United Way & Volunteer Center Hits
Community Solutions Campaign Goal
March 1, 2004 - Today, Greater Ottawa
County United Way & Volunteer Center officials announce
the completion of a successful Community Solutions Campaign
raising $2,177,872. The goal for this year’s Community
Solutions Campaign was $2,153,100. The monies raised
will go back into our community in United Way &
Volunteer Center’s five focus areas: Helping Kids
Succeed, Strengthening Families, Fostering Self-Sufficiency,
Promoting Independence for Seniors and Empowering the
Disabled.
“The fact that companies and individual donors
rose to the challenge this year in light of the economy,
says a lot about what our community can do when we work
together.” Says Joan Mack, Interim Executive Director,
Greater Ottawa County United Way & Volunteer Center.
“It is an incredible feat to have made our goal,
even with keeping it flat with last year.”
“We also thank our Community Solutions Campaign
Chairs and loaned executives for their dedication not
only to our organization, but to helping make our community
a better place.” Says Mack. Randy Smith, President
of Paragon Bank, Dave and Karen Young, Sam Vriezema,
Edward Jones Investments, and Julie VanDyke of the Allendale
Area Chamber of Commerce were campaign chairs for the
Holland, Tri-Cities, Zeeland and Northeast Ottawa areas
respectively.
“What matters even more than hitting the goal,
are the kids, families, seniors and other individuals
whose lives will improve because of the services this
money supports.” Says Lara MacGregor, Volunteer
Center Director and Campaign Manager for Greater Ottawa
County United Way & Volunteer Center. “This
is truly a local community effort with over 300 companies
running workplace campaigns in Ottawa County and thousands
of individuals making personal gifts.”
United Way & Volunteer Center also received non-traditional
donations from four area businesses—donations
of employees to act as loaned executives for 11 weeks
during the fall. Cheryl Wright, Delphi Automotive and
UAW 2151; Tim Dumez, Macatawa Bank; Maureen Fitzgerald
Penn, Catholic Social Services; Amy Foster; Tim Poulton;
Kathi Six, The Mortgage House; and JoAnn Waasenaar were
the seven loaned executives.
“Due to staff vacancies during this campaign,
our loaned executives helped make this year’s
campaign a success.” says MacGregor. “We
are thankful for the generous companies and organizations
willing to not only give up a staff member, but pay
for them to work for United Way & Volunteer Center,
at no cost to our organization.”
There are many new things on the horizon for Greater
Ottawa County United Way & Volunteer Center and
the community. Sylvia Geisler has been named the new
Executive Director for the organization and will begin
on April 1, 2004. United Way & Volunteer Center
coordinated the first countywide Community Assessment
of health and human services in Ottawa County, which
launched in February. This spring, the United Way &
Volunteer Center will work with the community to begin
a strategic plan establishing outcomes [goals] for the
community’s health and human service programs
based on the findings of the community assessment. The
success of the United Way & Volunteer Center campaign
reinforces the community’s support for our local
human service agencies and the work that lies ahead
to strengthen Ottawa County.
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