YLS Oyster Roast
Despite some rainy weather, dense fog and delayed arrivals, about 200 people joined United Way of the Midlands Young Leaders Society (YLS) for an Oyster Roast at the University House on November 14, 2008.
The event was held to raise awareness of YLS, to recruit new members, and to collect donations for the YLS 2008-2009 volunteer project. The event also provided an opportunity for people in the community to come together in a social setting and enjoy meeting other leaders in Columbia.
Additionally, YLS held a supply drive for Leaphart Place, which provides housing and services to young adults with disabilities who were formally in out-of-home care, homeless or at risk of homelessness. At the time a newly opened facility, Leaphart Place had a dire need for various products to provide to their residents. Through the generosity of supply drives at Bank of America, McNair Law Firm and contributions made at the oyster roast, enough supplies were collected to provide residents, including future residents, much of the hygiene and household items they so desperately need.
“YLS has been very helpful so far this year from the supply drive to helping us build a fence as well as donating food items,” said Gayle Oglesby Ricks, President and CEO of Growing Home Southeast in 2008. “We are all very appreciative to YLS for adopting us this year as well as to United Way who has also been instrumen
tal in the success of Leaphart Place thus far.”
In addition to assisting Leaphart Place, the event was also a great time. Finesse Band put on a show and many of the guests took advantage of the opportunity to bust a move on the dance floor. Guests enjoyed oysters, chili, beer and wine and mingled amongst each other or stayed warm close around one of the three fireplaces. The event never would have been possible without the hard work of United Way staff, the YLS steering committee and the many vendors and businesses who donated goods and services so generously.
Everyone’s hard work certainly paid off.