We kicked off this year’s annual United Way campaign on October 21, 2021. Between the week’s fundraising activities and pledges, our employees are on track to donate more than $18,000 this campaign year. Linn Area Credit Union will chip in $5,000, bringing the grand total to $23,098.50!
Sixty percent of our staff elected to participate in the payroll deductions and one-time giving. Forty employees increased their pledged giving from the previous year, and 19 individuals donated at a leadership or society level, automatically entering the employee into a drawing for a free ride in Linn Area’s hot-air balloon. (Congratulations, Kim! Be sure to take pictures up there!)
We held a variety of fun activities to raise money throughout pledge week, culminating at our Thursday training on October 28.
For the Change Management Challenge, each member of our senior management team had a jar near their office, and staff could deposit cash into their favorite manager’s jar throughout the week. The management team member with the most money in their jar at the end of the week was the “winner.” (Our Vice President of Retail won a pie in the face, and our VP of Operations/Finance sang karaoke to Uptown Funk!)
Employees also could pay to play a variety of games, including Bags for Bucks, Bingo, and the Great Pumpkin Decorating Challenge. Participation fees were donated to United Way.
All week long, we held a Trick or Treat donation drive. Our departments were divided into teams to see who could collect the most nonperishable food items and children’s books. Each team built a creative display from their donations, and staff members donated money to United Way in exchange for tickets to vote for their favorite display. If you bought enough tickets, you could vote for your own team and change the outcome! (We’re not saying that actually happened or anything….) We dropped off the food at the Catherine McAuley Center (the cab and the bed of the pickup truck were completely full!) and brought two boxes of children’s books to St. Luke’s Dental Health Center.
Altogether, we had a great week, raising money for United Way and doing good for our communities! We can’t wait for next year!