Impact in the Chippewa Valley

We're starting out the year by showing gratitude toward our affinity groups, they help us grow as a community by investing and giving where they live. Thank you to all of our Emerging Leaders and Leadership Circle Members for getting involved and stepping up for your communities. You diversify our perspective and bring in your expertise to make us better. We're looking forward to all of the good we can do together to grow our impact here in the Chippewa Valley in 2023.

With that, we'd like you to get to know our Emerging Leaders. We'll start out with an introduction from Jeni Thorpe, our current Emerging Leaders Advisory Council Vice-Chair. Thank you, Jeni for taking the time to volunteer and bring your passion for helping others to our organization.

Hello everyone! My name is Jeni Thorpe, I am the Vice-Chair of the Emerging Leaders Advisory Council for United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley. I’ve lived in the Eau Claire area for about 10 years but originally grew up about 40 miles from here. I am drawn to this area because of the proximity to hiking and camping, the great restaurants and frankly, the commitment from everyone in the area to make the Chippewa Valley the best place in Wisconsin! My professional role is an Executive Assistant and Human Resources Administrator at Eau Claire Energy Cooperative. In April I will be celebrating my fourth year of employment with this great company!

As previously stated, I grew up not far from Eau Claire, in Whitehall, WI. I started out working with several different companies before landing in Insurance in 2012, which I thought was my forever job, until I landed a new opportunity at ECEC! Currently, I am pursuing my degree in Business Management at Lakeland University. I enjoy giving back to the community, which is why I got involved with United Way, the Chamber of Commerce and engage in many other volunteer opportunities. Outside of work and school, my priorities and favorite things are spending time with my family and friends, and overall new experiences. Some of my favorite experiences are traveling, camping, hiking, participating in volleyball and softball leagues, fishing … jeepers, the list could go on and on!

I decided to join Emerging Leaders Advisory Council, or “become a box checker” as many of us on the council like to joke, because I wanted to learn more about how I could give back to my community in a more purposeful and meaningful way. Volunteering and giving back are important to me, and I wanted to learn how I could expand what I was doing to make a lasting change in the Chippewa Valley! I am new to the council and just began my appointment as Vice-Chair in August. I have learned so much over the past few months, seeing growth within myself both personally and professionally. Joining the affinity group also came with the added benefits of cultivating a great network of individuals, making new friends and supportive mentors along the way!

I stepped far out of my comfort zone by “checking the box,” and accepting the Vice-Chair role, and I am sincerely grateful that I took that next step! Why should you join and get involved? Because it’s challenging, it’s rewarding and it’s worth it!

Jeni Thorpe

Executive Assistant & Human Resources Administrator

Eau Claire Energy Cooperative

United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley-

Emerging Leaders Advisory Council Vice-Chair

Click here to learn about Emerging Leaders. Get connected!

Introducing our NEW Program Partner Spotlight!

This is the second of many Program Partner Spotlight features. Our mission is to highlight a different Program Partner each month to build awareness as to what they do and how we, United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley (UWGCV), invest and collaborate with them. We're shining a celebratory light on the amazing programs and people who work humbly to support and strengthen our Chippewa Valley communities every day.

This month's Program Partner Spotlight is featuring Boys & Girls Club of the Greater Chippewa Valley:

When you support UWGCV, you are investing in collaborative, innovative, research-based and results-focused initiatives. These initiatives coordinate the work of local programs, service providers and community stakeholders in the Chippewa Valley. Together, we're working to solve our community's most pressing problems. Each Program Partner is funded under a specific initiative that is driven by a bold goal that keeps everyone working toward the same mission. Each month we'll talk about how the featured program fits into our initiatives.

HEALTH BOLD GOAL:

United to improve the mental health of the Chippewa Valley residents.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

Using research-based, youth-focused mental health strategies, Club kids identified as having mental health needs or are subject to multiple risk factors will participate in Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s (BGCA) comprehensive health and wellness initiative, known as Triple Play. The program strives to improve the mental health of members, ages 7-18, by helping them develop healthy relationships and self-esteem, and strengthening their ability to make positive choices and abstain from harmful behaviors, increasing their daily physical activity and teaching them good nutrition. Trained staff empower youth to recognize and address their mental health needs and identify effective strategies.

Youth and staff interact at the clubhouse

at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley.

