IMPACT:   Janet and her children first learned about the Ready to Read program while at a local immunization clinic where books were being distributed.  Like most kids, Cassie and Ryan didn't enjoy going to the clinic, but getting a new book to take home really helped.  They were excited to have books of their very own.

Although she read to her children occasionally, as a busy single mom, Janet didn't always make reading part of their daily routine.  Besides receiving a free book, Janet was also given parent information with tips for making reading time more enjoyable and interactive. 

After learning what a difference a daily reading time could make in her children's language development and how it would benefit them when they started school, Janet made a commitment to read to her children every day.  Now she calls it, "the best part of our day." 

IMPACT:   Jennifer and her three children arrived in Wausau looking for a new start.  Initially,  they were living in a shelter and Jennifer was looking for a job.  Her two oldest children were in school, but scheduling interviews was difficult because she still needed child care for her youngest.

Bridging the Gap Childcare stepped in and provided childcare.  Jennifer was able to go on interviews and search for work knowing  her son was in a quality learning environment. 

Before long Jennifer was hired by a local company.  She was able to move into an apartment and provide for her children.  Today she is an active, self-sufficient member of the Wausau community.   

IMPACT:   The Horizons Mentoring Program matches an adult female mentor with a young girl needing some help through the difficult time of adolescence.  This letter was written by one young lady about her experiences with the program:

“My mentor is my best friend.  It doesn’t matter that I’m 16 and she’s in her mid-thirties.  I talk to her about family and friend problems, and school problems.  She’s always willing to listen to anything I’ve got to say and knows how to offer good advice and help me sort out my feelings.  I’ve learned from her that no matter how bad things get, they could always be worse and to look at the good side of things and build from there. She is the one person I know I can always go to with any situation and she’ll do her best to try and help me figure out what to do.  She’s been my mentor for 5 years and I continue to learn so much from her.  Everyone’s got good times and bad times.  Through all those times for me, my mentor and friend has made all the difference.”

With the support of her mentor, this young girl successfully completed school and is continuing her education.

IMPACT:   Travis was abusing drugs and alcohol.  He frequently skipped classes or completely missed school.  He was arrested while trying to sell a CD player that he had stolen.  He had been hospitalized after drinking so much he was almost comatose.  His parents didn’t know what to do next.

Fortunately, a counselor suggested CHOICES, and Travis was ready to give it a try.  This intensive, outpatient program used group therapy, family therapy and education about the consequences of drug and alcohol abuse. 

Nine months later, Travis has turned his life around.  He has been substance free, his relationship with his family is much better, and he has not had further legal trouble.  He’s setting goals and planning for the future.

IMPACT:   Jim is like many of us, he worked, saved, paid his bills and provided for his family, until he had a seizure at work.  He's been off work and has been receiving short-term disability through his employer, but that is due to run out soon--along with his health insurance.  His doctor hasn't released him to return to work, and he likely will not be able to return to his old job as it requires working around machinery.  He's exhausted his savings, and is very worried about paying his bills.  He called United Way's 2-1-1 in search of help.

The 2-1-1 Information and Referral Specialist suggested a number of sources to help Jim and his family.  Food pantries, energy and rent assistance programs may be able to help him.   If he can't return to his previous job, they suggested Job Service and retraining programs for him to investigate.  They also offered to mail him directories and brochures with additional information.

In a follow-up call Jim reported that he had called most of the programs, and was utilizing their services.  Things are looking a little better and he hopes to find a new job soon.  For Jim, United Way's 2-1-1 was the best way to connect to the many services that are available to help people in our community. 

IMPACT:  After 43 years of domestic abuse, Mary, at age 71, left her husband.  She heard about the Abuse in Later Life program from her divorce attorney. 

Her sister accompanied her on the first visit and she was visibly shaking from fear that her husband was following her.  He had promised to see her dead many times.  Mary soon started coming alone and never missed a support group meeting.  A staff member also went with her to attorney appointments and court

hearings. 

As she grew stronger, she started to blossom.  She had loved to write as a young girl and soon was sharing her new poetry at group.  The poems were beautiful and her face lit up when she read them. After several months, she started to share the horrific years of abuse she had endured and the constant terror she continues to live with on a daily basis.  Women in the group listened gently and lovingly, and she learned that she was not alone. 

Mary has emerged into a force to be reckoned with.  She now volunteers in the community, sharing her story so that others will know there is help for a better life.

