Lake Orion School District celebrates success

“I normally don’t like asking people for money, but with United Way it’s easy,” said MaryAnne Thorndycraft, director of Adult Education, Lake Orion Schools. “You almost don’t have to ask, you just have to tell them about the good things United Way does in the community.”

And that strategy paid off. The 163 employees that participated in the campaign at Lake Orion Schools raised just over $9,000, which is $3,000 more than last year. She also increased participation with 40 new contributors.

MaryAnne and her team were successful in engaging teachers and school administrators in the campaign by passing out information about United Way 2-1-1 and by showing employees tangible examples of United Way’s work through posters and other literature.

“MaryAnne’s dedication really stands out,” said Kira Putt, campaign associate, United Way. “She participated in a special Employee Campaign Coordinator training for schools which provided extra tips which she was able to execute over their two-week campaign. It’s obvious that extra effort combined with MaryAnne’s leadership really worked.”

Ford hits a hole-in-one with annual fundraiser

Approximately 55 Ford Motor Co. dealers and executives endured the unusual October heat to participate in a golf outing at the TPC Michigan in Dearborn to support United Way on Oct 5. Traditionally, the annual dealer event is a lunch and auction, but Ford decided to try a new approach for the 2007 campaign in an effort to engage more dealers and create an event that was both fun and beneficial to the community.

Each participant donated $2,500 to United Way to play in the golf outing. Alan Mulally, president and CEO, Ford Motor Co., played golf with six dealers who went above and beyond by contributing $10,000 each. In addition to a round of golf, participants enjoyed dinner and a silent auction featuring three opportunities to sell the 2008 Shelby Mustang GT500KR in their dealerships.

The new format of this event is already being considered a success. While results are still being determined, it is expected that it will generate three times what it raised in 2006.

Corporate Advisory Council to give back at Hometown Huddle

Approximately seven volunteers from United Way’s Corporate Advisory Council (CAC) will team up with The Detroit Lions for the 9th annual Hometown Huddle on Oct. 23. Hometown Huddle is a nationwide day of service that celebrates the partnership of the NFL and United Way by reaching out to volunteer in local communities where the NFL has a presence. This year, 32 cities are participating in the event.

This year’s project involves building a fitness trail with 10 stations at a Boys and Girls Club site in Detroit. The trail will surround the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Athletic Field, located at the Gardenview Estates, a Detroit Housing Commission – HUD major redevelopment initiative.

“Being a part of this event is like a triple play for me,” said Kimberly Lindsey-Feagin of Robert Bosch Corp. “I am excited to be a part of something that shines a spotlight on the United Way, promotes getting fit and healthy and enhances the quality of life for the youth in our community. With the unfortunate closing of several area recreation centers, our youth have limited opportunities for accessible, fun and healthy activities.  I can’t pass up my chance to help.”

The CAC is a volunteer committee that advises and assists in the development of key fundraising strategies for United Way’s annual campaign and the overall transformation of United Way. Hometown Huddle volunteers from the CAC represent companies such as: Detroit Diesel, Edward C. Levy Corp., Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Honigman, Miller, Schwartz & Cohn, Robert Bosch Corp., and US Steel. Students from University of Michigan-Dearborn and other volunteers are also scheduled to participate alongside Detroit Lions players.

Campaign Tip
We're here for you

You are working hard to encourage others to support United Way, but we are also here to support you. There is a plethora of materials available for use during your campaign, including brochures, posters and videos.

These items can help you convey the difference United Way makes in the community by offering print and visual representations of our work. We also have form letters to help you craft messages to employees about your campaign. You can access these items by logging on to United Way’s campaign center.

United Way can also help you order promotional items such as coffee mugs, lapel pins, magnets and paperweights to use as giveaways, incentives, or as recognition for contributors. Contact your campaign representative to learn more or place an order.

United Way offers its partners an online pledging system, United eWay, which is a highly secure, streamlined alternative to the paper pledging process. The system also allows users to search for volunteer opportunities and learn about important community issues. Regardless of your organization’s size, United eWay will support you by creating an efficient and effective campaign. For more information, contact your campaign representative.