United Way column for Saturday, October 15, 2022
The 2022 United Way of Sarnia-Lambton campaign has now reached 34% of its $1.65 million needs target.
“We are just beginning week 5 of 15, and I am happy to say we are on track having reached the one third level of our campaign,” said Vicky Ducharme, the United Way Campaign Chair.
Just this week, the St. Clair Catholic District School Board began their employee online campaign. Each week, educators and school Board staff will receive an email encouraging them to support the United Way in either Sarnia-Lambton, or Chatham Kent, depending on which community the individual lives.
“Last year, the St. Clair Catholic School Board increased their overall giving from the previous year, and we are hopeful they will reach or even surpass last year’s contributions,” Ducharme said.
“We like to promote the youth programs we are funding in Sarnia-Lambton including the Boys and GIrls Club, now known as BCG, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Rebound, and new this year, the School Food delivery programs directly housed at each school in Sarnia and Lambton County,” she said.
Ducharme said in future emails, the programs and services that are funded in each of our communities will also be highlighted and each email will contain a link to both United Ways’ online campaigns.
Several campaigns kicked off this week including Cabot Canada who hosted a Chip Truck and Ice Cream Trailer to change things up. Employees were treated to burgers or sausages and fries while the United Way Campaign commenced. Cabot will match all employees again this year. While Cabot was kicking off, Reliance Home Comfort and the the LCBO campaigns were winding down. Those results should be known shortly.
Ducharme said the direct mail and online donations through the United Way website were also generating donations as well and helped get the year to date total to over $500,000.
TransAlta, Enbridge, and Pembina employee campaigns are also still running and the Imperial employee campaign is in its final few weeks. CF Industries has a perpetual giving program whereby employees sign up for payroll deduction and it continues until the employee adjusts his or her giving.
Shell Canada, another of the matching companies, held a pancake breakfast this week as part of their employee campaign kickoff.
The department of Fisheries and Oceans will begin their employee campaign on Monday and Canada Border Services has already held fundraising events as well.
“We expect even more campaigns to kickoff soon as well’, Ducharme said.
Ducharme said they also hope to have an announcement next week regarding the annual frozen meals the United Way partners with the Dante Club on.
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Photo Caption:
Sean Macklin, Paul DeMars and Shawn Johnston all from Cabot Canada, enjoy the annual United Way employee campaign kick off held earlier this week. Cabot Canada will match all employee contributions dollar for dollar. To change things up a little bit this year, Cabot brought in a fry truck with burgers and sausages, and an ice cream vendor.
