At United Way, we talk about collaboration a lot. For years we’ve been talking about collaboration at the agency level on how to solve some of Sheboygan County’s toughest problems. Now, for the first time, we’re talking about it at the campaign level.

Earlier this year, before the 2014 campaign had even finished, the campaign coordinators at Johnsonville approached me to have a meeting. They wanted to jazz up Johnsonville’s United Way Campaign by looking outside of their company. Cue that word: collaboration.

Seven of the companies that run some of the largest campaigns for United Way of Sheboygan County came together in a meeting. They shared ideas and strategies, videos and print materials. It was a great meeting. But before we wrapped up, the group agreed that all were looking for something more, something that could make an impact on Sheboygan County. Cue that word: collaboration.

Lots of ideas were thrown out, goals discussed, timelines organized. The theme that we kept coming back to was wanting to energize employees of these companies, grow awareness for United Way, and create a community that fosters collaboration. We want Sheboygan County to be the county where people care. Employers, employees, adults, children, we all care about Sheboygan County and want to raise it up.

At our April meeting, a name was created for what I was previously referring to as “Employee Campaign Coordinators – Collaborating”, certainly not a catchy name. Then was born the acronym SCUBA: Sheboygan County United Business Alliance. A group of businesses, rallying around United Way of Sheboygan County and the good it’s doing, to make our county the best it can be.

You’re going to see the first big hurrah of this group in September when we kick off the 2015 Campaign. I don’t want to give away too much, but you are going to want to attend Taste of Sheboygan on Thursday, September 10, to see what this group has come up with. I’ll give you a hint: at our last meeting, we took a field trip to visit the Olympus Group in Milwaukee. They design and manufacture mascots.

Mark your calendars for Taste of Sheboygan on September 10 and stay tuned for more on this exciting group! And don’t forget about United Way Night TONIGHT at the Sheboygan A’s Ballpark at 7:30 p.m. Our own Executive Director Jon Doll will be throwing out the pitch, and I’ll be there to sing the National Anthem. Play Ball!