Jan Rader, first female fire chief in West Virginia and recent star of the new Netflix series Heroin(e), will serve as keynote speaker for the event. Laura Gilliam, executive director for the United Way of the River Cities Inc., said Rader has many connections to their organization.
“It is exciting that Jan Rader is scheduled to speak – she’s an amazing person! The Mayor’s Office on Drug Control policy, of which she was a part, is a member of CCSAPP, our substance abuse prevention partnership,” Gilliam said. “In addition, United Way is part of the new Faith Community United effort to provide support and education to the faith community as it deals with congregation members and the community at large who suffer with substance abuse disorder. Jan is a member of that group as well.”
Dr. Jerry Gilbert, president of the university, said the university’s partnership with United Way is a win-win relationship.
“By supporting organizations like United Way, we are choosing to advocate for our community’s most pressing problems. Over the years, United Way of the River Cities has provided funding for on-campus substance abuse prevention activities organized through CCSAPP,” Gilbert said. “We have faculty and staff that serve as volunteers for their various initiatives and in return, United Way has provided internships and work study sites for our students.”
Gilbert said the kick-off breakfast, sponsored by his office, will give Marshall community members the opportunity to hear from representatives of the Huntington YMCA, Harmony House and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Tri-State, just a few of the many United Way-funded partners.
The United Way Breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 5 in the university’s Memorial Student Center within the Don Morris Room. Raffle tickets will be sold for $1 for the “Greening Gilbert” event, in which one lucky winner will get to paint President Gilbert’s hair green at noon, Thursday, Oct. 26, on the Memorial Student Center plaza.
Marshall’s workplace campaign will include additional special events until its conclusion Nov.6. To learn more about future events aimed at raising funds for the university’s workplace campaign, visit www.marshall.edu/unitedway.