United Way Campaign Raises More Than $2M
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
The United Way Annual Meeting and Community Celebration was Friday at Baker Youth Club in Warsaw.
Bob Vitoux, who served as this year's United Way campaign general chair, announced that the 2009 campaign yielded $2,022,009.
Unit chairs on the 2009 cabinet were Dennis Cultice, Al Grossnickle, Kristi Manwaring, Willis Alt and Chuck Niemier.
Division chairs were Tim Meyer, Scott Reinholt, Debbie Yingling, Clint Marsh, Tiffany Smith, Chris Wiggins, Siobhan Davenport, Jason Hill, Rob Parker, Wendy Long and Tony Ciriello.
In 2008, United Way raised $1,798,122.
The goal for 2009 was $1,925,000.
Vitoux said that everyone knew 2009 would be unlike other years.
"We always thought it was going to be a tough year," said Vitoux. "It caused a healthy tension that helped us raise money."
Vitoux said he knew that the goal was met in early December.
Bigger companies, like the orthopedic companies in the county, matched funds raised by their employees and that helped United Way reach its goal, said Vitoux.
Vitoux set a high mark for the 2010 campaign to reach, but he said because of the people in the community it's possible.
Zimmer's Jeff McCauley has been slated to be the 2010 Campaign Leader.
Vitoux also was presented with the 2009 Volunteer of the Year award for his work during the campaign. Steve Corbett was named the Volunteer of the Year for 2008.
"People think of this place and all the industry here as Warsaw, but it was the whole county that stepped up," said Vitoux. "The county coming together as a whole is what helped."
During Friday's meeting, a video of the Day Of Caring was shown to illustrate some of he things United Way and the community come together to do.
"The video is used to show people what can be done," said Vitoux.
The Day of Caring is one way the United Way will try to meet its goal of helping families.
United Way's Pat Coy laid out two issues at Friday's meeting: education and income as two impact goals.
The United Way will work to improve education in the county by trying to raise the high school graduation rate by focusing on kindergarten readiness and first- and second-grade reading comprehension.
As for income, the United Way will work to raise the number of families that are economically self-sufficient by focusing on employability, family management and family stabilization.
Bill Hartman from Biomet was named the Key Leader of The Year during Friday's meeting.
Key Leaders are volunteers who organize internal campaigns at whatever company they're at.
Biomet increased their employee participation by 25 percent in 2009.
Biomet was one of five pacesetter companies for 2009 and also served as a corporate co-sponsor for Friday's event.
Pacesetter companies for United Way help kick off fundraising events and set the bar for other companies to follow.
The other pacesetter companies were Anytime Fitness, DePuy, Medtronic and Orthopediatrics.
Bart's Water Sports was given the Award Of Excellence as was the United Way Of Kosciusko County.
Biomet, Danco Anodizing, DePuy, Ivy Tech, Lake City Bank, Mutual Bank, SYM Financial, Tower Bank, Tri-State Advertising and Zimmer also were honored with the Employee Advancement Award.
For companies that met 80 percent of their fundraising goal, they were given Honorable Mention recognition. Those companies were: Paragon Medical, Medtronic, Little Crow Foods, Kosciusko REMC and Miller's Merry Manor-Syracuse.
Emcee Jim Tinky, Mutual Bank, helped recognize Kurt Carlson and Nona Macon who were stepping down from the United Way Board of Directors after serving two terms.
Members elected to serve their second term were Steve Carlson, Aaron Rovenstine and Gary Tenney.[[In-content Ad]]New board members named were Siobhan Davenport, Dennis Duncan, Joel Harstine, Tim Meyer and Don Bergen.
For more information on how to become involved with the United Way of Kosciusko County, visit www.volunteerkosciusko.org
"No gift is too small," said Vitoux. "Whether it be from your pocketbook or with your time."
The United Way Annual Meeting and Community Celebration was Friday at Baker Youth Club in Warsaw.
Bob Vitoux, who served as this year's United Way campaign general chair, announced that the 2009 campaign yielded $2,022,009.
Unit chairs on the 2009 cabinet were Dennis Cultice, Al Grossnickle, Kristi Manwaring, Willis Alt and Chuck Niemier.
Division chairs were Tim Meyer, Scott Reinholt, Debbie Yingling, Clint Marsh, Tiffany Smith, Chris Wiggins, Siobhan Davenport, Jason Hill, Rob Parker, Wendy Long and Tony Ciriello.
In 2008, United Way raised $1,798,122.
The goal for 2009 was $1,925,000.
Vitoux said that everyone knew 2009 would be unlike other years.
"We always thought it was going to be a tough year," said Vitoux. "It caused a healthy tension that helped us raise money."
Vitoux said he knew that the goal was met in early December.
Bigger companies, like the orthopedic companies in the county, matched funds raised by their employees and that helped United Way reach its goal, said Vitoux.
Vitoux set a high mark for the 2010 campaign to reach, but he said because of the people in the community it's possible.
Zimmer's Jeff McCauley has been slated to be the 2010 Campaign Leader.
Vitoux also was presented with the 2009 Volunteer of the Year award for his work during the campaign. Steve Corbett was named the Volunteer of the Year for 2008.
"People think of this place and all the industry here as Warsaw, but it was the whole county that stepped up," said Vitoux. "The county coming together as a whole is what helped."
During Friday's meeting, a video of the Day Of Caring was shown to illustrate some of he things United Way and the community come together to do.
"The video is used to show people what can be done," said Vitoux.
The Day of Caring is one way the United Way will try to meet its goal of helping families.
United Way's Pat Coy laid out two issues at Friday's meeting: education and income as two impact goals.
The United Way will work to improve education in the county by trying to raise the high school graduation rate by focusing on kindergarten readiness and first- and second-grade reading comprehension.
As for income, the United Way will work to raise the number of families that are economically self-sufficient by focusing on employability, family management and family stabilization.
Bill Hartman from Biomet was named the Key Leader of The Year during Friday's meeting.
Key Leaders are volunteers who organize internal campaigns at whatever company they're at.
Biomet increased their employee participation by 25 percent in 2009.
Biomet was one of five pacesetter companies for 2009 and also served as a corporate co-sponsor for Friday's event.
Pacesetter companies for United Way help kick off fundraising events and set the bar for other companies to follow.
The other pacesetter companies were Anytime Fitness, DePuy, Medtronic and Orthopediatrics.
Bart's Water Sports was given the Award Of Excellence as was the United Way Of Kosciusko County.
Biomet, Danco Anodizing, DePuy, Ivy Tech, Lake City Bank, Mutual Bank, SYM Financial, Tower Bank, Tri-State Advertising and Zimmer also were honored with the Employee Advancement Award.
For companies that met 80 percent of their fundraising goal, they were given Honorable Mention recognition. Those companies were: Paragon Medical, Medtronic, Little Crow Foods, Kosciusko REMC and Miller's Merry Manor-Syracuse.
Emcee Jim Tinky, Mutual Bank, helped recognize Kurt Carlson and Nona Macon who were stepping down from the United Way Board of Directors after serving two terms.
Members elected to serve their second term were Steve Carlson, Aaron Rovenstine and Gary Tenney.[[In-content Ad]]New board members named were Siobhan Davenport, Dennis Duncan, Joel Harstine, Tim Meyer and Don Bergen.
For more information on how to become involved with the United Way of Kosciusko County, visit www.volunteerkosciusko.org
"No gift is too small," said Vitoux. "Whether it be from your pocketbook or with your time."
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