Community Impact

Emerging Leaders

Professionals 20 to 40 years of age

There is a clear desire for younger professionals to become more actively involved in the civic life of Brevard. With a strategic focus on increasing civic involvement in the community, United Way of Brevard’s Emerging Leader Initiative encourages up-and-coming leaders to give their time, talent and treasure through United Way in order to meet needs in the community. This group of young professionals takes an active role in effecting positive change through volunteer efforts, networking and development opportunities and personal giving.

Current Activities include:
• Leadership Development - "Breakfast with Leaders"
• Education and Advocacy - Board training and placement
• Community Service - Volunteer opportunities every other month

For more information about this program, please contact Alecia Blattler at ablattler@uwbrevard.org or 321-631-2740

Committee Members

Eric Hostetler – Chair
Vance, Lotane & Bookhardt, P.A.
ehostetler@vancelotane.com

Becky Deppe – Leadership Development
RSM McGladrey

Eric Blattler – Volunteering
Harris Corporation

Megan Patel – Social Events
Federal Airways & Airspace

David Jaeger – Fundraising
Florida Institute of Technology

Amar Patel
Harris Corporation

 

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Easter Egg Love

Take 15 Emerging Leaders volunteers, 30 children from the DOCK, multiple cups of dye, and 6 dozen hard-boiled eggs.  Mix them all together and insanity ensues!  It is a crazy, fun stickers-all-over-your-face insanity and we wouldn’t have missed it for the world!  Check out the pictures.  Maybe you’ll want to sign up for our next volunteer project!! 

Fan us on Facebook to see more photos!


Dayle Olson, President of Brevard Achievement Center, shares his “Life’s Lessons” with Emerging Leaders

On February 16th, 20 young professionals convened at Brevard Achievement Center to listen to Dayle Olson tell the story of his life and how he came to Brevard County from Iowa in 1985 and took up the helm of Brevard Achievement Center.   In his 25 years with BAC, they have grown from an annual budget of $2 Million and 80 paid workers, to having a budget of over $25 Million and 700 paid workers at locations in Florida, Georgia and Puerto Rico.  His presentation included what he felt were his top Life Lessons, some of which were:

  • No matter what you do, there’s a lesson to be learned – be sure to learn everything to can. 

  • If someone needs your help – do whatever you can…you will never be sorry you did!

  • Know your strengths and hire your weaknesses. 

  • It doesn’t matter what your “IT” is – find it and do it with passion!

 


Emerging Leaders Give Back to Community!

On January 20th, nearly 20 Emerging Leaders got together to assist Healthy Start Coalition in preparing information packets for new mothers in Brevard.  For over two hours volunteers collated, bagged, tied, sorted and boxed (and told stories, joked and laughed).  At the end of the evening Healthy Start had 6,000 packets for new moms – enough to last them for months to come! 

What we did tonight in a few hours would have taken their small staff weeks to complete.  Helping the community and working with such great people truly epitomizes what being a part of Emerging Leaders is all about.” - Eric Hostetler

 

 


Emerging Leaders Give Back to Community!

The Emerging Leaders partnered with Harris’ GRAD group to volunteer at the South Brevard Sharing Center on Saturday, August 22, 2009.  Volunteers spent the morning repainting the lines in SBSC’s parking lot as well as removing weeds and landscaping.  At the end of the morning, everyone was tired and sweaty with sore backs and arms, but the SBSC parking lot had been completely transformed.  It was a great day’s work!   A really big THANK YOU to all of the volunteers who participated in the project!!


