My first week at United Way of Wayne & Holmes

Jesse Pertee • March 21, 2023

New Beginnings...

Beginning a new job can be a stressful situation, especially when it is in a new community. However, that first week can tell you much about the organization’s mission and culture. I have heard from many people that the best way to tell an organization’s culture is to observe its employees on Monday morning.

My first day at The United Way of Wayne and Holmes County was a great example of Monday morning culture. I walked up to the door ten minutes early and was greeted by the CEO, who pulled into the parking lot simultaneously. I was greeted by a hardy good morning, and the first thing I notice is a welcome sign posted on the door with my name on it. Then, thinking it was very thoughtful, I heard someone say, “hey, Siri! play celebration.” Not sure what I got myself into, I walked into the community area, and my coworkers were dancing, saying good morning, and welcoming me with huge smiles. What a fantastic first impression! In all my years of working, I have never been greeted and made to feel so at home as I was at that moment.

First impressions are lasting; I doubt I will ever forget that first day. We spent part of the morning chatting and getting to know one another before the real work began. I was handed a binder with a calendar of my first three weeks and every day laid out and planned. It was a huge comfort knowing that I had an agenda and knew precisely where and what I was supposed to do.

The next three days were the same. I was part of the team from the onset. I have had an opportunity to attend several lunches in the area with local civic groups and meet many of our constituents and board members. I have also had the chance to begin paving my road and looking into alternative ways to improve some processes. It is very liberating to be given the freedom to express yourself and contribute in the best way possible while having the support and guidance of experience.

Of course, every first week would not be complete without some unexpected calamity. On my third day on the job, I started to feel ill. As the day progressed, it increasingly got worse. Like most people, the last thing I wanted to do was call off sick on my first week at work. During a meeting, I was told I should go home. If we learned anything from COVID, it was not to be tough and stay sick at work.

I finished the rest of the week working from home. My constant contact with my new coworkers put my mind at ease about my condition and if I had any needs. I was taken aback by the amount of genuine concern for my well-being.

I have seen many places that like to trumpet their unique culture or talk about how great a place they are to work. In my experience, only some live up to their self-imposed standards. It is often just words on paper to check off another box. My experience at UWWH has taught me that they not only talk but also walk the walk.

I am incredibly excited to continue my journey with the organization and grow both personally and professionally. If you are looking for an organization to support that is completely aligned with its mission, focused, positive, and authentic, look into ways to help UWWH. #culture #powerofmoments

Celebrating 30 Years of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

By Kayley Cox • July 1, 2025
Celebrating 30 Years of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library This year, I was honored to attend the virtual Homecoming Conference celebrating the 30th anniversary of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library . As the Local Program Partner that fundraises for our program in Holmes and Wayne Counties, I was excited to participate—even if I was a little disappointed the event wasn’t held in person at Dollywood. Still, I committed to making the most of the experience by actively engaging in sessions and discussions throughout the event. The conference offered a wide range of sessions, from strategies to strengthen relationships with local public libraries to creative ways to boost enrollment. One of the highlights for me was connecting with fellow program partners not only from across the U.S. but also from the UK, Canada, Scotland, and Australia. It was both inspiring and energizing to share stories and best practices with peers from around the globe, all united by the same mission: to get books into the hands of children. One of the biggest takeaways from the three-day virtual event was the importance of celebrating how far we’ve come. When our United Way launched the Imagination Library in 2019, Holmes County had zero children enrolled. Today, we have 1,629 current participants and 1,362 graduates. Wayne County shows similar success, with 3,924 children currently enrolled and more than 4,100 graduates. That’s over 11,000 children who’ve been directly impacted by this program! Those numbers are impressive, but the real question is: what do they mean for our children and our community? Cincinnati Children’s Hospital reminds us that children aren’t born with a reading network—it must be built through exposure and practice. Reading aloud to young children strengthens their language development and cognitive growth. By age three, a child’s brain is already 80% developed. Imagination Library provides families with the tools to support this crucial development—at no cost to them. That’s nothing short of amazing. As the conference wrapped up, I felt refreshed, motivated, and more enthusiastic than ever about the work we’re doing. The connections I’ve made through the network of Local Program Partners have deepened my sense of support and community. This work matters. I see it in my own children who are enrolled in Imagination Library. I hear it from families across Holmes and Wayne Counties. And it’s reflected in the data for the young readers who participate in this program across the world. So, if you have a child under 5 in your life, check today that they are enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. And if they aren’t enrolled, sign them up today! Go to www.uwwh.org/get-books It’s free, fulfilling, and most importantly, it’s fun 😊.

From Grandma to Goal-Getter: My goal setting journey, part 2

By Katie Koglman • June 2, 2025
From Grandma to Goal-Getter: My goal setting journey, Part 2

Books and Balance: Cultivating Mental Well-being Through Reading

By Kayley Cox • May 12, 2025
Growing up, I had a complicated relationship with reading. I thoroughly enjoyed reading various chapter books or series, ranging from the Arthur to The Baby Sitter’s Club to A Child Called “It” series. But once I reached middle school, many of the English classes I attended had required reading for the course, and the requirement meant reading was no longer an option, but rather it was mandatory, and to take notes, and to be tested on the material! The required reading lists often burned me out, leaving me disinterested in picking up a book for pleasure. I would go through phases of wanting to read more, but the enthusiasm was often short-lived. As an adult I have really tried to be intentional with reading. As someone who has made a New Year’s Resolution to “read more” the last 6 years, I have really tried to focus on finding what genres interest me because when I do, I do in fact “read more,” and I like it! It also makes me happy. I feel like I have more to talk about in conversations and enjoy the dialogue reading a book brings, along with the mental break it provides me from daily life. As a parent of two young children, I have really tried to make it a priority to foster a love of reading in my kids. I encourage them to choose the books we read, and to take it a step further, I have also been intentional that my children also SEE me reading. Reading books for my own enjoyment. I want them to remember that reading isn't just something we do together, but also something we can do for ourselves. It’s a form of self-care and can really help our health-our MENTAL health. Literacy plays a critical role in children's mental well-being. Research from Scholastic and the Yale Child Study Center-Scholastic Collaborative for Child & Family Resilience highlights the powerful influence of books and literacy on mental health. It shows that a love of reading can boost self-esteem, increase empathy, and mitigate anxiety and depression. Reading can introduce children to different types of people from all walks of life, and not only that, introducing children to different points of view, perspectives, ideas and ways of life. This exploration can foster creativity and imagination and innovation – traits that are needed for our community to evolve and grow. And this exploration can provide an opportunity to show that no matter your thoughts, you are not alone in them. By modeling reading, I hope to instill in my children the understanding that books, while educational tools, are also powerful allies in maintaining mental health. Our brain, just like anything else in the body, needs exercise. And we have the power to put the book down or keep turning the page. Whether it’s going to library to pick out our selections, or borrowing books through the Libby app, I challenge you to give yourself a moment of escape with a side of perspective that a good book can bring. Then, track your progress through Wayne County Public Library’s Beanstack app to follow your book journey. This action has truly helped me prioritize reading for my mental well-being while also instilling the love of reading in my children so they too can create a balance for their own mental health.
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