On Thursday, Nov. 15, I had the privilege of attending the annual United Way Celebration along with more than 900 business professionals from Dane County, Wisconsin. I have to say that it was extremely moving to see everyone from CEO level to student volunteers come together for such an incredible cause. While we sat together eating lunch, we were entertained by 35 adorable kindergarteners from Falk Elementary. We heard a story, “Once there was a Community, and it loved a little boy”, and a song, “The Turkey Tango.” These performances demonstrated the importance of literacy work in early childhood, and reminded us to celebrate our inner six-year-olds. My tango skills are pretty scarce, but it was quite a bit of fun practicing the dance moves!
Kids doing the Turkey Tango
This year’s Dane County Campaign Chair Nick Meriggioli, President of Oscar Mayer/Kraft Foods, announced that the United Way of Dane County had an extremely successful campaign this year, collecting $17.6 million to help change the lives of many in our community. As you know from a previous Visibility Matters post, CB&A held its second United Way campaign this year and had some gratifying results, receiving seven awards. Here are a couple of highlights:
- “Employee Engagement Award” for 100 percent employee participation.
- “Community Chest Award,” for the largest percent increase in employee giving from last year. (We increased 58 percent from last year’s campaign.)
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I’m reminded how thankful I am to live in a community that is so focused on creating lasting change for the children and the future. If you’re interested in learning more about “Living United,” visit the United Way website (http://www.unitedway.org/) for information on how to get involved.