*Photos provided by Vantage Career Center*
The United Way of Van Wert County and Vantage Career Center held its 26th annual Day of Caring events this past weekend. This annual event helps replenish food and blood supplies within our community. As always, when there is a need in our county, our local businesses and residents step up to the plate to give, volunteer, and advocate!
Friday morning, the food drive collected over 12 pallets worth of food. All donations will be split between the three local food pantries: Salvation Army, Trinity Friend Church, and Van Wert Co-Operative Ministries. The blood drive collected 144 units to replenish local blood bank supplies. Every unit collected saves three lives. Thank you local Girl Scout Troops for cookies that were given to the blood donors!
The local schools held food drive events and challenges between classrooms. Many thanks go to Vantage Career Center for the use of their facility, to the staff & students for all their work helping sort the food drive items, to and to the many United Way Board Members, employees from First Financial Bank, Harting Farms, Shultz, Huber & Associates, Flagstar Bank, Alliance Automation, and food pantry volunteers that help throughout the weekend! A big thank you to Wild Willy’s for donating pizza and Walmart for donating donuts for the volunteers!
Next was the “Stuff the Truck” event at Walmart and Chief Supermarket with help from many volunteers, including Vantage Career Center Criminal Justice students, Vantage Career Center Early Childhood students, CERT, Van Wert Sheriff Department, United Way Board and Committee Members and more. Thank you to Walmart and Chief for allowing us to be there, and to Greve’s Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram for lending us a truck!
A Mobile Food distribution event occurred at Trinity Friends Church on Saturday morning with food provided by West Ohio Food Bank. Thank you Danfoss and OhioHealth employees, along with Karla’s Kupboard and other volunteers that helped with the event!
Thank you to our other major sponsors for the event:
Baker McClure Law & Title
Braun Industries
Central Insurance
Citizens National Bank
Edward Jones
First Federal of Van Wert
First Financial Bank
Flagstar Bank
Greenway Bank
Key-Ads
Laudicks Jewelry, LLC
Lee Kinstle Sales & Service
Lee’s Ace Hardware
Millwork Brands Inc.
Ohio Health Van Wert
Red Oak- Amber Davis Realtor
Shultz, Huber & Associates
Speed Pro Machine
Statewide Ford
Superior Credit Union
Tenneco
The Marsh Foundation
Tisha Fast State Farm
Van Wert Service Club
Vancrest of Van Wert
Walmart
Each year during Day of Caring I am reminded how generous and caring the Van Wert community is and how blessed I am to be a part of it. Thank you to everyone who sponsored, donated financially, donated food items, or gave of your time to make this year’s event a success. Together, we are feeding families that are struggling to make ends meet. ” – Anne Dunn, 2024 United Way Day of Caring Chair.
2025’s Vantage Day of Caring will be under the direction of Paula Stabler. To find out how you can impact your community contact The United Way of Van Wert County at 419-238-6689, email at director@uwvwco.org
Thank you for your support! #GrowingCommunities