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Making a difference in our community! |
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| Contributing to our community is
an important aspect of the culture here at Opportunities. Typically,
at least one work day is set aside each year to help other organizations or
causes within our community. This web page features an archive of
events we have participated in over the past few years. We hope you
enjoy reading about them, and
welcome your comments!
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| 2008 |
| We're planning to
participate in the Victims Assistance Center of Jefferson County's "Taste of
the Town" event on April 26th, and the Northern Regional Center For
Independent Living's Community Walk in early May. Check back here for
updates! |
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| 2007 |
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'Christmas Sharing' makes
'07 holiday season brighter for 1,156 children |
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Employees Support United Way Campaign—
Once again employees at Opportunities generously responded to the United Way
of Northern New York, Inc.’s annual fundraising campaign with contributions
totaling $1,805.00. Our internal campaign was coordinated by Vicki Meyer,
Family Services Director and was conducted during September. Opportunities
has been a partner agency of the United Way since 2003, and starting in
2007, received United Way funding to provide
services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and also to
support the annual Christmas Sharing
initiative. |
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Opportunities
wins float competition at Lewis County Fair |
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Walkers
"Go The Distance" |
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| 2006 |
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| Agency campaign ranks in
top 10 in Lewis County |
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Employees Raise $1,751
for United Way |
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For
years, Opportunities has been an avid supporter of the
United Way of
Northern New York, by helping the United Way organize local appeals
including food, coat and school supply drives to benefit children of
families in need of a helping hand. In 2003, Opportunities became an
official partner agency of the United Way, and conducted its first formal
internal fundraising campaign as a partner agency. In that year, about
$1,400 was raised. Each year since, employees have
responded with donations that have cumulatively met or exceeded the prior
year's tally. According to the United Way of Northern New York, in
2005 Opportunities ranked 8th among the top Lewis County corporate and
employee campaigns, despite having a workforce of only 40 employees.
The agency also ranked 5th in terms of "Employee Per Capita"
contributions.
In 2006, employees raised $1,751.02, nearly the same as in 2005. This
accomplishment was highly respectable, given the agency's employee roster
was reduced by five employees over the past year due to Federal funding
cuts. |
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| 2005 |
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| Fundraiser for hurricane relief benefits
Louisiana Parish |
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| Matt Stenoski, David Lehman,
Bruce Altmire, and Larry LaFlesh (in far right background) prepare chicken
for sale. Over 350 halves of chicken and 177 dinners were sold to help
raise money for hurricane relief for Cameron Parish (county) Louisiana. |
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| In
November of 2005, Opportunities dedicated a work day so that
employees could work together to perform a community service project. Given
the devastating effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf states in
late summer of 2005, employees decided to pull together to conduct a
fundraiser to help with relief efforts. On
November 4th, employees held a chicken barbeque and bake sale to benefit
residents of Cameron Parish (county), Louisiana. Although this rural
region along Louisiana's southwest coast received little if any national
media attention, it sustained some of the heaviest damage from the
cumulative effects of both storms. Thanks to the generous
and giving spirit of our local community, employees were able to raise over $2,600
which was then sent to the local community action agency located in Cameron
Parish. We received several follow-up letters of correspondence that the money was used
to help buy clothing and winter coats, which was much appreciated by
residents.
Opportunities would like to thank all of the patrons, and the following
volunteers and area businesses/organizations whose thoughtful donations and
support made this event possible:
Becker’s Barber
Shop
Belfort Inn
Countryside Vet Clinic
Crossroads Tavern
Eddie’s Meat Market
H & L Motors
Hall’s Sport Shop
Hannaford’s
Hirschey and Associates, CPA
Hunt’s Computers
Jean’s Flowers
Jeb’s Restaurant
Johnathan Gellert
Kentucky Fried Chicken
Kinney Drugs
Kraft Foods
Krazy Kuzins 4-H Club
Opportunities For Youth
Lowville Farmer’s Coop
P&C Foods
Miller’s Meat Market
Monnat & Nortz Service Station
Northern Federal Credit Union
Price Chopper
Richer Feeds
Riverside Florist
Sam’s Club
Shaw’s Sales and Service
Suzanne Stoffle and Associates, Inc.
The Medicine Shoppe
Tim’s Market
Trails End Farrier
VS Virkler & Son, Inc.
McDonald’s
William C. Brown and Son’s
Wolff’s Body Shop
Zehr Electric
A special thanks to the New Bremen Fire Department for allowing us to use
their facilities and to the following fireman for donating their time at the
event: Bruce Altmire, Dave Lehman, Larry Coffie, Bruce Peck, Wayne Spencer,
John Boyd,
Bruce Buckingham, and Joe Aucter.
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| 2004 |
Opportunities' employees help make holidays bright
for others |
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| Santa’s Helper—In 2004, Santa sure
appreciated the help from Opportunities’ employee Bruce Altmire (pictured
above) who donned the familiar red suit as the main attraction of the annual
Copenhagen Christmas parade. Mr. Altmire also volunteered his time by
visiting folks at a local residence of The Arc, Oneida-Lewis Chapter NYSARC.
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Seniors,
individuals with disabilities, and other folks just needing a helping hand
received good tidings from several of Opportunities’ employees during the
2004
holiday season. The effort was a result of a new initiative started at the
agency, where employees were encouraged to share a talent or service of
their choice to the less fortunate of our community. Each
employee-participant could choose the day of their service, and were granted
time away from work to perform the activity. Considering this initiative was
proposed well into the holiday season, employee response was quite
impressive. In celebration of their good deeds, employees gathered for a
luncheon just before the Christmas holiday, with some sharing their
experiences at the event.
Employees who volunteered their services reported a great sense of
fulfillment at making a difference for the individuals they helped. The
following is a listing of reported activities:
- Donated food to the Thanksgiving boxes at the First
Presbyterian Church of Lowville, which were then distributed to families
participating in
Head Start.
- Purchased and donated a new children’s outfit, which
was given away through the Christmas
Sharing program. Also donated hats and mittens to a local child.
- Visited residents at the
Carthage Area
Hospital skilled nursing home, and assisted residents who had
difficulty with hearing by helping them on Bingo Night.
- Visited senior citizens at the Olympic Apartments in
Watertown, some of whom have no family in the area. The residents also
were assisted in Bingo, a favorite recreational activity.
- Visited the
Watertown
Urban Mission and sorted clothes donated to the mission by private
individuals. The clothes were then distributed to the Impossible Dream
thrift store and local area churches.
- Donated entertainment services at two holiday events
for approximately 200 developmentally disabled individuals, who receive
vocational and recreational services from
The Arc, Oneida-Lewis
Chapter NYSARC.
- Assisted with food preparation and the serving of a
mid-day meal at the
Salvation
Army. About 70 individuals were served on this particular day.
- Made homemade holiday treats for senior citizens and
delivered them to appreciative residents of Steeple View Apartments in
Croghan. For those not home at the time, a plateful of tasty treats
awaited them at their door upon their return.
- Several employees also took time out of their busy
daily work routines to lend a helping hand with the
Christmas Sharing
program.
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Copyright © 2003-2008 Lewis County Opportunities,
Inc.
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