By Darcy MacRae
With a little help from their hundreds of friends and supporters, organizers of the Sudbury United Way/Centraide have set another record fundraising goal for the 2003 campaign.
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The 2003 campaign was officially kicked off at Tom Davies Square in downtown Sudbury Tuesday morning.
The charitable foundation, which supports three dozen non-profit and community organizations, announced before a large crowd that its fundraising goal for the year will be $1.3 million.
Linda Roseneck, executive director of SudburyÂ?s United Way/Centraide, said afterwards she is absolutely positive the campaign will reach its fundraising goal, while acknowledging thatÂ?s an awful lot of money to raise in a relatively short period of time.
Â?WeÂ?re extremely confident that weÂ?ll meet our goal,Â? said Roseneck. Â?Each and every division (of the campaign team) feels they will be able to reach an excess of the goals they set in the past.Â?
The 2003 campaign marks the 20th anniversary for the United Way/Centraide in Sudbury and District. Throughout two decades, almost $20 million dollars has been raised in aid of numerous local operations.
At least 35 local programs will benefit this year, with foundations dealing with homelessness getting a great deal of support.
Â?This year homelessness has become a major initiative. Due to the lack of funding that is available to them, many of these groups have applied to the United Way to be able to continue with their programs,Â? said Roseneck.
Among the speakers at TuesdayÂ?s campaign kickoff were this yearÂ?s co-chairÂ?s, Scott McDonald, general manager of Inco. Ltd; Jim Gosselin, president of Steelworkers Local 6500; and Collin Bourgeois, director of the Cooperative Funeral Home.
Bourgeois, who is also United Way/Centraide president, said he feels United Way/CentraideÂ?s history of providing valuables like clothing, guidance, counselling, emergency response, and safe refuge to those in crisis cements the foundationÂ?s place in the heart of Sudburians.
Â?This is the legacy and wonderful story of United Way/Centraide in this community,Â? said Bourgeois. Â?A successful United Way means a successful community.
Â?For some, the United Way campaign brings out the need to give. For others the need is to receive. For over 20 years United Way/Centraide has faithfully upheld this mission of uniting and serving the community.Â?
Deputy mayor Ron Dupuis was also on hand for TuesdayÂ?s festivities, and spoke of the need for a foundation like United Way/Centraide in Greater Sudbury.
Services provided by United Way/Centraide are ones the community simply could not go without, said Dupuis.
Â?United Way is an essential agency,Â? said the veteran politician. Â?For many of the smaller agencies it would be virtually impossible for them to be able to raise the necessary funds needed for them to operate and to render the services needed for our citizens.
Â?United Way helps them help themselves.Â?
United Way/Centraide also announced the eighth annual Great Billboard Rescue will take place Thursday, Sept. 12, at the New Sudbury Centre on Lasalle Boulevard.
This event is the United WayÂ?s fundraising kickoff for this yearÂ?s campaign.
One of the biggest parts of the fundraising campaign will also get underway in the next couple of weeks.
The traditional United Way payroll-deduction plan, where workers and management from businesses of all sizes donate small contributions directly off their paycheques to this most worthy cause, usually begins in the fall once the campaign officially kicks off.
Employees will once again be asked to get involved by giving a small part of their weekly earnings to the annual campaign.
For information on how to participate, the United Way/Centraide urges you call their office at 560-3330.
