More than $1 million was raised in the recent fundraising effort for United Way of Isabella and Gratiot Counties.
Community residents donated $1,108,345 to the annual United Way Community Campaign.
United Way President and CEO Tom Olver announced the total at the Live United awards and campaign celebration program Tuesday at Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort.
Last year, the campaign raised more than $900,000, Olver said in beginning his presentation.
“Not wanting to rest on our laurels, United Way’s Board of Trustees set a very bold goal last summer to raise $1 million to help meet the growing needs of our community,” he said. “To achieve that objective, our supporters would have to step up in a major way. So how did we do this year? Well let’s just say we continued to be amazed at the generosity and the kindness of our communities and how they give back to help people in need.
“Tonight, we celebrate the most successful United Community Campaign in our shared 64-year history,” he said.
The program also included the presentation of several awards. Mercantile Bank received the President’s Award and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan received the Quality of Life Award.
“Mercantile Bank of Michigan strives to be as generous as possible in its financial support, but they also believe their responsibility goes far beyond that,” Olver said in presenting the President’s Award to Mercantile. “They’ve built a culture than encourages hands-on involvement in community services. On any given day, you might find a group of Mercantile employees organizing a fundraiser to help fight disease, building a home for a needy family, or volunteering at a local school to mentor young people. In addition to hosting a Top 10 workplace campaign for United Way, Mercantile employees are active volunteers.”
Among its contributions, Mercantile Bank is partnering with United Way to provide literature kits that will be distributed at the end of the school year to help combat summer learning loss.
The Quality of Life Award is presented to an individual, organization or agency that makes a significant contribution that benefits the greater community.
“This year’s honoree continues a proud tradition of collaborative partnership and leadership throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region,” Olver said in presenting the award to the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.
“The Tribe endeavors to strength services provided to tribal members and to enterprise associates through purposeful leadership and quality service while maintaining a commitment to the seven teachings of their ancestors,” he said.
Last fall, the Tribe partnered with United Way to host the inaugural Community Leaders Conference at Soaring Eagle.
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe Chief Ronald Ekdahl accepted the award.
Teacher of the Year Awards went to Erin King, from Pullen Elementary School in Mt. Pleasant, and Lisa Parsons, from Alma High School.
Fourteen Live United Awards were handed out. The recipients were:
• Kim Bigard, Art Reach of Mid Michigan
• Jenna Randolph, Big Brother, Big Sisters of the Great Lakes Bay Region
• Chuck Sandro, Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Mid Michigan
• Erika Wolf, the Care Store
• Wendy Currie, Child Advocacy – Gratiot County
• Linda Longuski, Christian Counseling of Mid-Michigan
• Suzanne Courser, Community Cancer Services
• Ann Brockman, Community Compassion Network
• Amanda Shaffer, HopeWell Ranch
• Andrea Mills, Isabella County Child Advocacy Center
• Marcia Courtright, Life Choices of Central Michigan
• Jim Wyman, Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum
• Ryan Colpitts, Mt. Pleasant Young Life
• Renee Gilbert, PEAK
Bader and Sons sponsored another prize: If a donor made at least a $100 donation, their name was entered in to win a John Deere Gator or $5,000 in store credit at Bader and Sons. More than 1,900 names were entered in the drawing and last month 10 finalists from Isabella County and 10 from Gratiot County were drawn.
Tuesday the winners from each county were drawn: Jeffery Bahlke from Gratiot and Judy Flaugher from Isabella.
Honored with Campaign Excellence Awards were: Alma College, Bandit Industries, Central Michigan University, Community Mental Health of Central Michigan, Consumers Energy, Delfield/Welbilt, Garr Tool, IAC, Isabella Bank, Listening Ear, Masonic Pathways, McLaren Central Michigan, Meijer, Mercantile Bank of Michigan, MidMichigan Health, Mitsuba, Morbark, Mt. Pleasant Public Schools, Raymond James and United Parcel Service.