CONTACT: Lisa Curtis Director of Communications and Marketing

MEDIA ADVISORY – EMBARGOED Until 7:00pm 2-2-17 OVATION 2017

CONTACT: Lisa Curtis – Director of Communications and Marketing Cell: 509- 999-4805 Office: 509.324-5029 [email protected] Social Media: Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/SpokaneUWay/ Twitter username: @Spokanunitedway (no e in Spokane)

WHEN / WHERE : Thursday, February 02, 2017 Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox  Doors open at 4:30pm  Awards program begins at 5:30pm  United Way Campaign final amount raised announced at 6:30pm

WHAT: OVATION, a community celebration to honor and award individuals and companies for their outstanding contributions to the United Way campaign and announce the financial impact created for our community.

Over 250 individuals will join in celebration at the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox. This event is hosted by Cowles Company and Avista with refreshments provided by No-Li Brewhouse.

Program MC’d by Stacey Cowles, Cowles Company, Shelly Colomb, Umpqua Bank and Tim Henkel, Spokane County United Way.

Award Categories and winners: 1. Volunteer Mobilization of the Year – Guardian Life Insurance Company (photo and additional story opportunity on page 2 and attached in email) 2. Ignite award (new campaign) – WSU Spokane 3. Non-profit of the Year – Hospice of Spokane 4. Small Business of the Year – ALSC Architects 5. Large Business of the Year – Comcast Communications 6. Campaign Coordinator of the Year – Lynn Leenknecht, Clearwater Paper Corporation 7. Emerging Leader of the Year – Bryan White, Acme Concrete and Paving Company 8. Advocate of the Year – Jim Cowles – link to tribute video: https://youtu.be/qZRe7s1C43Q

Spokane County United Way’s campaign raised $3,697,747. These dollars create local impact and are focused to reduce the educational achievement gap amongst our most vulnerable students, increase the financial stability of families, and support healthy home environments free of domestic violence and child abuse and neglect. A mom of a little boy who was impacted by volunteer efforts wrote the below letter. This is in reference to the volunteer project supported by Spokane County United Way, Excelerate Success and Guardian Life Insurance Company. Guardian Life Insurance Company employees provided 600 books and 300 bananagrams to students at Shiloh Hills Elementary through a book fair. These books were sent home with students to encourage reading over the winter break.

Ann, My dearest friend sent me a text message yesterday with a picture of a familiar looking navy book bag, with The Guardian Logo and United Way on it. She was so grateful for whatever part we, as a company, took part in regarding this gift her kindergarten son brought home. She asked if we just sponsored the bag itself. When I told her our involvement, she cried, as it meant so much to both her son Tayten, but also his classmates. She said that her son said the “People who gave us the present of books were so nice and they all smiled big.” I had to pass this along. Please do share with those involved.

Here is proof of how important this event is for these children. And it hit home for myself, as Tiffany is one of my very best friends, struggling to get back on her feet as a single mother of two, and I was the babysitter for both her kids from birth until I started here. I’m Aunt Jenny =)

Thank you Guardian for approving this event, making it happen, and making such an impact on so many lives. She asked me to share this picture, it needs no caption. I’m even more passionate about this now, not that I wasn’t before. But to see little T-man so excited melted my heart.