Record editorial says it all

On Friday September 23, The Waterloo Region Record published a great editorial entitled "United Ways deserve our help".

Click here to access the full article on the Record web site.

I want to share a few snippets with you here:
 
"Fundraising is never easy, and it is particularly difficult at a time when a country is either in recession, getting over a recession, or, like now, worried about the possibility of another recession."

"Jan Varner, United Way of Kitchener-Waterloo’s chief executive officer, dealt with her organization’s financial situation frankly when she asked, “Are we where we hoped to be financially now?” Her answer was, “No.” She quickly added, “But we can’t give up. We’re committed to achieving this target.” She’s right."

"Either through channelling donated money or volunteer time, United Way organizations are making our communities better places in which to live. And they richly deserve all the support our communities can give them."

I realize I'm a little biased here, but thanks, Waterloo Region Record, for the great article. For sharing our message with the community, the editorial team members at the Record are my latest Community Heroes!

Keep Caring it Forward,

Meg

Guest Blogger Lisa Drew: Caring it forward…

The 2nd annual Day of Caring was just that, a great day to get out and do something to make our region a better place. And hang out with a few horses.
 
The day was sponsored by United Way KW and Area, and yesterday also launched this fall's workplace campaign. This year’s chair James Chmiel wants to to knock it out of the park- the goal? Six million! This is the year that we can do it. (Amazing turnout at the noon lunch downtown..thumbs up to the BIA, Shriners and Manulife!)
http://www.uwaykw.org/

Our radio group (570 News, CHYM and KIX) spent a few hours yesterday morning at Pride Stables in Kitchener .

It’s home to the Central Ontario Development Riding Program. Volunteers make this place hum, and make a lot of kids and their parents smile year round.

It provides therapeutic horseback riding not just to kids with special needs, but adults too. (Clients could be in a wheelchair, or have CP, or autism…) This is the biggest program of its kind in Canada, and its located in the Deer Ridge/Pioneer Tower end of Kitchener .

We were there scrubbing down the stalls, and the group from Deloitte would follow us with paint brushes in hand. Here’s what we learned yesterday: 26 beautiful horses make up this program, over 300 riders use the program annually, over 200 volunteers make the difference, and the program really needs 25 volunteers right now! http://www.pridestables.com/

CODRP gets support from our local United Way, and generous sponsors right here in the community. Tara and I have already signed up to help with a weekday session. We were that moved and that inspired, and left with big smiles.

lisa

Lisa Drew
Morning News Anchor
570 News
Kitchener ON
519 743-6397
Lisa.Drew@570News.Rogers.com
Listen Live at 570News.com
Read my blog : http://blog.rogersbroadcasting.com/lisadrew/
Follow me on Twitter @lisadrewradio

Day of Caring – a great chance to care it forward!

So, you’ve been thinking about caring it forward, but you haven’t quite gotten around to putting that caring into action, is that right?
    
Don’t worry, I understand. I’ve been really busy too, so I’ll let you off the hook for now. Provided, that is, you come out and join United Way KW in downtown Kitchener on September 21 when we celebrate our 2nd Annual Day of Caring and launch our Fall Workplace Campaign.
 
Wait, there’s more. I also want you to volunteer to do something, anything at all, to help others in our community during Day of Caring. Even if you’ve never volunteered before – in fact, especially if you’ve never volunteered before – I encourage you to give it a try on September 21st. Helping others makes you feel great inside, trust me on this one.
 
Just one more thing - don’t be afraid to toot your own horn. Post your efforts on Facebook or Twitter, using hashtag #dayofcaringkw. Send a photo too if you can to mlagrotta@uwaykw.org, and I’ll post it right here for all to see.

REMEMBER:
  
UNITED WAY KW 2nd ANNUAL DAY OF CARING
and Fall Workplace Campaign Launch

Generously sponsored by Manulife Financial

Wednesday September 21, 2011
12– 1:30PM

Kitchener Civic Square
Downtown Kitchener

We’ll be sharing the street with the Downtown Kitchener BIA as they celebrate their Employee Appreciation Day on King Street between Ontario and Gaukel from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
 
Until then, keep caring it forward,
 
Meg

Lisa LaFlamme - This Year's Celebrity Event Honouree

Be sure to check out our CEO's blog about CTV evening news chief anchor Lisa LaFlamme, who recently took over from the retiring Lloyd Robertson. We're honouring this outstanding Kitchener native at this year's United Way KW Annual Celebrity Event on Friday November 25th at Federation Hall.

Tickets go on sale soon. Visit our web site for more details.
 
Meg

It’s International Literacy Day – take the challenge!

International Literacy Day – September 8th - is celebrated across Canada to promote and increase reading and writing skills among Canadians.

One of United Way Kitchener Waterloo and Area’s five regional priorities involves ensuring that all people are economically secure. Literacy plays a critical role in achieving that security. United Way Kitchener Waterloo and Area supports programs that provide adults with important literacy services - and a chance at a better economic outlook.

I encourage you to get involved in International Literacy Day this year by taking the International Literacy Day Challenge. Simply participate in one or more of the following activities on September 8th:

1. Read a book to a child
2. Have a child read a book to you
3. Start a blog (my personal favourite!)
4. Take a professional development course
5. Join a social media platform – Linked In, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
6. Write a letter to an old friend – the snail mail way!
7. Share this list with friends and coworkers – and dare them to take the challenge!
8. Play a game of Scrabble
9. Look up and learn a new word (and continue to do so every day for a month!)
10. Use a new form of technology (Smartphone, self‐serve checkout, etc.)

Here’s my personal challenge to you – don’t just take part in these activities on International Literacy Day - do at least one of these activities each and every day of the year!

Nancy Bird
Director, Community Development

Thanks for “texting it forward” to support Goderich!

There are a lot of people out there that I want to send a big thank you to right now – those who supported the victims of the recent tornado in Goderich by participating in our special two-week mobile giving campaign for United Way Perth-Huron.
 
Between August 23-31, $2855 was raised via texting to support the citizens of the disaster-stricken town of Goderich. With $5 being donated for each text, that’s a whole lot of texting going on!

Twitter played a big role in spreading the word about this special campaign, as did our local media outlets. I think our CEO, Jan Varner, summed it up best with the following statement: "I am so pleased to see the support from the community, media partners and social media outlets. We’ve never seen so many retweets! Our community put caring into action by texting their financial support and sharing it with their networks.”

We also accepted donations from donors without texting capability. These funds will be added to the text donations and sent to Goderich.

While we’re no longer accepting text donations for Goderich, the mobile giving campaign continues throughout our fall workplace campaign season in support of those in need right here in the KW area.

Simply text “UWAY” to 45678 and $5 will be added to your phone bill. You can make up to six text donations per month.

Here’s an interesting fact for you: Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Libro Financial Group, we were one of the first Canadian United Ways to launch a mobile giving initiative.

Thanks again to all who supported Goderich through our special two-week mobile giving campaign, and to all who continue to support our community by “texting it forward”.

Keep Caring it Forward!

Meg