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Donors Honored By the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley

Photo by Heather Ziegler United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley Executive Director Jessica Rine, at left, presents the “Building a Better Community” award to G. Ogden Nutting who is shown with his wife, Betty Woods “Snookie” Nutting, and former United Way executive director George Smoulder.

WHEELING — When former local United Way executive director George Smoulder introduced G. Ogden Nutting as the United Way’s “Building a Better Community” award recipient this morning, he called Nutting and his wife, Betty Woods “Snookie” Nutting, “builders” in the community.

Smoulder said during his 10-year tenure at the helm of the Upper Ohio Valley United Way, he often sought advice from Nutting, publisher of The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register and one of the largest and longtime supporters of the United Way.

” I was so impressed how intently he listened to me.”

“Then it was my turn to listen. He gave me ideas and insights to take the next step with United Way,” Smoulder said. “And then we talked about the Pittsburgh Pirates,” he added.

Smoulder said during talks with Nutting and his wife, it became clear that they were “builders” of important things — family first, then building on the community they truly love in “quiet, humble ways.” He touted Mrs. Nutting’s dedication to refurbishing old buildings and Nutting’s contributions to education via his support of The Linsly School and Bethany College among others.

“He contributes to make certain our young people succeed. He has been working with the United Way since 1958 on various committees … no easy task. He has quietly touched the lives of thousands of people in the Ohio Valley. He quietly inspired his children and others to use their gifts to improve their community,” Smoulder said.

Nutting offered his thanks to the United Way and gave a brief history of the organization’s early heritage. He said in 1918, the city’s chamber of commerce asked that a community war chest be created, the first coordinated effort to raise funds involving seven organizations. In 1931, that agency morphed into the Community Chest, chaired by W.E. Stone of Stone of Thomas fame. When he fell ill, Jess Bloch stepped in and brought other prominent citizens aboard who raised funds to put men to work.

“They raised the money and the city provided the jobs and supplies. The Community Chest paid they salaries,” Nutting explained.

He said one of the first jobs the men did was to pave Chapline Street from 12th and 16th streets. Nutting turned to Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott and City Manager Robert Herron and quipped that maybe the “community chest” should be paving downtown streets today based on their current conditions.

“Fifty some years later, some of those early agencies are still here today. The United Way today represents what Mr. Stone and Bloch started,” Nutting said.

He also praised Smoulder’s initiative to raise separate money to fund grant writers for the United Way and other agencies who all have benefited from grants received.

“It’s people helping people on different levels, different purposes. That’s why you all are succeeding,” Nutting added.

Nutting was joined by about 100 invited guests to the annual donor appreciation breakfast held at Wheeling Island Hotel, Casino, Racetrack. In addition to the major award presented to Nutting, five other awards were given to United Way donors.

Among the other awards presented today were:

∫ Employee Campaign Champion: Wheeling Hospital

∫ Corporate Campaign Champion; Williams Energy

∫ Top Three Donors: Silver, WesBanco; Gold, AEP: and platinum: Williams Energy.

Smoulder also thanked current United Way executive director Jessica Rine for her leadership during her first two years at the helm since his retirement.

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