Charla and Kevin Frederick (and son, Shawn), Mike Haig, Alecia McCoy,
Brett Lamb, Natasha Irizarry, Doug Blair, Angela Montez

 


Brett Lamb and Mike Haig

 


Natasha Irizarry and Doug Blair

Sure it may be hard to landscape and paint parking lots on a warm August Saturday morning in Florida, but it makes it a breeze when you know that your hard work is going to help a worthwhile group like the South Brevard Sharing Center or any of the other groups United Way Emerging Leaders support.” - Doug Blair, a Harris GRAD member


Emerging Leaders giving $10 per week or more are recognized here and are invited to recognition events throughout the year. United Way recognizes the challenge it can be for professionals just beginning their career to give at a leadership level, and now offers a Step-Up giving program for young professionals who have committed to reaching the leadership level within three years. Suggested levels are $250 in year one, $350 in year two, and $500 in year three. Step-Up giving participants are immediately recognized as Chairman’s Club donors. The following Emerging Leaders are recognized for their 2009 leadership gifts:

The following Emerging Leaders are recognized for their leadership gifts:

Gold Circle
One Anonymous Member

Silver Circle
Christopher and Michelle Fox
Susan McGrath
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Perers
Joseph Wade
Cynthia Wallace
James and Shelley White

Bronze Circle
Erik and Trizia Eavenson
Nicole A. Pease

Crystal Circle
Aaron and Coleen Focacci
Michael Haig
Dicksy M. Hansen
Eric L. Hostetler
Ruth A. Hull
Thomas E. Johnston
Melissa Levy
Robert Maloney
Kay Collins Maloney
Alecia McCoy
Ryan McGill
Pedro B. Morales
Gina and Bob Rall
August O. Schutte, III
Joe Sofia
Dwain and Abiya Stilson
Porche J. Sullivan
Joy Suttles
Shannon L. Wilson
Holly R. Woolsey
Doug & Catherine Wright
Adam and Cheryl Zaricki
One Anonymous Member

 

Chairman’s Club
Sandra Abdalian
April Bailey
Leslie Bardo
Jenny Battig
Jacqueline Bernhard
Eric Blattler
Maria Bruno
Deborah L. Carter
Marie Cavallucci
Heather A Christmas
Sarah Clamons
Christopher Collings
Kristian L. Damkjer
Karen Dawson
Becky Deppe
Trishina Destefano
Kenneth Difiore
Nicole Eubank
Clara Ewing
Jennifer Gleaton
Jillian Goodhew
Michael Gordon
Rob & Pam Greene
Heather Hager
Kim Hammond
Carlos V. Herreros
Venus Hinds
Jessica Hinkle
Robert Hoag
Joel Howell
Michael Huenefeld
Natasha Irizarry
Valerie Kenworthy
Robert J Kinne
John Kofil, Sr.
Tanya R. Kuehnast
Robert Lamb
Jerod Lawrimore
Kimberly Lebo
Vishaun Lekraj
Grady Marshall
Heather K. McDonough
Tori McLendon
Andrew Michalets
Angela Montez
Tahia Morris
Scott and Erin Murdoch
Jennifer and Brian Noonan
Regina Nuchims
Emily and Craig Orndorff
Caron Partridge
Amar and Megan Patel
Jerrold and Sheron Pierce
Melissa Praytor
Dr. Mary C. Roslonowski
Angie Ross
Deepa Shah
Diane Sheridan
Jenny Sheriff Evans
Thomas Smith
William Specht
Wayne Spurlock
Jamie Stengle
Chiitra Tibbs
Rob and Rebecca Van Epp
Kirby Watson
Rebecca Weitz
Lisa Wight
Fred and Misty Wilson
Jason Zimmerman
One Anonymous Member



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Who are Emerging Leaders?

• Individuals between the ages of 20 and 40

• Individuals who want to get involved in the community but have no conduit to achieving this goal

• A group of individuals who are underrepresented in the civic, cultural, health and human service and professional associations of the community

• Individuals who are climbing the ladder within the structure of his or her workplace or career


Goals for the Initiative:

• To develop relationships with younger professionals in Brevard County and increase their knowledge of United Way not only as a fundraising organization, but a community innovator.

• To educate these individuals about the needs in the community and how they can be a part of the solution, effecting positive change.

• To provide opportunities for these individuals to become involved in the community through United Way initiatives, both existing and specially created.

• To contribute to the personal and professional development of these individuals through volunteerism, networking and mentoring activities.
• To encourage charitable giving to United Way in order to meet needs in the community.

 



Special thanks to Veronica DeBoisbriand of V Designs for creating the fabulous Emerging Leaders Logo!

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