Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
There were visits from bank managers dressed in court jester costumes, spicy Mardi Gras gumbo and king cakes with hidden jaw breakers for lunch, "penny a vote" contests for best jester hat and whipped cream pie auctions for a favorite supervisor.
United Way of Kosciusko County's community campaign is in full swing and the creative fund-raising ideas are too. Mardi Gras is the chosen theme this year and companies are "jazzing up our community" by generating enthusiasm from their employees.
Several companies have already conducted internal campaigns.
Companies that completed their fund drives this month are Lake City Enterprise, Otis Bowen Center, Chore Time Brock and Mutual Federal Savings Bank. These companies planned very hard and ran efficient campaigns for the community. To date, company giving has increased this year over last year's giving.
United Way Board President Clare Baumgardt, branch manager of the soon-to-be-opened Mutual Federal Savings Bank in Syracuse, said, "United Way is efficient. It's effective and it's relevant. Through the United Way, people come together to focus their contributions for maximum impact. These companies are making a great impact upon their community by being involved and running an aggressive, effective campaign with their employees."
The challenge and opportunity for the United Way of Kosciusko County is to find what matters in the community and to focus on finding positive results. This year's goal for United Way is $1.525 million. The current amount raised is 18 percent of this year's overall goal.
United Way Campaign Chairman David Findlay, Lake City Bank CFO, said, "It is our task to involve more people by educating them as to what the United Way really does. We are happy that these companies recognize the benefits United Way brings to the county and to the thousands of people who are impacted by the dollars raised here. The job of the United Way is to create sustained changes that make a positive impact within our community which are long term solutions, not short-term fixes."
To Kosciusko County, community is what matters.
Other companies scheduled to run campaigns this month include Othy, Zimmer Inc., R.R. Donnelley & Sons, Maple Leaf Farms, Tranter Graphics, DePuy Inc., Dutchmen Homes, Spartech Industries, Warsaw Christian School and Lake City Bank.
For more information on internal campaigns or to donate to United Way, call 574-269-2592 or mail your donation to The United Way of Kosciusko County, P.O. Box 923, Warsaw, IN 46581.