We're here to give you an overview

of what our program partners do to impact our communities. We asked

them to answer a few quick and direct questions for better insight as to what they do, how they do it, how United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley (UWGCV) supports them, any immediate needs they may currently have and any other notes they'd like you to be aware of. Here's what Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley had to say.

Please tell us who you are and what you do to strengthen the Chippewa Valley:

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley exists to inspire and enable all youth, especially those that need us most to reach their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. We do this by focusing on three priority outcomes, academic success, healthy lifestyle and good character & citizenship. Our high-quality staff run evidence-based programs through these outcomes to impact the lives of

members in grades 2-12.

How does UWGCV strengthen your program?

The need for the Clubs continues to rise and through funds and support from UWGCV we are able to maintain the high-quality club experience our members have come to expect and deserve. Youth today, especially in the ages the Clubs serve, are experiencing greater behavioral, mental health and social-emotional learning needs.

They had long periods of time where they weren’t interacting with peers, or in large groups. They also experienced the negative impacts of the pandemic. The partnership with UWGCV allows the Lee & Mary Markquart Center and Chippewa Falls Centers to strengthen our program experience to meet the demands of our growing membership. Club youth development programs are helping kids grades 2 –12 to learn about their

emotions, develop coping skills, to understand and respect others, and develop skills to be good friends and team members. UWGCV provides finances, volunteerism, promotion and advocacy. It's an amazing partnership!

Cooking up something healthy in the kitchen. Teaching children life skills and helping them thrive.

What is your greatest

program need?

The Boys & Girls Clubs are always looking for program partners and volunteers that can come in and facilitate and program with our members! This is a meaningful way to meet the wonderful kids we have the honor of working with while exposing them to new ideas and opportunities that may be out of our capacity to provide. The members enjoy it when we have groups or individuals come in to spend time with them!

We also look for volunteers to be leaders within our community-based Advisory Councils, Board Standing Committees, and Board of Directors. There are many opportunities for individuals with diverse skillsets and backgrounds. Clubs also post wish lists on our website for items that can be used in programming, especially for the Club store. Club kids earn points for kind, caring and respectful behavior for our good character and citizenship programming. They can save those points, or spend them as part of our financial literacy programming. Check the Club sites at www.cvclubs.org for items that can be used in the Club store, or for program materials.

What else does the community need to know?

As community needs grow, and the impact of Club is understood in our communities, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley is excited to be undertaking an expansion campaign in both our Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls centers. In order to make our facilities safe and engaging places for all members we are undergoing construction and renovations at the Lee & Mary Markquart Center and the Chippewa Falls Center. We are all in for our communities, families, and kids and hope that you will join us in going all in to build great futures here in the Chippewa Valley.

Trained staff empower youth to recognize and address their mental health needs and identify effective coping strategies. Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley is working to advance Mental Health Prevention for youth in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls.

For more information about Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley, please contact:

Ann Kaiser

(715) 577-8295

akaiser@cvclubs.org

1005 Oxford Avenue

Eau Claire, WI 54703

Or visit their website at, www.cvclubs.org

and follow their social platforms.

Thank you to Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley

for all they do to inspire youth and help them succeed here in

our communities.

TICKETS

ON SALE

NOW!

Join us on Saturday, February 18, for an evening of music and fun! Midwest Dueling Pianos will bring down the house at Metropolis Resort.

Visit our website to purchase tickets or for more event details,

uwgcv.org/dueling-pianos

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS NOW!

DIGITAL RESOURCE FAIR | MARCH 4 in Augusta

Join us Saturday, March 4, 2023, from 8:30-11:30 a.m. at the Main Street Gym

in Augusta for this free event. Registration is required if you are interested in enrolling

in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) or purchasing one of the $30 refurbished devices. Only 30 devices are available, income eligibility required and you must be present to purchase.

There will also be Internet Service Providers onsite and Digital Skills Training available. To see if you qualify for the reduced-cost internet, visit GetACP.org

For more info or questions email digitalequity@uwgcv.org or call 715-834-5043.

CLICK HERE for REGISTRATION and EVENT INFO

Our annual report was approved at last month's Board of Directors meeting. Annually, all United Ways across the world certify their adherence to standards that include comprehensive requirements for financial reporting, governance and other legal and ethical obligations. United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley has met all certification standards for 2022.

View the 2021-22 Annual Report

Keep up to date with all of our future United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley events. From Dueling Pianos to Impact Tours, so many great opportunities to get involved and give back. Here's what we've got lined up!