The activities and fundraising ofthe past year were reviewed, and plans were set out for the coming year at the annual meeting for the Weyburn and District United Way, held on Wednesday evening at the Legion Hall.
The organization’s main fundraising event, Communithon, had undergone a major change last year, with the local entertainment held on the Friday, and the first-ever Concert Jam held on the Saturday. Communithon ended with just over $100,000 received, with pledges and donations received until the end of December.
Out of these funds, the 13 member agencies received funding totaling $96,000, up just slightly from the $95,750 dispersed the year before.
The member agencies this year included Envision Counselling, Canadian Mental Health Association, Weyburn Big Brothers Big Sisters, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Weyburn Care-A-Van Society, Weyburn Youth Center, Canadian Red Cross, Sun Country Kids Club, Community Low Income Centre, Weyburn Special Care Home Auxiliary, Sask. Association for Community Living, Sask. Abilities Council, Spinal Cord Injury Inc.
Representatives of a number of the member agencies helped out with the Communithon, plus the United Way had the assistance of two Comp students as the Superheroes, Landon Field and Taylor Cameron, both prior to and during Communithon.
On the board, three members indicated they would not return, and with a change to the organization’s bylaws, approved at the annual meeting, the board needs to have a minimum of eight members, leaving the board short a member.
The members going into 2018 include president Sabrina Kraft, Duane Schultz, Don Kraft, Christine Corscadden, Laura Morrissette, Marlo Pritchard and Jerry Ponto.
Last year, the United Way was involved in the Cultural Day in the Park, held on June 24 in partnership with the City of Weyburn’s Parks Department at River Park, and then the year’s campaign was kicked off on Aug. 27 with the Duck Derby, put on by the City of Weyburn employees at the boardwalk. The city employees raised $4,045 through the Duck Derby.
The United Way’s executive director, Sandra Alexander, resigned this year after working for 10 years for the organization, and Cindy Mack was introduced at the annual meeting as the new executive director.
For 2018, the second Concert Jam will be held, but not on the Communithon weekend as it was last year. The new date will be Saturday, Aug. 25, with a number of the groups from last year indicating they would like to return this year. The Duck Derby may be held on Aug. 26, but the United Way is awaiting confirmation from the City of Weyburn employees whether this will be the date for the event.
The Communithon will again be a one-day event, on Friday, Oct. 19, at the Cugnet Centre.
Applications for new member agencies is open, with the forms available online. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, May 15.
