Bailey Lauerman - 43.8% Increase

Bailey-Lauerman has wrapped up their campaign, and came in with a 43.8% increase over last year. That's reason to celebrate. Congratulations!

All the results from the Pacesetter campaign will be shared at the United Way-Community Health Charities Campaign Kick-Off Breakfast, Tuesday September 9, 2008 at the Marriott Cornhusker Hotel. Breakfast starts at 7:30am, and the program starts at 8am. If you'd like to attend, but haven't RVSP'd yet, please call the United Way office at (402) 441-7700 or e-mail info@unitedwaylincoln.org .

Congrats to Bailey-Lauerman, and congrats to everyone running compaigns! Every dollar raised makes a difference for our friends and neighbors. Thanks! Dave

Assurity Life Reaches 80% Participation!

Assurity Life Insurance just wrapped up another successful campaign. They went from 77% participation to 80% (4% increase from 2007). Employee Pledges were also up 4% increase. Great job! Assurity has been a long-time supporter of United Way, and they can always be counted on to bring in solid results.

I also received an update on the Pepsi campaign. Fantastic growth this year. Pepsi hit their STRETCH goal of 60% participation (2007 was 25%) and knocked their $$$ goal out of the park, by more than doubling the $$$'s raised from last year. These are great results, especially considering that Pepsi ran their 1st campaign last year.

So congratulations to both Assurity and Pepsico. Thanks to everyone for building and growing successful campaigns! Dave

Eastmont Towers Community Kicks Off 1st Campaign in Big Way!

I stopped by Eastmont Towers Community on Friday. It was the last day of their campaign. And talk about a successful successful campaign. They were happy. . .and they sure made me happy!

The pictures are from the lunch that Eastmont's management team provided for the staff that participated in the campaign. They grilled hot dogs, and each member of the management team brought in a side dish. Then the management team grilled and served lunch from 10:30am - 1:30pm.

This is the 1st United Way campaign that Eastmont has run in, well, as long as anyone can remember. And for a 1st-time campaign, the team at Eastmont really did everything right. They started with planning meetings--they set goals and planned activities. They had events, such as an agency fair, and they used speakers from Eastmont staff that had directly benefited from the services provided by United Way and Community Health Charities. Everyone was very pleased with the agency fair. They had raffles for gas cards, and incentive prize drawings for turning in pledge forms. And then there was the "Thanks for Participating" lunch shown. (They grill a good dog too!)

Eastmont also encouraged "One for Twenty-Six" giving. Eastmont is set up with 26 pay periods a year. By encouraging just $1 a week for 26 weeks, people participating in a young campaign can see that $1 every two weeks can have a great impact on our community. The Eastmont Foundation followed up by matching $1 for $1 everyone who participated in "One for Twenty-Six" giving.

They've been too busy to count up $$$, but Cindy Mefford, Committee Chair, told me that they have over 30% staff participation, and 100% participation from the management team. For a 1st time campaign, those are amazing results.

Congratulations to the great team at Eastmont Towers Community. They really demonstrate how "We Live United"!

Lincoln Pepsi Breaks $$$ Goal!

I got a note from Wanda Huls of LinPepCo (Pepsi-Cola) yesterday. LinPepCo is in the middle of their campaign right now. Their campaign runs through August 26th, but they've already hit their $$$ raised goal!

I asked Wanda to share a couple things they do at LinPepCo to make a successful campaign. Wanda said they use kick-off meetings to stress the importance of participation. They also have an incentive drawing. For every $10 donated, you get a chance to win in the drawing. They used football tickets and 12pks of Pepsi for prizes.

It's all good folks! Continued good luck to those of you in the middle of campaigns. And best of luck to those gearing up to run their campaigns. Remember to use the United Way website as a resource: http://www.unitedwaylincoln.org You can also use the phone and talk to your United Way representative (441-7700) or call me (467-8943). I'm usually up for a quick game of "Pick Your Brain".

Great Job LinPepCo! Thanks everyone! Dave

Pacesetter Results -- Rolling In

I got a note from Chad Hood, one of the United Way Campaign Managers. He said that Pacesetter results are starting to roll in, and there are some really impressive #'s:

Cada Law Office - 45% increase
West Gate Bank - 15% increase
Lighthouse - 69% increase
American National Bank - 10% increase
American Red Cross - 222% increase

Chad warned that it's important that we not get too far ahead of ourselves, but of the 17 companies that are turned in and totally complete, contributions are up 9%. That's fantastic!

