United Way of Wayne honors top volunteer at annual meeting
By Matt Caulder
Published in News on February 21, 2014 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Dr. Glenn Phillips Jr., right, accepts the Emil Rosenthal Award, given to the top volunteer during the previous year, from former recipient Dave Parsons at United Way of Wayne County's annual meeting at the Lane Tree Golf Club.
Volunteers with United Way of Wayne County gathered at Lane Tree Golf Club for the organization's annual meeting Thursday morning to celebrate a successful year and to recognize volunteer Dr. Glenn Phillips Jr.
Phillips received the Emil Rosenthal Award, given each year to a volunteer who offers exceptional support to the United Way and to the community.
The award is named for Emil Rosenthal, a longtime United Way volunteer.
Past honoree Dave Parsons announced Phillips as the recipient of this year's honor.
"Our recipient has a passion for helping others with a belief in treating everyone with respect and dignity," Parsons said. "We have witnessed his great passion for his fellow man over the past several months as he brought to life the teaching of 'give a man a fish and feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.'"
Phillips serves as senior minister at First Baptist Church of Goldsboro and has served as honorary campaign committee chairman.
"Now I see why it was so important I come here," Phillips told the gathering. "While I'm not a native of Wayne County, I am proud to call it my home. I'm just shocked. God bless you all."
Dean Tino, of Wayne Memorial Hospital, was named Campaign Coordinator of the Year. Almost 4,000 people in Wayne County will be helped by the $200,225 raised during the year under his leadership.
Many other service awards were given at the meeting to companies and individuals who served Wayne County throughout the year.
United Way Executive Director Steve Parr said the annual meeting was a way to celebrate a successful year of growth for United Way.
"Our community campaign grew for the first time in four years this past year," Parr said.
Over the last year, $1.1 million has been raised for United Way of Wayne County, which in turn will fund many local charitable efforts.
Parr said the organization's success lies not just in the success of its community campaign, but also in its programs.
One of the newest of those programs is the Bank on Wayne initiative, which was organized to expand financial literacy in Wayne County.
The program aims at increasing the number of people in Wayne County using bank accounts, while educating them on good financial practices, United Way Associate Director Karen Schneider said.
Volunteers from area banks teach the classes at Literacy Connections of Wayne County.
The program is modeled after the National League of Cities' "Bank On" program, and is the first to be offered in North Carolina, Ms. Schneider said.
The Wayne County effort will focus on educating people about possible financial pitfalls such as aggressive lenders, she said.
The meeting's keynote speaker, North Carolina Treasurer Janet Cowell, credited the Bank on Wayne program as a reason she came to speak.
"I'm excited Wayne County has been able to, in this state, get that idea off the ground," she said. "Hopefully, this will be an example I can take back to Durham and Charlotte to get theirs going."