Exclusively for United Way Leadership givers, the White Sox have designated multiple nights as United Way Supporters Appreciation Nights. On these special nights the White Sox would like to offer specially priced tickets to all United Way Leadership givers for them to purchase for themselves, their families and their friends.

Tickets priced at $40, $36, $32, $21 and $17 are available at $20, $18, $16, $10.50 and $8.50.

• Wednesday, June 18 – White Sox vs. Pittsburgh Pirates 7:11 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 2 – White Sox vs. Cleveland Indians 7:11 p.m.
• Tuesday, August 5 – White Sox vs. Detroit Tigers 7:11 p.m.
• Thursday, September 11 – White Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays 7:11 p.m.

Here’s how to order:

1. WEB: visit whitesox.com, then click on Schedule and then click the T in the appropriate date box. On the corresponding page, type “UNW” in the special promotions box. Service fees will apply.
2. PHONE: Call (866) 769-4263 for Ticketmaster and give the “UNW” code. Service fees will apply.
3. MAIL or FAX in this order form. A $5 per order handling fee will apply with all faxed and mail orders of less than 20 tickets.

Please note that orders will not be redeemed at the U.S. Cellular Field ticket windows or the White Sox administrative offices. Sorry!

As most of the college students in the country jumped on planes for Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Cancun, Loyola University Chicago freshman Bola Olukanni headed down to St. Charles Louisiana for a very different Spring Break experience. Bola chose to spend her week off volunteering to help people whose homes were damaged by Hurricane Rita.

After reading about the opportunity on MTV’s website, Bola applied to be an Alternative Spring Break Volunteer with United Way. She could choose between United Way projects in three locations: Lake Charles, Louisiana; Biloxi, Mississippi and Detroit, MI.

Bola chose Lake Charles and began packing her bags not with a bathing suit, but with work clothes. It’s a choice that Bola says she would happily make again.

“It was really amazing,” Bola says. “It was just so great because everyone there was to help.”

From March 1 to 9, Bola and her fellow volunteers spent their days rebuilding and reconstructing houses, repairing local schools, and working to rebuild camp shelters and a nature trail damaged by Hurricane Rita.

“The staff who worked for UWA was amazing,” Bola recounts. “Everything was organized and fun.”

Bola spent the beginning of her week at a house that was nearing the end of construction. Her job was to work on the bathroom and one of the bedrooms. Toward the end of the week, she helped stock a ship that brings help to disaster-stricken areas.

The experience was one that Bola will not soon forget.

“I would definitely do it again,” Bola says. “It was fantastic.”

Alternative Spring Break is a United Way program that engages young people between the ages of 18 and 24 years old in meaningful volunteer service. For the last two years, think MTV and United Way partnered to create a week-long alternative spring break in the Gulf Coast. This spring, 500 students lent their spring breaks to make communities stronger by volunteering with United Way. For more information about Alternative Spring Break, visit http://unitedway.org/asb

A United Way Day of Caring matches corporate volunteers who are eager to give back to the community with United Way partner agencies in need of extra hands. Volunteers can make a real difference by tackling agency projects such as painting, landscaping or light maintenance.

A Day of Caring is a great way to promote volunteerism, increase awareness of local human service agencies and give people a chance to see firsthand the impact United Way and its partner agencies are creating in our community. These unique volunteer collaborations provide essential support—and bolster campaign success.

By creating a positive experience for our volunteers, participants come away feeling inspired, appreciated and motivated to continue investing in their communities.

To schedule a Day of Caring, please call Day of Caring & Volunteer Services at (312) 906-2265.