New United Way campaign chairs take the helm

The first step in the game plan is to make sure that donors to the United Way know how much they are appreciated.

During a press conference at Tom Davies Square on April 15, United Way’s newly appointed campaign chair, Jean Hanson, and vice chair, Patricia Mills, publisher of Northern Ontario Business as well as several other publications, made their priorities known.

“I’m very pleased to serve my community this way,” said Hanson. “It really is a privilege to work with the staff at the United Way, as well as the 52 other organizations supported by the United Way that give such tremendous service to our community.”

The campaign cabinet has been meeting monthly and is already started on a game plan, said Hanson, the first step of which is to reach out to donors to let them know how much their generosity means to those people and organization depending on United Way.

The second step is to get the ball rolling on workplace campaigns, a key component to the success of United Way’s yearly campaign, the new chair said.

“We will be making sure that all work places in our community understand what the United Way does and the 52 other organizations that are supported by it,” said Hanson.

Only when the first two steps have been taken can the campaign begin “pulling of dollars,” Hanson said, to sustain it for the proceeding year, something that occurs from September to December.

Before that can happen though, Hanson and Mills both said it was important to raise the profile of those organizations that rely on United Way. Giving them a face will go a long way to making the campaign successful, Mills said.

“By profiling some of these agencies to the community, they know exactly where their money is going,” she said.

“The way I look at it in Greater Sudbury is, we have these rich mines, and we have this other part of society that isn’t quite so rich. Therefore, I see us as having a responsibility in trying to help those people who need it the most by using the resources that we have.”

After 40 years working in the education field, first as a teacher and eventually a superintendent, Hanson was named the Rainbow District School Board’s first female director of education in 2004.

A committed volunteer in the community, Hanson said she believes the United Way is a perfect example of an organization that brings out the strengths of both individuals and organizations — and that’s why she wanted to get involved.

“I wanted to ... better understand what makes a better collaborative community, and I just felt the United Way was such a prefect fit,” said Hanson.

The United Way is both honoured and eager to work with its new campaign chair and vice-chair, said Michael Cullen, United Way executive director.

“Jean and Patricia are two dynamic individuals who care deeply about our community,” said Cullen.

“With their passion and dedication, we are certain they will inspire our community to respond with generosity to enable us to work at the forefront of change to make this a better city for every individual and family.”