Zimmer Exceeds Goal, Educates As United Way Pacessetter
Zimmer Exceeds Goal, Educates As United Way Pacessetter
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Daniel Riordan-driordan@timesuniononline.com
Zimmer Exceeds Goal, Educates As United Way PacessetterZimmer did all the traditional things companies do when fundraising.
There have been employee incentives like vacation days and prizes.
But this year for its campaign as a United Way Pacesetter, the Zimmer team wanted to educate its employees of what United Way does for the community.
Zimmer held its Pacesetter campaign Aug. 9-23.
"We held a United Way fair where some of the funded programs came in and set up booths," said Zimmer campaign co-chair David Fulton. "They were also made available to speak at employee meetings."
For Fulton, the impact of United Way is immediate as both of his parents have used hospice care, which United Way helps fund.
For Merv Smith, his two small children have helped show how important Baker Youth Club is to the community.
Smith, who said he also plays basketball with co-workers at BYC, said seeing how many of his children's friends use the facility stuck out in his mind.
"So many of their parents use Baker Youth Club as a daycare center in the summer you realize how important it is," said Smith.
This year not only is Zimmer a Pacesetter but Jeff McCaulley, who is president of Zimmer Reconstructive, is also the general chair for the entire 2010 United Way fundraising campaign.
McCaulley said before he came to the area he had been involved with United Way.
"We wanted to raise awareness to our employees of how many programs this United Way funds," said McCaulley. "This county has a great United Way."
Zimmer also created a video highlighting what the United Way does and showed it to employees on all three shifts. That allowed employees to make donations to programs they specifically wanted to support.
As of Thursday morning, Zimmer had raised more than $337,000, surpassing the goal of $315,000.
And even though Zimmer's campaign was officially over, the company's fundraising group was excited and hopeful that number would grow as some employees got on board late.
The final number Zimmer generated will be matched dollar for dollar by a corporate donation.
McCaulley said that by Zimmer putting up a big number, it helps the overall campaign as well as show how committed Zimmer is to the community.
Smith said one thing that might help employees donate later this year and in the future is Zimmer's involvement in Day of Caring.
The annual event, which has swelled to hundreds of volunteers fixing up more than 100 homes in the community, saw 170 Zimmer employees as volunteers.
Zimmer also took a different approach with the typical thermometer method of showing fundraising progress.
Instead, Zimmer used blue crates to show the progress, and as progress was made another blue crate was stacked. As the blue crates piled up, they were filled with school supplies donated by Zimmer that were given to Combined Community Services.
