest in Success” - the success of its youngsters.

The group is sponsoring an awareness program from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Thoroughbred Square.
United Way volunteers, wearing their Live United T-shirts, will be in the parking lot to provide information about the early childhood education program that United Way plans to coordinate with other community groups and will hand out shopping lists for the Parent Teacher Store. The lists will include items such as flash cards or other items the program can use, according to Mandy Hicks, director of volunteering.

Doug Eberhart, executive director of United Way, said the program is designed to fill in the gaps for children before they enter kindergarten.

“We are going to start working with parents and children by partnering with existing services to help fill the gaps they aren’t able to,” he said.

Plans are to work with Head Start, some schools, community education and Warren County Public Library.

Much of that work will include informing parents about teachable moments based on the philosophy that all children are born capable of learning.

Eberhart said the coordinator for the program this week is organizing an organizational committee to look at what services are needed.

Funded with a startup grant of $50,000 from Toyota Manufacturing, Hicks said whatever funds are earned Thursday also will help the program.

Merchants will provide items for a silent auction and discounts on certain items. Some also may be donating a portion of their proceeds from sales during that time, Hicks said.

“That is going to be up to each individual merchant, but our main goal, more than being a fundraiser, is for this to be an awareness event,” she said.

Also during the activity, Rafferty’s will provide food samples and gift certificates for giveaways and R.C. Cola will provide drink samples. Radar the Weather Dog will be there and kids can have their faces painted.

Meanwhile, United Way is continuing its capital campaign, Eberhart said.

“It’s actually going very well,” he said. “We have seen some successes and every year we see some companies struggle. But I think people recognize during economic times like this that the least of us are hurt the worst.”

Full text available at The Daily News.