Walking The Walk and Living United

United Way of Summit County’s mission is ‘We improve lives by mobilizing community assets for health and human services.’ Among those assets we seek to mobilize are the thousands of volunteers in our community who are willing to give of their time to make our community a better place to live, work and raise a family.

And the staff at United Way of Summit County is leading by example when it comes to volunteerism. United Way staffers give of themselves to a variety of community organizations. For example:

Bob Kulinski serves on the Boards of Project: Grad Akron, Social Services Advisory Board, Ohio United Way and Heart to Heart Communications.

Katie Rennard was recently elected President of the Akron Roundtable Board of Trustees. In addition, Katie serves as 'New Club Building Chair' for the State of Ohio Kiwanis Board and is past-President and Secretary of the Akron Kiwanis.

Lois Foster is a member of the Board of Directors for the Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Board of Summit County.

Charlene Corlett is Chair, 2010 Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Dinner and a member of the Board of Trustees for Leave a Legacy of Summit/Portage/Medina.

Michael Gaffney is chair of the Board Development Committee for the Community Support Services Board as is Secretary of the Board of Directors for Weathervane Community Playhouse.

Beth Curley is Vice Chair of the Children’s Services Board of Summit County.

Laura Brelin serves as First Vice President and Board Member for the Akron Kiwanis Club, Co-Chair of the Membership committee of Torchbearers, and member of the nominating committee for the American Red Cross’ Acts of Courage Dinner.

Pam Beals is co-chair of the Start Line Committee for the Roadrunner Akron Marathon and a member of DOVIA of Akron.

Brian Duchon is a Big Brother with Big Brothers and Big Sisters, liaison for the University of Akron Student United Way chapter, and a Board Member for the Young Professionals of Akron.

Brenda Farrell serves on the City of Akron 2010 Complete Count Census Committee, is Vice President of the Barberton Rotary Club Foundation and a member of the Barberton-South Summit Chamber of Commerce.

Julie Wingate is a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children through the Summit County Juvenile Court and a member of the Youth Emancipation Task Force with Summit County Children’s Services.

Jill Patterson serves as co-chair for the program committee for the Stow-Munroe Falls Chamber of Commerce and sits on the Board of Directors for the Twinsburg Chamber of Commerce. She’s also a member of the Chambers of Commerce in Cuyahoga Falls and Hudson and the Stow Kiwanis.

I think that’s the epitome of ‘Walking the Walk.’