Every year, companies, organizations, foundations, and individuals roll up their sleeves to offer financial and personal support for nonprofit agencies throughout the county. Chautauqua Striders is dependent on and extremely grateful for exactly this kind of sustained giving because it makes nearly every program, from tutoring and mentoring, to athletics and outreach possible on a continuing basis.
Recently, the Edward Jones Investments Company offered to accept donations on behalf of Chautauqua Striders at its Summit Avenue location. Financial advisor, Kathryn Colvin, spearheaded this effort, asking for items such as backpacks, pencils, pens, filler paper, dividers, three-ring binders, spiral notebooks, staplers and staples, markers, calculators, rulers, glue, crayons, tape, construction paper, manila folders, individual pencil sharpeners, and pen and pencil cases. Donations were dropped off in Lakewood, during the summer months, ending on Aug. 31. Chautauqua Striders received school supplies greatly needed by many young people for whom purchasing these items might be a huge strain on already tight family budgets. The people of Western New York are noted for their generous natures and with good reason.
Along those same lines, the United Way campaigns in northern and southern Chautauqua County are now in full swing, and they assist in making several programs possible for Chautauqua Striders. The north county tutoring program is located in the city of Dunkirk at the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County (NCC). Academic assistance is available Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m., for children and youth ages 6 through 18. Area high school students, as well as, those individuals up to age 24 attending Cassadaga Job Corps, can also meet on Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
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On Oct. 25, participants from many of Chautauqua Striders’ initiatives will join with other United Way agencies and programs at Strider Field for the “Live United Walk” to show their support for local community programming. Chautauqua Striders encourages everyone to “Live United” and contribute to the United Way.
In Jamestown, the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County supports Lighted Schoolhouse tutoring, Project REACH youth and family advocacy, and Chautauqua Striders Mentoring programs. The Lighted Schoolhouse offers tutoring at no cost for children and youth from all south county school districts at Chautauqua Striders' main office on the second floor of the Jamestown YMCA. Other programs under its umbrella include the Eastside YMCA, George Persell Middle School, and Abraham Lincoln Elementary School tutoring. Project REACH offers assistance and guidance to students and their families in times of greatest need, while Chautauqua Striders Mentoring pairs children and youth with caring adults, during the school day or in a community setting, who are willing to share their time and talents. The saying is true that to mentor one child is to change two lives, and mentors often receive unexpected personal and intangible rewards.
On Oct. 25, participants from many of Chautauqua Striders' initiatives will join with other United Way agencies and programs at Strider Field for the "Live United Walk" to show their support for local community programming. Chautauqua Striders encourages everyone to "Live United" and contribute to the United Way today.
Chautauqua Striders is extremely grateful to companies and organizations like Edward Jones and the United Way for its continuing recognition of this region's specific needs and for their steadfast commitment to meeting them.