IMPACT:  Bill is retired and lives on a limited fixed income.  He often has trouble making ends meet and keeping a roof over his head takes most of his money.

He counts on eating his noon meal at The Salvation Army every day.  He realizes that the nutritious, balanced lunch he eats there is important for his  health, since his other meals are not the best.

He has been coming to lunch for some time and has gotten to know a few of the other people who come to eat there, too.  In addition to a good meal, he enjoys visiting with his friends.  Sometimes he volunteers to help clean up afterwards by wiping down the tables or sweeping the floor. 

Bill appreciates the meal, and the companionship.

IMPACT:  Like many other older residents in our   community, Mary lives alone and does not have family living in the area.  She is 82 years old and is able to walk, but needs some help with stairs.   This makes it impossible for Mary to take the bus, and since she never learned to drive, Mary has been dependent on friends and neighbors for transportation since her

husband died.

Recently, she learned about the Specialized Transportation program available for elderly and/or disabled residents.  She called and was delighted to learn that she could get a ride from her home to a local shopping center to do some errands.  She was even happier to learn that she could use the same service to get a ride to the grocery store to do her shopping or to her medical appointments.

Transportation directly to her door has made it possible for Mary to remain living independently in the community .

IMPACT:  Jeff and Patty’s daughter, Amy, has severe disabilities that limit her mobility and require constant, 24 hour supervision. 

It was impossible for Jeff and Patty to leave her with a babysitter or other caregiver, until they found Respite Activity Day at Tyler’s Home for Kids.

Each month, Patty drops Amy off at Tyler’s Home for an afternoon of fun, games and activities with other children.  While there, licensed staff and caring volunteers are available to provide whatever services Amy needs.

That one afternoon a month has been a lifesaver for Jeff and Patty, who use the time to run errands, see friends, or just reconnect with one another.    And, Amy loves the time she gets to spend with other children on her “Special Saturday” afternoons.

IMPACT:  Brandon was placed in foster care at the age of 10 as a result of being emotionally, physically, and sexually abused by his father from the time he was 4 years old. 

He suffered from attachment disorder as a direct result of the abuse, and was not able to bond to his parents or his foster parents.  He acted out in aggressive ways, experienced nightmares, performed poorly in school, and had no friends. 

After a year of intensive therapy, Brandon is able to sleep through the night, only occasionally has outbursts and accepts appropriate attention from his foster parents instead of shutting them out.

Brandon had a rough start, but with therapy, support and a caring foster family, he is well on his way to a healthier, happier life.

IMPACT:  When Linda first came into counseling at an AODA program, she was drinking to intoxication daily and also using marijuana several times a week.  She couldn’t hold a job and had turned to prostitution to pay for her drugs and alcohol.  She had tried treatment before with little success.

Her parents convinced her to try one last time and allowed her to move back home while she attended counseling.  She immediately started attending individual, family and group sessions, and later attended a special “women only” group where she felt free to talk about the things she had done to support her habit. 

She has been clean and sober for 9 months, has a job and is thinking about moving into her own apartment.  She has developed a strong support system including her AA sponsor and attends meetings regularly.  Linda turned her life around.

IMPACT:  Bill is a retired machine operator who stopped by a blood pressure screening site.  His readings had been elevated for several years, but he continued to deny there was any reason to be concerned.

Fortunately, his wife was able to convince him to see a doctor who advised him to start exercising and to change his diet--or he would need medication to lower his blood pressure.  Bill chose diet and exercise and is making progress in reducing his blood pressure.  As an added bonus, he’s feeling better too.  He continues to use the blood screening site to monitor his readings and report to his doctor.

This program caught a problem early and helped Bill make necessary lifestyle changes to improve his health and prevent or delay more serious health problems.

IMPACT:  Jane was twenty-four years old, divorced and had three young children when she contacted the Birth Parent Counseling program.  Her children had been removed from her home and were in foster care.  She was struggling with alcoholism and needed to enter a treatment program.  She also wanted to return to school so that she could get a job that would allow her to be self-sufficient. 

Staff from the Birth Parent Counseling program met with Jane, her ex-husband, and the Department of Social Services to find a solution that would be in the best interest of the children.

Today, Jane has undergone treatment and remains sober, she is enrolled at NTC, and is working with a couple who want to provide a permanent, loving home for her children.  With the help of the Birth Place Counseling program, she was able to focus on the needs of her children and believes living with an adoptive family is in their best interest.

