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Happy Holidays to you!
Charlie Weidanz
Dear friends of Abilities United,
One of my favorite quotes reflects the spirit of the holiday
season, “Real generosity
toward the future lies in giving all to the present.” by Nobel prize-winning
author, Albert Camus.
In the six months that I have been with Abilities United, I
have seen incredible generosity from all of you that will enrich our future. Your
generosity was on full display at the 23rd annual Authors Luncheon in early
November. Hundreds of community
members enabled us to raise a record $370,000 from the event, including
$113,000 pledged during our auction. We couldn’t have done it without all the
volunteers, donors, sponsors, and staff who made this possible.
Today, as we approach the end of our United for the Future
campaign, I am confident that, with your continued support, we will reach our goal
of $2 million by the end of the year. Please join me in extending special
thanks to all of the United for the Future donors who made this possible, and
to the following campaign committee members Shirley Bob, Harry Hartzell, Stan
Parry, Ellen Turbow, Elizabeth Wolf, and committee advisor, Bruce Bingham.
The impact of your contributions is seen every day in our programs
for children and adults, and their families . Among the countless examples of
the impact you have is the funding of an endowed coordinator position to
enhance our art program. This has
lead to increased community visibility for the artists as well as AbilitiesUnited through numerous new exhibits and art activities at Lexus of Stevens
Creek, Clock Tower Café in Mountain View, and the annual Palo Alto Family YMCA
Diversity Day. At least 12 art exhibits are already scheduled for 2015 which
will further expand our presence in the BayArea to a level we could not have
imagined without your campaign funds.
The spirit of giving is also demonstrated each day by our
staff as they work with the children and adults who need and benefit from our
services. This was recognized in
October at the San Andreas Regional Center (SARC) awards ceremony when Marci
Fey, an Adult Services Specialist, received the coveted Support Staff of the
Year award after being nominated by parent. Art Resendez, another Adult Service Specialist of xx years,
was presented a Recognition of Merit award. Bill Hall, a long-time participant and fundraiser, received
a Recognition of Merit award for his role as an advocate. Earlier in the year, the Community
Connections cable TV program, filmed and produced by participants under the
guidance of program manager Andrea Throndson, received the Hometown Media award
in the Access-Able category.
Known in our community for our quality staff, we recently
acknowledged numerous individuals for their long-term dedication to AbilitiesUnited. Lupe Arrizaga and Marie
Guiab Harvey each celebrated 20 years of service. Joining them are John Delahanty and Lucretia Escalante
who achieved 15 years of service, Misty Accristo who reached 10 years, and Sona
Dill and Drew Thorne who celebrated 5 years. Congratulations! We are extremely proud to have you on
the Abilities United team.
As we refine our strategy for 2015-2018, we have formed
collaborative working committees comprised of staff, board, and community
volunteers. Areas of focus include
talent development, board governance, facilities, finance, fund-raising, and
marketing. In essence, we want to
ensure that we have the best people, the highest quality of service, a
sustainable financial model through earned and donated revenues, and a trusted
brand recognized in our community.
Together, this strategic framework will guide our redevelopment plans
for the future.
In this season of giving, I want to thank all of our participants and
their families, staff, volunteers, donors, sponsors, and board members who have
made Abilities United an exemplary agency. What a wonderful time to celebrate all that we have
accomplished together. We are
truly united in “giving all to the present” to ensure a strong future. Happy Holidays to you!
Charlie Weidanz
