By Kate Reynolds
The United Way of Eastern La Salle County (UWELC) has officially kicked off its 2023 Campaign, which will run through Monday, November 6. United Way hopes to raise $245,381 throughout the 49-day campaign. Heading the campaign is Ottawa Police Chief Brent Roalson; the department’s canine, Rookie or ‘Rook’ is his co-chair. (Rookie is the only non-school-based therapy dog in UWELC’s Paw Pals program.)
The reason the 2023 UWELC campaign is so important?
Ottawa, Marseilles, Dayton Naplate, Grand Ridge, Sheridan, Serena, Seneca, Norway, Harding, Leland, and Wedron are communities that benefit from the United Way of Eastern La Salle County. Through community support and with donations, UWELC works with six agencies (Prairie State Legal Services, YSB, Voluntary Action Center) to help support five programs (2.1.1, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, School Tools, Paw Pals, and Labor of Love).
“Our community is so supportive and generous,” Executive Director Sally Honiotes said. “We’ve already received $50,903.49 (20.75 percent) toward our campaign.
Honiotes said United Way focuses on education, health, and financial stability.
“We serve the needs of people of all ages,” Honiotes continued. “We have resources to fit the needs of all ages, from newborns to senior citizens.”
Currently, UWELC has five programs, and Honiotes said there are plans to expand programs to support other community needs. For example, “I think there is a gap in the real world for financial information, anything from writing a check to completing a home budget. If you’ve never had exposure to any of that, how would you know? So, we are looking at many ways to address the needs of our community, from mental health to financial literacy.”
The programs UWELC has are exciting and varied. Paw Pals is one such program. Paw Pals therapy dogs are paired with a school employee and undergo 18 months to two years of training, all paid for by UWELC.
The dogs service 2,500 students with six specially trained therapy dogs that only work in six schools: Marseilles, Jefferson, Lincoln, Central, Shepherd, and Wallace. In October, three more dogs will be placed in Seneca’s North Campus (Grades Kindergarten through fourth grade), McKinley School, and Ottawa Township High School.
Therapy dogs, along with their owners, visit schools and hospitals. From working with a child who is learning or has difficulty reading to seeing a senior in assisted living, therapy dogs and their owners work together to improve other people’s lives.
“Therapy dogs are good listeners,” Honiotes said. “They promote calmness and support to all that need that, and they inspire trust and empathy. It’s been shown that dog-assisted reading support improves reading scores and reduces reading anxiety.”
Another annual UW-ELC) program is ‘Labor of Love,’ which happens on Saturday, October 7, with the rehab of 22 homes in one day.
“Our volunteers will rehab the homes of people with low income, senior citizens, and the disabled,” Honiotes said. “They do everything from electrical and carpentry work to pulling weeds or cutting grass. This program helps people keep their homeowner insurance and live in a warm, safe, and dry home. We are very grateful for the volunteers who make this program so successful.”
To learn more about UW-ELC or make a 2023 pledge, visit www.unitedway.org or donate directly to United Way of Eastern LaSalle County, 601 State St., Ottawa, IL 61350.