Last night we touched down our annual fundraising campaign. Here is the article from today’s edition of the Kamloops Daily News. Stay tuned for more photos from the great event last night. A huge thank you from United Way, our Community Partners, our board and our staff to all those who contributed to making 2011 a very successful year for us!
Hugo Yuen
December 16, 2011
By Cam Fortems
Daily News Staff Reporter
While the economy bumps along in peaks and valleys, the annual United Way fundraising drive continues to go nowhere but up.
When the wrap was taken off the big cheque from Highland Valley Copper and its unionized employees Thursday night at Thompson Rivers University, the total for the year exceeded a $1.9 million goal.
“It’s the biggest number ever,” said Rob Wilson, who chaired this year’s fund-raising campaign. “We were optimistic when we started. It’s absolutely incredible that each year this community steps up.”
Brenda Aynsley, executive director of Thompson Nicola Cariboo United Way, hinted there’s a chance the number will top $2 million based on a grant application that remains outstanding.
The only surprise from the big donor each year is how massive its donation is. The mine exceeded its own ceiling for contribution when employee numbers came in higher than expected.
In total the mine and its workers contributed $634,000 — more than 30 per cent of all donations.
And it’s not as easy as writing a cheque.
Jim McCarthy, a leader of the team at the mine, said the campaign team pulled four, 16-hour shifts cooking for workers as part of the fund-raising drive.
“At one time they actually shut down the pit to do the campaign,” he said.
At Gibraltar Mine, near Williams Lake, the average donation by employees was nearly $400. It brought in $96,000 while Domtar and its workforce here raised $94,000.
Money raised in specific communities is put back into programs in those communities. The region stretches from Nicola Valley north to McLeese Lake in the north and as far as Lillooet in the west.
While the heavy hitters put the campaign over the top, United Way officials highlighted a myriad of small ways that businesses and residents contribute to the campaign.
For the RCMP it involved doing mock arrests with a bail set as a donation. Canadian Western Bank donated $1 for every “like” that United Way got on Facebook.
Another significant contributor is the Homes for the Holidays program that raised $35,000 this year.
With the fundraising campaign now complete the local United Way office enters a phase where it decides on its programming.
The charity is moving away from its traditional role as an umbrella organization that raises funds for local charities, moving instead toward partnering with organizations.
One of its major efforts in 2011 was a homelessness action plan.
By Cam Fortems
Daily News Staff Reporter
While the economy bumps along in peaks and valleys, the annual United Way fundraising drive continues to go nowhere but up.
When the wrap was taken off the big cheque from Highland Valley Copper and its unionized employees Thursday night at Thompson Rivers University, the total for the year exceeded a $1.9 million goal.
“It’s the biggest number ever,” said Rob Wilson, who chaired this year’s fund-raising campaign. “We were optimistic when we started. It’s absolutely incredible that each year this community steps up.”
Brenda Aynsley, executive director of Thompson Nicola Cariboo United Way, hinted there’s a chance the number will top $2 million based on a grant application that remains outstanding.
The only surprise from the big donor each year is how massive its donation is. The mine exceeded its own ceiling for contribution when employee numbers came in higher than expected.
In total the mine and its workers contributed $634,000 — more than 30 per cent of all donations.
And it’s not as easy as writing a cheque.
Jim McCarthy, a leader of the team at the mine, said the campaign team pulled four, 16-hour shifts cooking for workers as part of the fund-raising drive.
“At one time they actually shut down the pit to do the campaign,” he said.
At Gibraltar Mine, near Williams Lake, the average donation by employees was nearly $400. It brought in $96,000 while Domtar and its workforce here raised $94,000.
Money raised in specific communities is put back into programs in those communities. The region stretches from Nicola Valley north to McLeese Lake in the north and as far as Lillooet in the west.
While the heavy hitters put the campaign over the top, United Way officials highlighted a myriad of small ways that businesses and residents contribute to the campaign.
For the RCMP it involved doing mock arrests with a bail set as a donation. Canadian Western Bank donated $1 for every “like” that United Way got on Facebook.
Another significant contributor is the Homes for the Holidays program that raised $35,000 this year.
With the fundraising campaign now complete the local United Way office enters a phase where it decides on its programming.
The charity is moving away from its traditional role as an umbrella organization that raises funds for local charities, moving instead toward partnering with organizations.
One of its major efforts in 2011 was a homelessness action plan.
