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5K takes tread in business community Vero Beach – Steve Simon makes a good argument for the support of local child-welfare programs. He should, after all. He’s partner in local law firm, Rosenthal, Levy and Simon.
Simon is a member of the United for Families Board of Directors. His firm is the lead sponsor in the nonprofit’s Fourth Annual Stop the Tears 5K Run and Walk – a project raising money to help prepare teenagers for life outside of foster care.
“Children and families deserve every opportunity at success, and United for Families helps provide those opportunities,” Simon said. “It’s important for the community to support the run and other fundraising activities to ensure that continues to happen.”
The run is scheduled for February 20 at South Beach Park, Vero Beach. Registration begins at 7 a.m., and the race begins at 8 a.m. Pre-registration is now underway. Interested runners should visit www.unitedforfamilies.org. Registration is $20 for adults and $10 for minors. The cost will increase to $25 and $15 respectively race day.
Rosenthal, Levy and Simon has been a United for Families supporter for five years, participating in several projects throughout the year, including a holiday toy drive, annual galas, golf tournaments and, now, the 5K run.
“United for Families is in the trenches fighting for children and families,” said Greg DuBose, who handles the law firm’s marketing and who originally introduced Simon to United for Families. “We’ve seen the benefit of our efforts lived out in the lives UFF has impacted.”
Other local businesses have come forward to support United for Families by sponsoring the 5K. They include Tropicana, Secrets of Modern Parenting, Hometown News, Space & Treasure Coast Radio, Seacoast National Bank, SunTrust Bank and Family Preservation Services.
All have been consistent in their commitment to United for Families’ mission to break the cycle of child abuse.
To register for the run, please call Lea Tate at (772) 519-1700 or visit www.unitedforfamilies.org.
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Chad Collins, Jeandel Georges, Christine Ellis, Christine Demetriades, Cerena Wallace and Pauline McIntosh prepare to deliver goods for Haiti to the Fort Pierce Airport.
Mary Harding, a guest at the recent Shamrock open house, wins a raffle item.
Sean Boyle, executive director for the Children's Services Council of St. Lucie County, poses with Christine Demetraides during the Shamrock open house. Demetriades is board president of Collaborating 4 Better Futures, which runs the center.
Ladies from the Port St. Lucie Business Women's Association, which sponsored the Shamrock Center's children's room, present Demetriades with a new television for the center.
Cerena Wallace stands outside a truck full of food and toiletries bound for Haiti.
Vern Melvin, administrator for District 15 of the state Department of Children and Families, signs in to the Shamrock open house.
Christine Demetriades (left) and Lea Tate welcome visitors to United for Families' 2010 Holiday Appreciation Breakfast.
Back at Shamrock, Rusty Kline prepares for an H1N1 shot, while Chad Collin offers moral support.
Alicia Scott, of QVC, and other guests of the holiday appreciation breakfast enjoy a homemade spread of muffins, bread, egg casserole and French toast casserole
Maylou Meade, Cathy Ellis and Lou Tudor stop for a picture after reading the thank-you notes left by some of the children who received gifts this year.
From left, Christine Ellis, Jeandel Georges and Pauline McIntosh load more goods for Haiti.
From left, Cerena Wallace and Deborah Reyner enjoy a good laugh.
Lawrence Gonnello and Penny Morin represent companies that participated in this year's holiday gift drive.
Hundreds of individuals participated in the drive. Pictured here are a few who joined United for Families to celebrate the project's success.
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United for Families News
- The Bridges Out of Poverty in-service training, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010, will take place at Indian River State College in the Treasure Coast Public Safety Training Complex. This is a different location than usual trainings, so please take note. The address is 4600 Kirby Loop Road, Fort Pierce, 34981.
The training will be in building PS2. Registration will take place between 8-9 a.m. and the training will start at 9 a.m. This training is fully booked so we will not be able to accept any staff trying to register on the day of the event.
"Bridges Out of Poverty" will be repeated on May 20, 2010 and there are spaces available for any staff unable to attend this week.
- United for Families' Fifth Annual Stop the Tears Ribbon Pinning Ceremony is set for 10 a.m. April 9, at 10570 S. Federal Hwy., Port St. Lucie. It will feature testimony from past clients and familiarize the community with the achievements made in local child welfare.
Children, foster parents and community members will be asked to pin blue ribbons on an oak tree. The ribbons will remain on the tree throughout the month of April – which is National Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month – to remind passersby of the children they represent.
The ceremony is the second event in a three-event campaign designed to observe National Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month. The series begins February 20, with the Stop the Tears 5K Run and ends April 22 with the Community Luncheon to Stop the Tears.
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Caregiver News
- United for Families encourages its caregivers and volunteers to register their families in Disney's Give a Day, Get a Disney Day promotion. The idea is simple: Those who register and then volunteer in the community will receive a free ticket to any Disney park while tickets last.
Go to www.disneyparks.com for more information and to register. United for Families is among thousands of organizations throughout the country registered to receive volunteers through the project.
- Collaborating 4 Better Futures, the prevention-based corporation created by child-welfare leaders United for Families, Hibiscus Children’s Center and Children’s Home Society, will unveil its latest project at 10 a.m., February 19, with “A Hero Reads a Story.”
Community heroes – local political and social leaders – will host a story hour the third Friday of every month at Collaborating 4 Better Future’s newly opened Shamrock Center, 9164 S. Federal Hwy., Port St. Lucie. Local caregivers are encouraged to bring their children for story time.
This month’s hero is Sean Boyle, executive director for the Children’s Services Council of St. Lucie County. In a slight break from the regular schedule, Port St. Lucie Mayor Patricia Christensen will read March 26, the fourth Friday of that month.
Children from throughout the community are invited to attend the event, and local preschool groups are especially encouraged.
"I am honored to take part in Shamrock's Hero Reads a Story program,” Boyle said. “Taking time to show a child you care by reading stories together is something we can all do to be heroes in our community."
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Community News
- Nearly 200 people came out to welcome Collaborating 4 Better Futures and its newly unveiled Shamrock Center during its January 15 grand opening and open house.
Collaborating 4 Better Futures is a one-stop approach that will help link those in need to local resources. Clients eventually will be able to get vaccines, apply for food stamps, and attend group counseling – all in one location.
Key to Collaborating 4 Better Futures is its network of Shamrock Centers, offices that will offer a one-stop approach to resources.
The January 15 open house marked the first Shamrock Center to be unveiled. Others in Martin, Indian River and Okeechobee counties will follow. The next opening will be in Stuart, sometime in March.
- There’s only one word to describe United for Families’ newest partnership with Florida injury attorney Philip DeBerard – Big.
The Stuart-based attorney recently donated advertising space to United for Families on the megalith digital billboard it leases from Lamar Outdoor at the corner of Kanner and Monterey highways.
United for Families’ ad debuted February 1, inviting the community to the non-profit’s Community Luncheon to Stop the Tears and will run through March. The luncheon, which highlights the successes of the local child-welfare system and is free to the community, is scheduled for April 22 at the Port St. Lucie Civic Center.
“This is an incredible opportunity for us to highlight what we do,” said Christina Kaiser, community relations director for United for Families. “We just couldn’t get our message out this broadly without Mr. DeBerard’s help.”
The Stuart-based DeBerard contracted with Lamar Outdoor in 2008 to be one of the first advertisers on the digital billboard when it went up last year. Knowing how difficult budget cuts have been for local non-profit organizations, DeBerard said he decided to partner with them, donating some of his space so they could share their message with the public at no cost.
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