Evan Smith, left, and Brian Moore of Liberty National Bank accept the Ultimate Goal Buster Award at the United Way of Union County’s Workplace Campaign Awards event held on Wednesday. Liberty National Bank employees beat their workplace campaign goal by 38% and had 100% employee participation at their Marysville branch and 92% United Way participation across all branches. (Photo submitted)
United Way Workplace Champions were honored Wednesday at a breakfast held at Union Rural Electric.
The 2019-20 campaign raised $880,000 of its $1,000,060 goal, which will be allocated to the 25 local partner agencies of the United Way of Union County (UWUC).
Highlights from money raised by donors over the past year include:
•Care United Events were held throughout the year including packing 37,000 meals St. John’s Lutheran School, beautification projects throughout the county, daily needs assistance by students from Tolles Career and Technical Center, and the upgrading of two Born Learning Trails while adding a third trail Richwood.
•Four Impact Area videos were produced featuring local agencies and people directly impacted and benefiting from UWUC funding.
•“Stuff the Bus” school supply drives increased by 20% in donations with new collection sites including Honda of America.
•The 13th Annual Run United Quarter Marathon/5K at Glacier Ridge Metro Park was held with more than $10,000 raised.
•Partnering with the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library in an effort to reach every child 0-5 expanding our Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library started locally in 2008 by UWUC
In addition, dollars raised from this year’s United Way campaign helped fund agencies that provide services including food, shelter, personal needs items, peer support for those recovering from mental illness and addiction, mentorship programs for youth success, senior engagement and more.
“I have always loved that United Way stands for and supports the people who live on the edges and are often forgotten,” Dr. Phil Atkins, UWUC Board Chair, said. “United Way is a community that lifts others up with not only dollars, but through service and engagement, today we honor the many people in Union County and Plain City that spearhead our mission.”
Scott Failor, Marty Shroyer and David Gleeson were awarded Volunteer of the Year Awards for their dedication as UWUC board members and longtime volunteers.
Numerous businesses and organizations were awarded Celebrate United Awards for demonstrating continual support of United Way and its mission.
The 2019-20 Ultimate Goal Buster, United Way’s top honor given to the most outstanding workplace, was presented to Liberty National Bank.
Led by Evan Smith, Liberty National Bank (LNB) had 100% employee participation and increased its campaign by 38%. In addition, Smith, traveled to other branches and encouraged giving to boost United Way campaigns in Logan and Hardin County. LNB’s campaign totals came from payroll deductions, one-time gifts and profits from a silent auction fundraiser.
“Evan and his team took their campaign to the next level,” Corinne Bix, UWUC Director, said. “Evan exemplifies the definition of workplace champion, in addition to advocating for United Way at LNB, he also serves as a UWUC board member and volunteers on our campaign committee.”
The Top 10 workplace campaigns are as follows: Honda of America, $185,927; Nationwide, $121,648; Scotts Miracle-Gro, $114.094; Memorial Health, $31,750; Nestle Product Technology Center, $27,188; Marysville Schools, $21,913; Richwood Banking Company, $20,500; Union County Board of Developmental Disabilities, $10,526; ContiTech, $10,163; and McCarthy & Cox, $8,041.
“We moved to a simplified award system last year,” Bix said. “Together we create a goal with our workplace champions and award Goal Buster Awards to those who exceeded their goal and Workplace on the Move Awards to those workplaces that exceeded the previous year’s campaign total.”
Six workplaces earned a Goal Buster Campaign Award and ranked in the Top 25 campaigns, including Fairbanks Local Schools, Mental Health and Recovery Board of Union County, Tolles Career and Technical Center, Marysville Public Library, UCO Industries and Union Rural Electric.
The Union County Engineer’s Office and the Law Offices of Allen, Yurasek, Owens-Ruff, & Spain, LLC also had goal busting campaigns.
Loving Care Hospice and Home Health was awarded an Honorable Mention Goal Buster Award as they were in the final running for the Ultimate Goal Buster Award.
“All of the employees at Loving Care participated in the United Way campaign and they exceeded their goal by 37%,” Bix said.
Jonathan Alder Schools earned a Workplace on the Move Award and ranked in the Top 25. The Union County Prosecutor’s Office, Costco and The Union County Commissioners Office also earned Workplace on the Move Awards.
The Union County Family YMCA, Meijer, Union County Family Job and Family Services, Honda Transmission, Moriroku and Bob Chapman all had top 25 ranked campaigns.
The best workplace fundraiser award was given to Memorial Health with its Balloon Pop fundraiser and Kelly Heiss of Fairbanks Local Schools won most enthusiastic workplace champion.
Good Neighbor Awards were presented to the following for participating with United Way on special projects throughout the year: Culver’s of Marysville, Georgia Tobin, Eufinger Law Offices, Interim Health Care, Jerome Village Company, Adecco, LeCrone Communications, Mailings by Brooke, Midwest Express, Parrott Implement, Primrose School of Marysville, St. John’s Lutheran Church & School, VFW 3320, Union County Foundation, Dave’s Pharmacy, Minuteman Express, Central Ohio Youth Center, Order of the Eastern Star, Mary Chapter #9, Active Healthy Lifestyles and Dogwood Business Development.