United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties: Health Checks, golf outing keep May busy

This past month has been a busy month for the United Way: three Health Check events and one golf outing! First, the Health Checks … Our volunteer team and interagency partners have helped us to host Health Checks in Adrian, Temperance (Bedford) and Dundee. We had a record 137 attendees in Adrian, 103 in Bedford and nearly 100 in Dundee. We’re a little tired but thrilled at the numbers. Many attendees have come to rely on the $20 blood panel testing as a low-cost alternative for their comprehensive blood work. I, too, try to get my blood work completed at a spring and fall Health Check, respectively. (It beats a $200+ co-pay, even with insurance coverage). Talking to the attendees made me further realize how important affordable health care is to all of us. And a program like Health Check is so needed and necessary.

We have many community partners who are necessary to the success of our Health Check program. Luckily, ProMedica provides all the lab work, and their technicians perform admirably in a busy setting. Other partners, like our Monroe and Lenawee County health departments, the Family Medical Center, ProMedica departments and Schmidt & Sons pharmacies, help with vaccines, blood pressure checks and proper medicine disposal. In Lenawee County, volunteers from the First Presbyterian Church in Adrian and the Tecumseh First Presbyterian Church are coordinated by Anne Walker. She calls them all her “A-Team.” In Monroe County, the ProMedica Hospital Guild, led by Marie McLaughlin, and the RSVP Team, led by Beth Berlin, help us each year. Our volunteers are amazing! We wish to extend a special thank you to the Maurice Spear Campus and Monroe County Inmate Release programs for helping with set-up and take-down. This is a huge help! Many community health partners have a tabling presence to help answer health questions as well. Our wonderful church hosts, Holy Family Parish (Adrian), Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (Bedford/Temperance) and Dundee Assembly of God, are so gracious to us. And a special thank you to our retired executive director, Connie Carroll, for sticking around to help coordinate these events. She has been involved with Health Check in Monroe County for over 30 years, and it is as near and dear to her as she is to us!

Our recent fourth annual Charitable Golf Outing for Lenawee County was a great success as well. Kevin Phillips and his team at Raisin Valley Golf Club hosted another successful event in their newly renovated clubhouse. The rain ceased by tee time for our 21 teams, and the weather improved throughout the day. Board members John Allen, Tino Amaya, Jeff DiCenzo, Lisa Fennell, Mike Hayter, Joe Lucey, Daniel Mussap, Jennifer Sell, Andrew Shaw and Kerri Williams helped either as volunteers, sponsors or golfers. Once again, our invincible Anne Walker and her “A-Team” of volunteers helped support this event, too. Mike Morast, Cindy Frownfelder, Nancy Dermeyer and Lynnette Foor did another fine job for us. Other United Way volunteers included Connie Carroll, Christi Rogers, and Gail and Pricilla Hutra along with our operations director, Lisa Babb, who is the backbone to the whole operation! Our community partner volunteers included Jennifer Ferrari from Family Medical Center, Christal Albig from Goodwill Industries, and Sarah Church and Carrie Burgermeister from Citizens Gas Fuel Co./DTE.

Sponsors for the golf outing included the following community partners: Michigan Gas Utilities, Gerdau, LIUNA Local 499, Family Medical Center, DTE Foundation, Lenco Credit Union, Great Lakes Coils, Amaya's Fresh Mexican Grille, Schmidt & Sons Pharmacy, Chaloner's Cigar House, Countryside Veterinary Clinic, Bell Ford, Mannik & Smith Group, Williams Insurance, Goodwill Industries, Jeff DiCenzo, 3 Dudes & Dinner, Clift Auto, Sieler's Water System, Adrian Steel, County National Bank, UAW Local 3000 and Old National Bank. Goodie bag items or raffle prizes were provided by Jiffy Mix/Chelsea Milling Co., Hang Loose Boutique, Components Plus Golf Shop, Wolf Creek Golf Club, Raisin Valley Golf Club, The Legacy Golf Club, Carrington Golf Club, ZoomBroom Golf Breeze, Sass Gift Shop, Citizens Gas, Dempsey's Restaurant, Cakes by Stephanie and Michigan Gas. Breakfast coffee and doughnuts were provided by Tim Hortons of Monroe and Lambertville. Such great community sponsors!

Overall, this past month was hectic but very productive. I am humbled by all who helped with our Health Check and Lenawee Golf Outing events. They are all wonderful, giving and selfless people who show up when needed. They, too, believe that what we’re doing helps improve the lives of others in both counties we serve, and it makes a busy month all worthwhile.

The United Way funds 11 local Lenawee County agency programs and serves as a donor designation vehicle for 30+ additional agencies.  We also sponsor countywide 211 services and coordinate Project Ramp, two annual Health Check events, and the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). All funds raised in Lenawee County stay in Lenawee County. We appreciate your support to help fight poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, mental health and substance use disorders, domestic violence and other important community needs.

For more information about living united, please contact us. Call us at 517-264-6821, email [email protected], visit us at 136 E. Maumee St., Suite 13, Adrian, MI 49221, or visit our website at www.unitedwaymlc.org. NOTE: We finally moved to our new space, Suite 13, at the Gallery of Shops in downtown Adrian! Visit our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok social media platforms, too.

Laura Schultz Pipis is the executive director of the United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Health Checks, golf outing keep May busy