Great Rivers United Way

Meet our contestants! 🏆   • Amy – Finance Director • Autumn – Development Director • Connor – Community Engagement Coordinator • Diana – Community Wellbeing Director • Julie – Board Member • Liz – Community Impact Director • Mary Kay – Executive Director • Nick – Board Member • Teri – Office Manager • Tim – Campaign Coordinator   We've got ugly, classic, cozy, and cute – YOU decide the winner at https://lnkd.in/gJ7r5uuc.

It's Day 2 of our Holiday Sweater Contest, and we're off to a great start. Office Manager extraordinaire Teri Booth has taken an early lead, but Board Member Nick West isn't far behind. Cast your vote for your favorite sweater today! ⬇️ This ⬇️ and pride (PLUS helping our community, of course!) are what's on the line, folks. Vote here >>> https://lnkd.in/gJ7r5uuc

Today's the day! Great Rivers United Way's first-ever Holiday Sweater Contest has begun! This contest is a fundraiser for Great Rivers United Way. GRUW helps someone in our community every 39 seconds, funding programs that directly impact people you know. Our annual campaign ends December 31 – this is a fun way to contribute before this deadline. We've got ugly, classic, cozy, and cute – YOU decide the winner! Votes are $1 each with all funds raised benefitting local mental wellbeing and basic needs programming. The person with the most votes will take home bragging rights and a traveling trophy! 🏆 Vote here >>> https://lnkd.in/gJ7r5uuc

🚨 WARNING! This could get ugly. The holidays are upon us, and the end of Great Rivers United Way’s 2024-25 fundraising campaign is near. To celebrate the season and raise funds for our favorite cause, GRUW staff and two brave Board Members are competing in a Holiday Sweater Contest. YOU get to decide the winner! Votes are $1 each with all funds raised benefitting local mental wellbeing and basic needs programming. The person with the most votes will take home bragging rights and a travelling trophy! 🏆 This “friendly” competition runs December 9-17 – stay tuned! 👀

Our next WHY is from Tony Saarem, who joined our board in March. Tony says: "Serving on the Great Rivers United Way Board of Directors provides an opportunity to support a network of agencies doing critical work to improve lives across the region. I am deeply committed to advancing access to healthcare, education, and financial stability – essential pillars of wellbeing that I believe every person deserves. Through my role, I have the privilege of contributing meaningfully to these efforts alongside inspiring leaders dedicated to strengthening our community."

Your generosity makes it possible for us to create lasting, positive change across our community, and for that, we are truly thankful. Happy Thanksgiving! Great Rivers United Way is closed Thursday, November 28. We reopen Friday, November 29, but recommend calling/emailing any staff you're trying to connect with to make sure they're available.

Current Board Chair Isaac Zickert knows we can do more, together. Here's his United Way WHY: "Many of the societal problems the Coulee Region faces are multi-faceted. Addressing these issues requires a collaborative approach. Great Rivers United Way is unique in its ability to work across a wide array of agencies, facilitating both interdepartmental collaboration and mission-driven, targeted funding that ensures a compounding return on donations versus other methods of giving."

Every local United Way is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization ran with guidance from dedicated Board Members, like Nick West. Nick says: "Serving on the Board at Great Rivers United Way is an outstanding opportunity to support an organization that has so much impact on the communities in which we live and work. It has been extremely rewarding for my family and me to engage with United Way in each place we’ve called home over the past 20 years. GRUW and its partner agencies are doing important work, and opening doors for so many of our neighbors in the Coulee Region!"

Board Member Carolyn Colleen B. knows that Great Rivers United Way is mobilizing communities (people and agencies!) to action so all can thrive. Here's her WHY: "I serve on the board of Great Rivers United Way because I believe in supporting organizations that do the work our community needs most. By empowering these organizations, we’re creating a stronger network of resources that ensures people who need it most have access to the support, tools, and opportunities not only to survive but to thrive."

Our next WHY comes from Julie Reynertson, who is currently serving as Past Chair following her year at the helm of our Board of Directors. Julie says: "I became involved in Great Rivers United Way because I have a strong passion for our community. Working alongside other dedicated board members, I enjoy the collaborative environment where diverse ideas and expertise come together to problem solve, and ensure that our strategies are well-rounded and effective. My role on the board of directors is a personal commitment to making a meaningful impact and driving positive change in the community."