by Mary Sego

Purdue University Libraries’ 2018 United Way Committee — (back row) Angie Ewing, Dan Rotello, and Teresa Balser; (front row): Sandy Galloway, Mary Sego, and Ashley Hutchcraft — pose with the poster for the Purdue University 2018 United Way campaign.

The Purdue United Way campaign is just around the corner! Our Interim Dean Rhonda Phillips is the chair of the Purdue United Way Campaign this year, and I am chair for the Libraries, with Sandy Galloway serving as junior chair. Team captains (now referred to as “champions”) in the Libraries include: Teresa Balser, Angie Ewing, Ashley Hutchcraft, and Dan Rotello. The University kickoff is set to start at 10 a.m. (Wednesday, Sept. 12) at the entrance of Hovde Hall, with a speech delivered by Provost Jay Akridge. Representatives in each department, school, or unit have been asked to have their own kickoff events or activities after the University’s official kickoff event concludes.

The Libraries’ kick-off event will take place at 11:30 a.m. (Sept. 12) at the Wilmeth Active Learning Center (WALC), room 1087. We will host a second-grade class from Vinton Elementary (Lafayette).

Our United Way team members will present them with books as part of the Read to Succeed program. We will have laptops available that morning for you to make United Way pledges on the spot and receive your posters.

Use these vouchers Saturday, Sept. 15 at Barnes & Noble in Lafayette and help contribute to the United Way! (Right click on the image to make it appear in its own browser window for printing or downloading.)

We are the Purdue Libraries, so it only seemed fitting that we would focus on books and the Read to Succeed program. President Daniels has always supported this program, even allowing Purdue employees time away from work to volunteer.

Many thanks to all of you that donated new books to the Vinton students that will be coming to the Libraries’ United Way kick-off event Wednesday. Because of your generosity, that of family and friends, including Patty Jischke, we have enough new books to give each student two.Thanks to Bryan Shaffer and the Purdue Press, we have bags to put a plentiful assortment of goodies in, including the inspirational note written and signed by President Daniels, a pair of Purdue Libraries’ sunglasses for each student; frisbees from the Office of Undergraduate Research; Boiler Up stickers from Purdue Alumni Office; Boilermaker Special erasers from the Purdue Visitor’s Center; United Way t-shirts from Purdue’s United Way office; and various goodies from the Libraries’ United Way Team members.

Please note: We will continue to take new and/or gently used children’s books for all elementary school grades. Interested individuals can contact me or any of the team members mentioned above to arrange pick-up of books. There will also be a collection box in the hallway between the Purdue Memorial Union and Stewart Center from Weds., Sept. 12 – Weds., Sept. 26.

The Vinton Elementary students are a representative group of children who have benefitted from the program. The children’s teacher, Laura Gullion, was truly touched to be asked to come to campus to receive the books on behalf of the Purdue Libraries and the Read to Succeed program. She said it is not uncommon for many teachers to spend close to $1,000 from their own pockets for books for their classrooms and school libraries.

The United Way supports many organizations in the Greater Lafayette area. For the complete list, please see www.uwlafayette.org/partner-agent. It is good to know that such a support system exists in our community and continues to help many!

With sincere thanks! Your Libraries’  2018 United Way Team