As Western’s United Way Campaign turns into the home stretch, Peggy Wakabayashi is rallying the campus community to address the “critical need” she sees in London.
“Increasing participation in and awareness about this year’s United Way campaign has been an important goal for our volunteers,” said Wakabayashi, campaign co-chair. “At the same time, we are also very aware of the critical need to support the community with our donations.
“As the end of year approaches, we are hopeful campus members who haven’t had a chance to make a pledge will consider doing so and help us create lasting change in our community.”
Currently, the university campaign sits at 85 per cent of its overall goal – only 8 per cent behind last year’s record-breaking pace – with a month to go. This year’s goal was set at $750,000 in support of United Way of London and Middlesex’s overall goal of $9 million.
Donations are still welcome. To qualify for a 2014 tax receipt, donations must be received by Dec. 31. Downloadable donation forms are available on the United Way Campaign site, unitedway.uwo.ca.
In October, Western launched its 2014 campus-wide fundraising campaign for United Way, dubbed Project 100%, with hopes of doubling the number of community members who take part in this year’s efforts. Previously, participation numbers reflected only those who made a formal dollar contribution. This year, whether someone contributed at a one-off fundraising event, or helped to make one of those events happen, Western counted that toward its participation numbers.
In keeping with that goal, the United Way Scotiabank Stairclimb teams doubled participation levels with 130 participants making the climb in November. Western participants also doubled the amount raised at the event jumping from $7,244 last year to $15, 025.
As part of the regional campaign, Leslie Gloor Duncan, Western’s Transition, Leadership and Enrichment Program manager, is a representative for the Leadership Challenge Grant. These grants provide a dollar-for-dollar match when you make a leadership gift for the first time ($1,000 or more) or a dollar-for-dollar match for the amount you increase your leadership gift over last year’s gift.
These ads, seen throughout the region, read, in part:
For Leslie Gloor Duncan, giving back to her community is second nature. From a very young age, her parents instilled in her the importance of supporting your community and the people in it.
“As a long-time United Way donor, I had always had my sights set on Leadership giving,” explained Leslie. “This year, I increased my gift to take advantage of the Leadership Challenge Grant so I could double the impact of my giving and create lasting change in more people’s lives right here in London and Middlesex County.”
Through her gift to United Way, Leslie continues her parent’s legacy and leads by example for her own children. Thank you Leslie for helping create a community where everyone matters.
Western’s 2013 campaign raised $785,386, the largest donation ever made to the local United Way, breaking the previous record of $746,101 set by the university’s 2012 campaign. More than 100 volunteers and 1,300 students, faculty and staff donated to Western’s campaign last year.
The current campus campaign concludes at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 27 with a wrap-up event in the Mustang Lounge.