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United Way of South Central Tennessee Celebrates Community Collaboration at Annual Meeting

Sep 19, 2025 at 11:27 am by WGNS News

Photo by Angel Pardue Photography: Galloway Board Member of the Year, Lori Williams, and UWSCTN President and CEO, Kristen Swan

United Way of South Central Tennessee (UWSCTN) hosted its annual meeting, called the Community Celebration, on Thursday, September 18th at TCAT Smyrna’s Nissan Training Campus. The event reviews the past year of stories and impact made by volunteers, donors, and corporate supporters, while inspiring attendees for the year ahead.
 
United Way’s mission to improve health, education, and financial stability would not have been possible without the help and support of our local community. This year’s event debuted a new award for corporate partners, called the THRIVE award. The THRIVE Award is given to an organization that exemplifies the key values of partnership with non-profits and the community as a whole: Teamwork, a Heart for Community, Responsibility, Impact, Volunteerism, and Engagement. The winner of this award showcases corporate commitment, employee buy-in, year-round volunteerism, and dedication to creating an environment where everyone THRIVES.
 
This year’s annual award recipients include:
  • Witherspoon Award: Dr. Ellen Slicker
  • Volunteer of the Year: Dawn Guardalabene
  • Galloway Board Member of the Year: Lori Williams
  • Employee Campaign Manager of the Year: Sierra Lowry
  • Dr. Linda Gilbert Advocate of the Year: Connie Casha
  • THRIVE Award: Ingram Content Group
This year’s event highlighted the client stories and the importance of supporting the ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) population in our community. An average of 45% of our community is living at or below the ALICE threshold, living paycheck to paycheck despite working. United Way of South Central Tennessee works to support the individuals and families in this population, and help them not just survive, but thrive.
 
Thank you to the sponsors that make this event possible: Middle Tennessee Electric, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Ascension St. Thomas Rutherford, First Baptist Church of Murfreesboro, Haynes Brothers Lumber Company, Ingram Content Group, Jack Daniels, Publix Super Markets, Regions Bank, State Farm Insurance, Andy Womack, Ascend Federal Credit Union, Rachel and Billy Bruce. First Bank and First Bank Mortgage, First Horizon Bank, Redstone Federal Credit Union, Volunteer Bank, Wilson Bank & Trust.
 
To learn more about United Way of South Central Tennessee, visit yourlocaluw.org.
 
 
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