News Release
Contact
Nicole S. Rowe
Administrative Assistant,
Public Relations
320 DuPont Highway
New Castle, DE
19720
nicole.s.rowe@wilmu.edu
Wilmington University Donates to Charities at Annual Christmas Open House
In the spirit of the holiday season Wilmington University donated funds to three charities at their annual Christmas Open House Luncheon held yesterday, December 17 at the New Castle campus. The University donates money to charities each year at Christmas time as a way of giving back to the community. This year the University honored three charities: The United Way of Delaware, Rose Hill Community Center and Delaware Boots On the Ground.
“Today I would like to honor three community organizations,” said Dr. Jack Varsalona, President of Wilmington University. “It is so important to recognize these organizations and what they do to change the lives of so many people.
“As many of you know the University has been heavily involved with United Way of Delaware for quite some time and this is an organization I really believe in, one that is true to my heart,” said Dr. Varsalona presenting the first check to Monique Chadband, Volunteer Coordinator at United Way.
The funds donated to United Way of Delaware will be used for the Delaware Does More Campaign, a joint initiative with the Food Bank of Delaware. The campaign aims to provide emergency food and funds to needy Delawareans as well as to ask those who live and work in Delaware to give, help and care more. “This program has done so well that the Food Bank of Delaware cannot find enough drivers to deliver all the food they have collected,” said Dr. Varsalona.
Next Dr. Varsalona called upon Deborah Deubert, Executive Director of the Rose Hill Community Center. The Center, founded in 1980, provides various academic and non-academic programs to people of all ages including: adult education, tutorial programs for K-12, a Head Start program for pre-school children from low-income households, the Boys & Girls Club and more. “The Rose Hill Community Center helps people in the community by getting them back on their feet,” said Dr. Varsalona, “They give them a helping hand, not a hand out.”
This year Wilmington University donated movie tickets and McDonald’s certificates to the Rose Hill Community Center for use as incentives for the youth at the Center. The University also donated funds for bus rentals to be used in field trips and will continue to give back to the center throughout the year.
Lastly Dr. Varsalona donated funds to Delaware Boots on the Ground, a non-profit organization that aids and encourages Delaware military members and families during deployment and peacetime by offering a variety of different services. Dr. Varsalona presented a check to Major John Fisher and his wife Jan. “I would like to thank Wilmington University for their generosity,” said Major John Fisher, with tears in his eyes, “This will be used to help the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan during a hard holiday away from home.”
The program continued with Dr. Varsalona recognizing and honoring the board of trustees. “Among then they have over one hundred and ten years of service. They are the people who founded our mission, and I can’t thank them enough,” said Dr. Varsalona. Next the President recognized the retired employees that were in attendance and congratulated them for their service to the University.
In closing Dr. Varsalona thanked the Wilmington University faculty and staff for all their hard work. “I love this holiday party but you all have that same, caring, holiday spirit all year long. And for that I would like to thank you.”
To see more pictures of this event please visit
http://www.wilmu.edu/ur/multimedia/galleries/galleryselect.aspx.
