September & October have been designated as United Way Months in Wisconsin, in recognition of the launch of United Way annual campaigns throughout the state, including our own United Way of Sheboygan County. Many companies in Sheboygan County run employee campaigns this time of year, but some run special events as a boost to their annual campaign. The biggest special event in Sheboygan County is Harvest for the Hungry, sponsored by Destination Kohler & Sargento Foods.
United Way of Sheboygan County occasionally reviews the local social support environment, to determine whether our work is best fulfilling the needs of the community. As part of our current review, we have released a Request for Information (RFI) for the purpose of obtaining information. This RFI is simply for the purpose of assessing the services available to help United Way aid Sheboygan County, and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP). Information about the specific topics of interest are provided below.
Fall is in the air! Kids are back to school, the leaves are turning, and there is a crispness in the breeze. I love the Fall. After lazy Summer fun with friends and family, the Fall for me is a time for getting focused and intensifying my efforts on moving things forward. The Fall, with all its visceral change, reminds me that transitions are important as they more often than not catalyze progress. Just think about it: without the Fall changes, we wouldn’t have our snowy Winters to rejuvenate, or our beautiful Wisconsin summers.
Jon Doll, Executive Director of United Way of Sheboygan County, has decided that after a long fulfilling career, that the time is organizationally right for him to transition out of the Executive Director role over the next year. This timing is consistent with his stated intentions coming into the role in 2013 and the Board of Directors fully supports Jon’s decision. Under President Tony Klockow’s leadership, the Board is well underway putting in motion its plan for succession.
Today marks an important day at North High School. It is the first day of our new program, in partnership with the United Way of Sheboygan County Volunteer Center, called RUVP – Raiders United Volunteer Program.
The 2015 United Way Campaign will kick off this Thursday with the annual Day of Caring event. This is an impressive event that brings together over 50 companies and 400 individuals in the spirit of service to a number of local organizations. Meaningful progress will be made on 25 community-based projects on this day. It will be about getting out and giving a helping hand to local organizations and celebrating another year of dedicated volunteerism.
$11,053,280. Jaw-dropping number, yes? Keep that dollar amount in mind and I’ll get to what it represents in a minute.
Mark your calendars, because next week Thursday, September 10, is the date for another year of Taste Sheboygan. From 4 to 10 p.m., Fountain Park will be filled with the scents of delicious delectables and the sounds of great live music. Food prices range from $1-$6, provided by 12 local restaurants: 8th Street Ale Haus, Black Pig, Latitude 48 at Blue Harbor, Three Guys & a Grille, Highland House, Weimann’s Sports Center, 4 of a Kind, The Bull, Urbane, Dickey’s Barbeque Pit and Weimann’s Supper Club at Riverdale. Beer, wine and soft drinks will also be available for purchase.
As we ramp up for our 2015 campaign, I want to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about United Way.
Mentors play an amazingly positive role in the lives of youth and research confirms what we know — that mentoring works.