Karly Behrendt presents a gift to Campaign Chairs Andy and Erin Marsh, (Heartland United Way, Courtesy)
GRAND ISLAND — A year’s worth of the ways Heartland United Way donors, volunteers and community partners are taking care of our home was on display at the 2025 Campaign Celebration and Annual Meeting on Thursday.
“It’s home and as home you want the community to thrive and be as great as it can be, which is why we try to give back as much as we do,” said Jay Wren, owner of Copycat Printing and Signs.
The business was named the 2025 Outstanding Community Champion for their work helping to spread the Heartland United Way message.
“You take care of your home,” said Steve Hornady, president of Hornady Manufacturing. “It is our community and it’s a ‘we’ project not a ‘me’ project.” Hornady Manufacturing received the Outstanding Business Leadership Award for 75 years of leadership and investment in our community.
For some, home is the people in it. Leah Baker says Heartland United Way community partner Legal Aid of Nebraska helped her through a challenging divorce.
“I owe Legal Aid my life because without them I would not have gotten my kids and I would not have had that confidence to stand up to the people who were abusing me,” Baker told the group gathered at Riverside Golf Club.
It was an American Red Cross volunteer who made an impact on Erika Ventura after she lost her temporary home to a fire that she narrowly escaped.
“I lost everything. The American Red Cross was able to get me a blanket, was able to get me a comfort kit,” said Ventura. “I knew God had saved me from that to make an impact on somebody else.”
Ventura became a volunteer and now holds several positions at the American Red Cross, including adult and pediatric CPR and first aid instructor, Latino Engagement Team member, Community Engagement Volunteer chairperson, Disaster Action Team responder and deployment team member.
Other speakers talked about their full-circle moments too. Alondra Zapata Gonzalez is now a Teammates mentor after program volunteer Dianne Schneider impacted her life. Getzari Arteaga is now on the Literacy Council of Grand Island’s Student Advisory Board after coming to G.I. about a year and a half ago knowing little English. Adult Education student Sandra Reynoso said she hopes to give back once she completes her education.
A record $1,802,863 raised during the Heartland United Way’s Annual Campaign is helping these organizations make a difference. HUW President Karen Rathke thanked Campaign Chairs Andy and Erin Marsh for their incredible commitment over the past year.
Also Thursday, the Heartland United Way Board of Directors elected five new members and appointed new officers.
The Heartland United Way would like to thank all who made this a successful event, including Keystone Properties for sponsoring the dessert prepared by Red Bird Bakery, Grand Island Senior High Chamber Singers for their beautiful gift of music, Snow’s Floral for the centerpieces, CopyCat Printing and Signs for designing and printing our Annual Report, Riverside Golf Club for their wonderful food and hospitality and Awards Plus, Dramco Tool, and Brian Corr at Hastings College for the awards.
Please visit heartlandunitedway.org for more details on the work of the Heartland United Way.
Award Recipients
• Milestone Campaign– Hornady Manufacturing
• Outstanding Campaign– Chesterman Coca-Cola
• Outstanding Campaign Coordinator – Stephanie Plate (Amur)
• New Workplace Campaign – Island Heating and Air
• Outstanding Community Champion – Copycat Printing and Signs
• Outstanding Business Leadership – Hornady Manufacturing
New Officers
• Board Chair — Kent Brown
• 1st Vice Chair – Angela Simborn
• 2nd Vice Chair – Chief Kevin Denney
• 3rd Vice Chair – Brandon Hotovy
• Treasurer & Ethics Officer – AJ Fruchtl
Elected Board Members (A separate release will be sent with more on these new board members)
• Natalia Del Cid
• Mirta Delgado
• Jeremy Gillam
• Brent Grummert
• Kevin Ottman
Retiring Board Members
• Alec Ananai
• Barrett Hahn
• State Sen. Dan Quick
• Dr. Kavir Saxena
• Monisha Sood
