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WHY I LIVE UNITED?
My name is Layci Peer and I recently joined the Twin County United Way Board of Directors. I am currently the Director of Development for Quality Behavioral Health in Clarkston, Washington and grew up in the Lewis-Clark Valley. My Husband Chad and I and our dog Georgia live in Asotin where we enjoy all things outdoors including boating up the snake and camping in the Blue Mountains. We have family and friends all throughout the Valley and think this is where we'd like to spend our life and raise a family.
My very first job I had while going to Lewiston High School was for a non-profit company called Idaho Rural Water Association. That job started my passion for "servant leadership" and small non-profits. From high school I went on to college at the University of Idaho and after graduation was pulled back to the non-profit world working for Pullman Regional Hospital and in higher education at Washington State University Foundation and now at Quality Behavioral Health. Seems like every career move I made was based on non-profit organizations serving those in need. Now that I've settled in a place that makes doing servant leadership worthwhile, I was looking for other avenues where I could get involved in my community, take on new challenges and strive to help others in need. Through Twin County United Way Board of Directors, I believe I have found that place
My relationship with United Way began in college where I did a Public Relations Campaign for the United Way of Pullman and then the relationship was re-kindled when I began as a Development Director asking for funding for my organization and our programs through Twin County United Way. As a Twin County United Way partner agency, I began going to quarterly agency meetings, and learning what Twin County United Way stands for: advancing the common good of education, income and health. All these are areas where I believe servant leadership is most important. Twin County United Way is a wonderful organization, made up of people and board members who care about the Lewis-Clark Valley and the organizations that serve those in need right here at home. I was only too happy to join the Board of Directors and be part of a group of individuals working to make a difference in a community worth uniting.
Layci Peer
Director of Development
Quality Behavioral Health
TCUW Board Member |
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Community Investments
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At the center of our effort to make the greatest community impact lies our Community Investment process. In this process, local programs propose a strategy to meet a pressing need in one of our focus areas of Education, Income, and Health. These programs are eligible to compete for funding through our Community Impact Fund from the funds raised during our annual campaign. With a tough economy, the fund was a bit lower than last year; however, we're looking forward to making an impact with every dollar.
We want to thank Potlatch No. 1 Federal Credit Union for providing their conference room for our Community Investment presentations from March 26th - 28th. We're also extremely grateful to the following volunteers and businesses who gave of their time & energy to be on our review panels:
EDUCATION Panel:
Susan Colburn - St. Joseph Regional Medical Center
Jaynie Bentz - Port of Lewiston
Janis Forsmann - Clearwater Paper
Christy Cook - Nez Perce County Court Services
Jeff Lincoln - ATK/CCI Speer
INCOME Panel:
Dawn Wittman - Lewiston City Library
Debra Ausman - Zions Bank
Lonnie Ells - Battles & Ells, PA
Ken Harris - St. Joseph Regional Medical Center
Mike Berghammer - ATK/CCI Speer
Bailey Horne - Lewiston High School (Student)
HEALTH Panel:
Beverly Kloepfer - LCSC
Tim Barker - City of Lewiston
Scott Wise - ATK/CCI Speer
Mark Bell - Nez Perce County Court Services
Daniel Kloepfer - Lewiston High School (Student)
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Women's Leadership Council's
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The Women's Leadership Council will be hosting a celebration for the Children's Project on Friday April 13th, at The Orchid Room in Morgan's Alley from 10 a.m. - Noon.
The Children's Project's mission is to help prepare local children to enter kindergarten during the summer months. Research shows that children that have quality early learning opportunities are 49% more likely to graduate from high school. The April 13th brunch will introduce the programs United Way and other community partners are working on to ensure children in our community are ready to succeed when they enter kindergarten.
An opportunity will also be available to sign up for our Women on the Move. We want to invite you to join our Women on the Move to participate in TCUW's Day of Caring on May 11th.
Tickets are $10 per person (women only!). Ladies interested in hosting a table or signing up to attend may contact the TCUW office for more information at (208) 743-6594.
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Community Conversations
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As part of our work in Education, Income, & Health Mobilization we are hosting community conversations. They consist of 8-12 people having a "kitchen table" type conversation. It allows participants to speak honestly and freely about how they feel about the community. We discuss both aspirations and challenges for Nez Perce & Asotin Counties as well as ideas for how to help those who are in affected populations in our community.
We want to know what you are thinking, since this is your community. We don't want to make assumptions as to what the right thing to do is, and we aren't trying to create any quick fixes. But we need your help to be able to do that. If you are interested in putting together a group of people for a conversation or would like to participate in one please contact: rramos@tcuw.org.
 | | This "word cloud" is representative of the key themes that came up in our community conversation with our education partners. |
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Success Story from the Field
Boy Scouts
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Chance has struggled since birth with mild cerebral palsy and is on the autism spectrum. This combination makes building friendships and doing simple tasks you and I take for granted difficult for him. With all the challenges he has had to face and over come, social relationships has been the most difficult. He desperately wants to fit in and have "friends." He and his older brother started as Cub Scouts when they were in the third and fourth grades. Chance is now a member of a Clarkston Boy Scout Troop and has faced the challenges of participating in and finishing what he starts. This has been nothing short of "hard" but he has done every requirement for earning merit badges. His perseverance has paid off. He has a real sense of belonging to the troop and although expectations are high, his fellow Scouts won't let him give up. The smile from the joy he gets when older Scouts pat him on the back and say "way to go" or give him a "high five" has given him confidence and acceptance that he never would have had it not been for his Troop and the Boy Scouts of America.
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It is said that volunteers do not necessarily have the time, they just have the heart. Part of our mission is to UNITE, and there is no greater way to have an impact on our community than by coming together and volunteering.
Our next Day of Caring is just around the corner and we're looking for volunteers & projects. Our Day of Caring is a community mobilization of volunteers, connecting volunteers to meaningful, hands-on projects to assist local non-profit organizations with various needs.
Click here for more information
Our list of need for volunteers continues to grow. Local non-profit organizations are in need of your helping hand. Check our website to see a list of ways you can give to others through your time and talents! Please contact the Twin County United Way office at (208) 743-6594 to LIVE UNITED by fulfilling one of the volunteer opportunities!
Click here for a list of opportunities
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Upcoming Events
Women's Leadership Council's Spring Brunch
April 13th @ 10am
(click here for more info)
Day of Caring
Friday May 11th
(click here for more info)
Annual Banquet
Thursday June 14th
6th Annual Golf Invitational
Friday June 22nd
(Click here for more info)
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Did you know...
Our free prescription discount cards have saved over $645,000 in prescription costs in Nez Perce & Asotin Counties. There is no enrollment, activation process or fees associated with the card. You can now even look up your prescription to see which of our 18 local participating pharmacies have it in stock and what your savings will be.
Click here for more information.
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Contact Us
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Mailing Address:
2207 E. Main Street
Lewiston, ID 83501
Phone: (208) 743-6594
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