MOARA Education Fund honoring Marcia Cline with first Community Voice Award

The Missouri Alliance for Retired Americans Education Fund will honor Marcia Cline with its first Community Voice Award for her time and effort to improve the lives of many in the Greater St. Louis community.

The awards luncheon is Tuesday, Jan. 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Genesis Banquet Center, 2651 Telegraph Road in south St. Louis County.

Cline was employed by the United Way of Greater St. Louis as the labor liaison with the Greater St. Louis Labor Council. That partnership continues to raise much needed funds for the annual United Way campaign. Cline helped develop a training program designed to educate local unions on the various ways to inform and mobilize union members. Because of her leadership and the training she provided, union leaders and members better understand how to reach out to and help the people who are in need in our communities.

Over the years, Cline has worked consistently to benefit children, families and the elderly. Her caring has been reflected in service on various state and local boards that focused on the total welfare of children and families. These include the State Rehabilitation Council for the Missouri Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Governor’s Partnership of Early Childhood Care and Education, Governor’s Partnership on the Transition from School to Work, Governor’s Advisory Council on Child Care and the Downtown Children’s Center Board.

Cline’s commitment to the wellbeing of children and families recently resulted in a remarkable campaign in support of a 23-year-old single mother of boys ages two and five. The mother was working a low-wage job on a late-night shift. One night, unable to get a babysitter, she made the difficult decision to leave the boys home alone while she went to work. That night there was a building fire. The boys were rescued by firefighters, but the mother was arrested on two felony counts of child neglect. Cline, working with the Coalition of Labor Union Women and other community leaders, was a strong advocate for the mother who was ultimately acquitted and placed in a paid internship with a new tech company in St. Louis.

Tickets for the awards luncheon are $35 each or $280 for a table of eight.

Make checks payable to MOARA Education Fund/Luncheon, Missouri Alliance for Retired Americans Education Fund, Attn: Michael Owens, event treasurer, 3301 Hollenberg Drive, Bridgeton, MO 63044.

For more information, call 314-402-2141.