Now. . .I know we can't all deliver growth like that. I know 1st hand, because although my campaign (Novartis) will finish ahead $$$-wise from last year, my % participation is flat this year and my contribution growth slight. But I also think it was one of our most successful campaigns.

So dollars are great. . .but every campaign is a success story.

Thanks everyone for all of your hard work. If what we're seeing is an actual trend, we're all participating in one of the most successful campaign seasons to date. Stay tuned!

Dave

Child Guidance Center -- Super Campaign!

I received a note from Dana Ludvik (in picture holding t-shirt), the Campaign Coordinator for Child Guidance Center (CGC). They just wrapped up their campaign and raised $7,300 with 85% participation! Fantastic!

CGC used a Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory theme. Some of the activities included (and this is just a short sampling):

"Give to United Way" posters (colored by CGC clients) were displayed in the main entryway for everyone to see.

"Guess How many Everlasting Gobstoppers Are in the Jar" contest. The winner got to keep the jar of jolly ranchers.

Fizzy Lifting Drink Day, where we had free soda available in the break room.

The highlight was a huge chocolate fountain (donated by Chez Hay catering). It was a hit with the staff. They dipped everything they could find in the melted chocolate—strawberries, marshmallows, pretzels, bananas, pineapple, oreos, graham crackers, vanilla wafers, etc.

Prize drawing were held for all employees who made a gift. (CGC had over 25 prizes donated to us by local businesses.)

Attached are some pictures: What's really cool about the success of the Child Guidance Center campaign, is that they are a United Way funded agency. These people are already working on a shoestring budget, and yet they demonstrate their generosity by building and contributing towards a successful campaign.

The generous spirit of everyone running campaigns seems to be running rampant. Keep up the great work everyone! And if you need inspiration, look to campaigns like the one run by Child Guidance Center. And if you want to know about any of their ideas, let me or someone at UW office know. Dana would be more than happy to share.

Thanks everyone, for your continued support of United Way! Dave

West Gate Bank -- 100% Participation & 15% Contribution Increase!

I love good news!

I got a note from Tammy Lang of West Gate Bank. West Gate Bank just wrapped up their campaign. West Gate finished with 100% participation and an overall 15% increase in their contributions.

I asked Tammy, "How do you get 100% participation?" I'm always marveled by that. West Gate uses some "friendly competition" among their branch locations. Free lunch is provided to each branch that reaches 100% participation. So you really don't want to be at the branch that has to "brown bag" it on free lunch day. They also reward each employee with a gift certificate who gives at a certain percentage.

So, Congratulations West Gate! And congratulations and "thanks" to all of you out there working to raise awareness and dollars, all to make our community better through United Way.

Dave

Hot Dog Update: $5,000 and Counting!

Hi All,

Quick update on the Union Bank and Trust Hot Dog Eating Contest. Curt Rohn just contacted me, and they're up to $5,000 raised! That's amazing.

This was a fun event. . .and profitable! Hope your campaigns are fun and profitable as well!

Dave

Hot Dog Madness at Union Bank & Trust

Union Bank and Trust kicked off their United Way Campaign with a Hot Dog Eating Contest at their 27th and Pine Lake Road facility. There were 9 hungry eaters and a packed parking lot of employees and well-wishers, all cheering for the person who could eat the most dogs in 6 minutes.

Here are the hearty eaters, just coming off the months of training required for such an event.

The contestants give each other the traditional hot dog eaters "Good Luck" cheer right before the carnage of meat began.


The crowd is near mob histeria, cheering on our frankfurter heroes. . .

Six minutes is an eternity in hot dog eating. . .

And at last. . .OUR WINNER (shown here with proud family)!!! I can't remember how many he ate. . .I think it was 20. Sounds like a "LONG NIGHT" to me. . .

The event was a great success. UBT Campaign Chairs Curt Rohn and Carrie Myers said they raised approximately $2,000 in those 6 minutes. People pledged $1 (or more) for every hot dog each contestant could eat. So a lot of fun (to watch!), and a great way to raise money for the cause.

I was really glad to be able to see this 1st hand. There are so many great ideas out there. If you think something like this would work at your work site, please let me know. We'll see that you get in touch with Curt and Carrie, who would be more than happy to share how to set up such an event.

More great ideas to come. Stay tuned. And thanks for supporting United Way! Dave