Advertisement

The campaign gets underway Sept. 6, with a dinner at Lakeview Hills Country Club in Lexington when the honorary chairs and the goal Ð the same as last year Ð will be officially announced.

"This year the board selected leaders from our agencies to help us in the campaign," said Virgil Strickler, president of the United Way Board of Directors.

"They are Sherri Lanctot, Kris Kreger, Rae Ann Kreiner and Nancy Dean. These wonderful women not only do an outstanding job for their respective agencies, but they are also community leaders in the county."

Lanctot has served as the Sanilac County Victim Services Coordinator for 17 years. She was instrumental in forming the Sanilac Area Violence Elimination Council and in opening the council's shelter, Eva's Place. She has also served as co-president of the Sanilac County Child Abuse Prevention Council.

Lanctot is also a partner member of the Kid's Connection and a member of the Sanilac County Community Collaborative. In 1998 she was named Michigan State Outstanding Advocate of the year.

She is a lifelong Snover area resident and a graduate of Sandusky High School. She and her husband Larry have four children - Chad, Brandon, Aaron, and Ashli.

Rae Ann Kreiner is the director of United Hospice Services in Marlette.

"I am pleased to be able to help the United Way campaign. They not only help Hospice, but they do so much for so many in our county," said Kreiner.

She lives in Brown City with her husband RJ and their two children, Zachary and Tyne. She attends Trinity Lutheran Church, is a board member for the Sanilac Science Center, and is a member of the Michigan Hospice and Palliative Organization.

Kris Kreger is a social worker for the MSU Extension's Healthy Families program.

"Every day I work with families in our community and see first hand the impact of services supported by United Way funds," said Kreger.

She is co-chair of the Sanilac County Child Abuse Prevention Council's Baby Pantry, and co-chair of the council's prevention program. She is involved in the S.A.V.E. Council.

Kris and her husband Thomas live in Sandusky with their children Emily and Bene. She is a member of the First United Methodist Church in Sandusky. She has been honored with a Friend of Education Award and Silver Lining Awards in 2002, 2003, and 2004.

Nancy Dean is the executive director of the Sanilac County Kid's Connection. She is a member of the Child Abuse Prevention Council, the S.A.V.E. Council, the Blue Water and Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children, and the Thumb and Saginaw Area Safe Kid's Coalition.

"I am pleased to be a part of this campaign," said Dean. "The only way communities can help one another is to coordinate activities, and the best way to do that is through the United Way." Nancy and her husband, Dr. Roger Dean, live in the Port Sanilac area.

The kick off dinner is paid for by the Citizens First Foundation. Other sponsors that pay for campaign costs are Bales Croswell Greenhouse, JP Morgan Chase Bank, Barber Photography, Chemical Bank, Comcast, Eastern Michigan Bank, Huron, Inc., Exchange State Bank, Tri-County Bank, Graff Chevrolet, Buick, Olds, Inc., Gale and Steve Oldford, Sanilac County Bar Association, Sanilac County Community Mental Health, Signature Bank, Clear Ideas and Thumb Cellular.

The 23 agencies supported by the United Way are the Salvation Army, the American Red Cross, United Hospice Services, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, the S.A.V.E. Council, Sanilac Literacy, Catholic Family Services, Legal Services of Eastern Michigan, Lakeshore Legal Aid, Foster Grandparents, 4-H Council, Child Abuse Prevention Council, Kid's Connection, the Harbor, Personal Growth Center, Alzheimer's Association, Goodwill Industries, Blue Water Center for Independent Living, H.E.L.P., Inc., Habitat for Humanity, Safe Horizons, and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Anyone wanting to contact the United Way can e-mail uwsc@greatlakes.net or call 810-359-7683.