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United Way Column for Saturday, November 20, 2021
 
The United Way has reached $920,000 of its $1,750,000 goal.
 
“We are delighted to be at 53% of the target, and we are hoping we will be closer to the $1 million mark in a week or so,” said the 2021 Campaign chair, Vicky Ducharme.
 
The Imperial employee campaign is reaching its end with donations at 97% of their goal so far.  “The employees and the annuitants from Imperial have really stepped up again this year and it appears that they will surpass last year’s totals,” she said.
 
The remaining large employee campaigns, including those that match employee and retiree donations are in the midst of their fundraising and it is expected that their results will quickly add to the year-to-date overall campaign growth quickly.  “NOVA Chemicals, Shell Canada, Cabot Canada, and ARLANXEO are examples of those campaigns,” said Ducharme.
 
“We still lag behind last year’s pace by about three percent,” she added.  The campaign will run until the end of the year, and many of the company match deadlines are approaching.
 
The Suncor Employee campaign adds to their totals each month beginning in January of each year.  Suncor matches all employee contributions as well.   “Suncor Employees held their successful parking lot auction earlier and those dollar amounts will be added to the campaign total shortly,” Ducharme said.
 
CF Industries in Courtright is also in the final weeks of their campaign.  CF Industries employees roll over their annual contributions into the following year making the campaign very efficient and effective.  “All employees with very few exceptions continue their contributions year over year, and each year, the campaign picks up some new donors,” said Ducharme.
 
The Sarnia and District Labour Council has generously come forward to sponsor the monthly online 50/50 draws for the United Way for the next three months.   “We are grateful to all the support we get from organized Labour in Sarnia-Lambton, including their sponsorship of www.united5050.ca draws over the next three months.   This generous gift will allow the United Way to more effectively promote the monthly draws to a much wider audience,” she said.
 
Ducharme said several campaigns have either just kicked off, or soon will.  These employee drives include Bluewater Health, Lambton College, and the OPP. 
 
Ducharme announced that the presale orders for the 2ndannual Giving Tuesday Frozen Take Out meals from Dante Club are selling well.  
 
“This year, we have three choices: Homemade Lasagna, Homemade Penne al Forno, and Homemade Rigatoni al Forno with Italian Sausage.  All meals are available in large and small, they are frozen so they can be put back in your own freezer and can be cooked anytime this holiday season” she said.
 
Ducharme thanked Libro Credit Union for sponsoring the dinner, and the Lambton Cattlemen for donating local ground beef, and Lambton County members of Ontario Pork, for donating locally raised ground pork.  Without their support, the event would be difficult to run.  “We are also very grateful to our partners, the Dante Club for all of their support as well,” she stressed.
 
Ducharme pointed out that the Rigatoni al Forno is a brand-new dish provided by the Dante Club and encouraged the community to be among the first to try that dish.  The order deadline is Monday, November 29, 2021, at noon.
  
To order, simply visit the United Way website at www.theunitedway.on.ca, and click on the News and Events tab on the top right to Purchase Fundraiser Meals. Ducharme said the website contains more information as well on the event as well as prices.
 
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Photo Caption:
 
Maaike Campbell, Ontario Pork, Silvana Cservik, Dante Club, Cathy Thompson, United Way Board Member and Libro Credit Union, and Ralph Eyre, Lambton Cattlemen all meet in the Dante Club to discuss the menu for this year’s 2nd Annual Giving Tuesday frozen dinner event supporting United Way.  Homemade Lasagna, Penne al Forno, and Rigatoni al Forno with Italian sausage are available in two sizes for pre-order to be picked up on November 30, 2021 from the Dante Club.  To order, visit www.theunitedway.on.ca and click on the News and Events tab.