| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4/24/2010 |
Contact: Mary Anne Feeley 610-429-9400 maryanne.feeley@unitedwaychestercounty.org |
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UWCC HOSTS COMCAST CARES DAY, INSTALLS SECOND BORN LEARNING TRAIL IN CHESTER COUNTY One of the primary projects for the day included the installation of the second Born Learning Trail in Chester County. The Born Learning Trail is part of the United Way of Chester County’s Early Childhood Education Initiative and is designed to assist parents and caregivers in engaging their young children in early learning activities. “We couldn’t be more pleased to provide the Melton Center with a Born Learning Trail. Research tells us children are literally ‘born learning’ and what happens in a child’s early years has a direct impact on their success in life and the community.” said Claudia Hellebush, President and CEO of United Way of Chester County. “The trail will help kids in the surrounding neighborhoods prepare for school and have fun doing it.” State Senator Andy Dinniman made the importance of the day clear. “To see United Way and Comcast come together to make this community a priority is such a joy. The government alone can only do so much. This day is a testament of the power of this community and the partnerships that support it.” Charles A. Melton Center Board President Lisa Dorsey expressed her gratitude. “The Melton Center is primarily an all volunteer facility. I cannot tell you how much it means to see so many people here today, working to help us survive and thrive.” Jean Newsome, a representative at the Melton Center, also adds, “What a great day. The volunteers were so much fun. We are thrilled with the amount of work that took place. We are especially pleased with the Born Learning Trail – it exceeded our expectations. As I was leaving the center that same day, two families were already using the Trail. It warmed my heart to see the immediate use of such a great project. None of this would have happened without the love, skill and caring of the partners. Thank you!” Volunteerism is an important component of United Way’s work and is made even more impactful through partnerships with companies like Comcast. Last year, United Way utilized 2,846 volunteers to meet annual goals for fundraising, community impact and service projects. Volunteers contributed nearly 14,000 hours, preserving $273,000 in our community for service delivery to clients. Since its inception 15 years ago, Days of Caring alone has provided millions of dollars worth of service through volunteerism in Chester County. To get involved with United Way of Chester County, or for more information, contact Mary Anne Feeley at 610-429-9400. |