U of G Rallies for United Way
November 20, 2008 - Campus Bulletin
Members of the U of G community were in downtown Guelph today to wave signs and chant on behalf of the United Way of Guelph and Wellington.
Last week, the county-wide organization projected a shortfall in its 2008 fundraising campaign, so organizers, including president Alastair Summerlee, who chairs the regional United Way campaign, wanted to make sure the media and the public know how the current financial crisis is affecting the most vulnerable people in our community.
“It will deepen the crisis in our community if the United Way has to cut funding to its member agencies,” says Animal and Poultry Science Prof. Jim Atkinson, who is co-chair of the U of G United Way campaign. “With the layoffs, cutbacks and other economic challenges facing the community, even the $2.6 million we hope to raise will be spread rather thin in terms of the need.”
He and his co-chairs Jennifer Beehler of the Department of Clinical Studies and business student Suba Naganathan are still confident the University campaign will reach its $440,000 goal.
“With our total currently standing at $401,000, we are going to need a push over the last two weeks of our campaign to achieve that,” says Beehler. She notes that the University's fundraising drive makes up 17 per cent of the overall goal for Wellington County.
“We've already had great support from staff and faculty, students and retirees, but we can't let up now. If you've been thinking about the United Way but haven't acted yet, please do it now. If you've bought a raffle ticket or voted for a University Idol, vote again and find another ticket to buy. We can't stop the global financial crisis, but we can exceed our United Way goal and make life a little better for thousands of people in our community.”
The U of G campaign officially wraps up at the closing lunch Dec. 2. To receive a charitable receipt for your donation of $10 or more, download a pledge form online.