For Jane, the Birth Place Counseling program provided the support and encouragement to help her make this very difficult decision. 

IMPACT: If you had asked Sally Gartmann to describe her life back in spring of 2006, she would have said, “almost perfect.”  But her world changed drastically when she was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer.

About that same time, Anne Balciar, a 15 year old Cadet Girl Scout was completing work on her Silver Award.  Anne was putting together “Comfort Care Packages” for patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Although her attitude was usually positive, Sally, like anyone facing a critical illness, has her down times too.  It was one of those times that was brightened by Anne’s care package.  The card attached to the gift bag just identified the giver as “Anne, a Cadet Scout working on a Silver Award.”

When the 26 patients who received packages started opening them, the first things they discovered were hats, scarves, gloves and fleece blankets to fight the cold intolerance so common during chemotherapy.  Digging further, they found bottled water, snacks and a fun “Emergency Stress Kit” filled with funny little sayings and motivators to keep their spirits up.

Having been a Scout herself, Sally recalls campfires, hiking and other fun events.  “When I was a girl, we may have done some caroling at the nursing home, Sally said, “but nothing that comes close to this level of giving.”

According to Mary Radke, Executive Director of the Girl Scouts of Birch Trails Council, almost 7200 hours of community service were performed by Girl Scouts in our area last year. 

Long after Sally’s treatments are completed, she will always remember how Anne’s care package brought her comfort and happiness during a very difficult time.  “I’m so pleased that United Way funds programs like the Girl Scouts.  Can you imagine the impact that girls like Anne will have in their communities when they are adults?” Sally commented. 

IMPACT:   Koua Her was failing in school, a habitual truant, living in a foster home, on adult probation and without much of a future in 2000. 

Her had arrived in the United States at the age of nine.  Learning to speak, read and write English were his biggest challenges.  And, he really didn’t like school.   By the time he was a teen, Her said, “I started hanging out with the wrong crowd.”  

He was living in a foster home when he met David Zuege, program director at Wausau Fresh Start, a partner program of the United Way of Marathon County. 

Wausau Fresh Start helps young men and women obtain a diploma, learn real-life work skills and earn vouchers that can be used to continue their education.   Most of the young people in the program have either failed in traditional educational settings, are on probation or parole, or both.  Many are habitual truants and often have drug or alcohol problems.

Her eventually completed two contracts with Wausau Fresh Start.  During that time he worked on his high school diploma and helped build the first Wausau Fresh Start home.  Besides construction skills, crew members are required to demonstrate reliability, responsibility, teamwork, honesty and commitment, all skills that are highly valued by future employers.

Today, Her has earned his high school equivalency diploma and is an apprentice in the carpenters union, working with Asian American Construction.   He and his wife have two children and live in Wausau.  When talking about his time with Fresh Start, Her commented, “They turned my life around.  If it wasn’t for Fresh Start, I don’t know where I would be.”

IMPACT:  As a long-time United Way of Marathon County donor and volunteer, Florence Goertz didn’t ever expect to be on the receiving end of a United Way program.  Goertz and her late husband, Kermit, both volunteered countless hours with United Way since the mid-1980s.   Florence continued to volunteer in the United Way office until just 2006. 

But then everything changed.  Health problems meant a long hospital stay and when Florence was well enough to be discharged she wanted to return to her own home.   While she was able to take care of many of her needs, she needed to use a walker for stability.  One challenge to living alone was preparing meals.  She didn’t have the stamina and mobility to cook for herself.

Each weekday a hot, nutritious meal is delivered by a volunteer driver from Wausau Area Mobile Meals.  Since the meals are prepared at Aspirus Wausau Hospital, meeting dietary requirements like low-sodium or diabetic restrictions is part of the service.  United Way funds help keep the cost affordable.  This is just one United Way program that is helping people remain independent and living in their own home.

IMPACT:   As a public health nurse in rural Marathon County, Peggy visits women who are pregnant or have recently given birth. She was visiting a new mom who had several older children ranging in age from 5 to 11, and gave them two books from the Ready to Read program. When she asked “Who likes to read?” the children were very eager to show her their reading skills.  These books were  printed in both English and Spanish, which lead to a conversation  about the value of speaking two languages, the importance of reading as a family, and developing language skills in children.