United Way of Lake County Hosts Annual Leadership Breakfast

LAKE COUNTY, IL (September 10, 2012) – United Way of Lake County’s (UWLC) annual Leadership Breakfast is an ideal occasion to unify the community’s efforts to prepare children to succeed in a changing world.

This year, United Way of Lake County is pleased to present Ralph R. Smith as the keynote speaker at their 2012 Leadership Breakfast. Smith is the Senior Vice President of the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Managing Director of the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, a nation-wide effort to reverse the unacceptably high rates of low-income children in the United States not reading proficiently by the end of 3rd grade. Smith will discuss innovative community solutions to support early learning success.

Smith was a member of the Law Faculty at the University of Pennsylvania for two decades teaching Corporations and Securities Law and Education Law and Policy. During those two decades, he also served as Special Counsel, Chief of Staff, Chief Operating Officer and Transition Director for the Philadelphia School District and as Senior Advisor to Philadelphia’s Mayor.  Smith led the School District teams that designed and implemented the district’s landmark Voluntary Desegregation Plan, negotiated some of the nation's first education reform driven teacher contracts, and developed Children Achieving -- a district-wide blueprint supported by the Annenberg Challenge.

UWLC’s Leadership Breakfast is a county-wide event where Lake County businesses, nonprofit agencies and community partners to come together to support UWLC’s mission to unite leadership and resources to create lasting change that will improve lives in Lake County. The event includes Smith’s presentation and the final results and Corporate Challenge winners of Page it Forward 2.0: Lake County’s Biggest Book Drive.  Attendees are also encouraged to bring new/gently used children’s books to donate to Page it Forward 2.0 in order to be entered into a raffle for an autographed Chicago Bears football. (One ticket per donation.)

Current sponsors for United Way’s Leadership Breakfast include: Abbott, Baxter International Inc., BMO Harris Bank, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Comcast, Midwest Generation, Nicor Gas, North Shore Gas, One Hope United, Trustmark Companies and Vogue Printers.

The 2012 Leadership Breakfast, hosted by United Way of Lake County, is on Friday, October 5, 2012.  The event will be held at Independence Grove in Libertyville from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.  Community business leaders, agency partners and other supporters are invited individually or by company for breakfast and a program headlined by Smith.  Individual registration is $50, table sponsorship is $750 (includes 10 seats), and premium table sponsorships are $1,000.  Other sponsorship opportunities are also available.  Tickets can be purchased online at www.liveunitedlakecounty.org/breakfast. 

What: United Way of Lake County’s 2012 Leadership Breakfast
When: Friday, October 5, 2012 from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Where: Independence Grove, Lake County Forest Preserve, 16400 West Buckley Road, Libertyville

Ticket information:
Individuals: $50
Table Sponsor (includes 10 seats): $750
Premium Table Sponsorship: $1000

Registration:
Online: www.liveunitedlakecounty.org/breakfast
Phone: 847-775-1015 (Cynthia Zimmerman)

About United Way of Lake County:
United Way of Lake County (UWLC) is preparing our children to succeed in a changing world by focusing on education and building safe and stable families. Working with nonprofit agencies and community partners, we have identified four key programs to prepare children to succeed: Success By 6 Program – prepare for kindergarten; Reading Success Program – read at grade level; Stay in School Program – graduate high school; Safe and Stable Families Program – empowering families. UWLC is overcoming reading and educational barriers by reaching children, from preschool through high school, through these key programs.  The overall effect and benefits are multiplied by the strong collaboration with agencies and our community partners. For more information, visit www.LIVEUNITEDlakecounty.org.