Do you know a hero?  We often think of heroes as fictional characters – like Superman or Wonder woman.  Maybe we think of famous people we will never meet.  In reality, we all know some REAL Heroes who live among us.  They don’t wear capes or fly invisible jets, but they do help us make great leaps in our lives and our community.

In 2015, United Way Wilkes County, initiated a special event to honor these very special heroes…these “unsung” individuals who work tirelessly to improve lives right here in Wilkes County.  These heroes never seek or expect recognition.  They just serve for the simple pleasure of making a difference!

We want you to think of a person in Wilkes County who has contributed to lasting change, personally, and/or through a service organization.  This person would have or is providing a service beyond what is normally anticipated.  Nominate her or him as a Great State (of Wilkes) Hero in one of our four focus groups of United Way:

Crisis Intervention

• Meet critical needs of food, shelter and safety
• Identify problems and connect resources
• Promote self-sufficiency

Educational Advancement

• Help at risk children succeed
• Promote high school graduation
• Assist with education and skills for job readiness

Health Improvement

• Promote healthy lifestyles
• Ensure access to physical and mental health care
• Advance efforts to break cycles of addiction

Future Generations

• While not traditionally a focus group, there is value in the efforts of our youth and recognizing theme for their contributions. To be nominated in this category, the nominee must be 18 years of age or younger and have made a significant, positive impact in the county.

The winner of each category will be given $1,000 to donate to a 501(c)(3) organization of their choice.