The United Way Estevan is touting the contributions that small businesses make towards the success of the organization’s telethon.
The 41st annual telethon will be held on Oct. 27 and 28 at the Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, and will be broadcast live on Access Channel 7. Each year the telethon is a showcase of the generosity of the community.
President Patrick Fisher said the United Way receives excellent support from small businesses each year. There are the financial donations that help the United Way reach its goal and support its member agencies, but there are also donations of time, work-in kind and more towards the broadcast.
“A business with three or four employees will donate some money,” said Fisher. “It’s really important to see … because not everyone can do the really flashy donations like some do, but in the end every single dollar counts. It is money that’s staying in Estevan, and I think that’s a really important gesture. And it shows the support that these businesses have toward a local initiative like ours.”
A lot of local businesses will provide assistance during setup in the days before the telethon.
“Small business owners really understand the importance of the United Way and the impact it has on the community,” said Fisher. “Small businesses are generally helping us out first.”
Restaurants and grocery stores provide food and supplies for the United Way’s board members and volunteers, ensuring they are well fed.
“Small businesses really understand the importance of community and how their investment in community pays dividends for them,” said Fisher.
Fisher believes almost all of the local restaurants will provide food or drink for the volunteers before or during the fundraiser.
“It really does make a difference,” said Fisher. “We always joke that nobody ever leaves the telethon hungry. Considering how hard all of our volunteers work, it’s always nice to be able to give a good meal, and to thank them for all of the work that they do.”
A few businesses will allow their employees to take a couple of hours off during the broadcast to answer phones.
Other small businesses in the city will sell paper United Way logos to customers. Customers can write their names on the logos for $2. There are other businesses that have fundraisers to help the United Way before the telethon, or once the broadcast starts.
One local transportation company will haul in the United Way’s trailer from outside of town to the legion hall. Another business donates batteries, which are used for the United Way’s microphones and other equipment.
All of these contributions and donations help keep the costs associated with the telethon low, ensure the money that is spent stays in the community, and allows the United Way to allocate as much money as possible for its 15 member agencies and two community partners.
“I think a lot of the small businesses realize that the member agencies that we do have for the United Way also help out the businesses as well, too,” said Fisher.
He recalls a conversation he had with Carol Cundall, who is the executive director at Estevan Diversified Services (EDS). She said all of the EDS participants shop locally for clothing, groceries and other essentials.
“Because the money that we’re raising here is staying in Estevan, it helps out everyone in the community,” said Fisher. “It does help our economy because we’re making sure that people are staying in Estevan, and we’re making sure that people who are staying in Estevan are supporting other places in town here.”
Fisher said there is no way the United Way would be able to pull off the telethon without the support of small businesses, and the other businesses in the community.
