GOOD QUESTIONS DESERVE GOOD ANSWERS

As some of you may know we recently hosted our 71st Annual General Meeting (AGM).  I would like to take this opportunity to discuss a few great questions and dialogue that came out of that meeting.  

We introduced a change to By-Law Section #25 which originally read:

MEMBERSHIP

25.01   The membership shall consist of the applicants for the incorporation of the Corporation, all persons or such other entities to whom a donation receipt has been issued within sixteen (16) months of same, and such other members who from time to time are approved as members by the Board of Directors.

25.02      Members may resign by resignation in writing which shall be effective upon acceptance thereof by the Board of Directors.

25.03   In case of resignation, a member shall remain liable for payment of any assessment or other sum levied or which became payable to the Corporation prior to acceptance of his/her resignation.

25.04   Each member in good standing shall be entitled to one vote on each question arising at any special or general meeting of the members.  Corporations, partnerships and other legal entities may vote through a duly authorized proxy.

Prior to the AGM, we put a by-law change notification in The Record, in our AGM announcement, and on our website.

Thanks to one of our members and our Community Impact Council Chair, Theron Kramer, for taking the time to ask clarifying questions at the AGM.  I believe that if one person had questions, others did as well! Good questions deserve good answers…... 

Q: Why is United Way KW changing its membership definition?

Jan: United Way KW’s relationships with its donors are primarily through organizations and as such donors are typically receipted on T4’s. Although United Way KW does provide some receipts, we seldom have donor names or contact information. It is becoming increasingly important from a legislative point of view that an organization be able to clearly identify its members such that it can provide them with proper notice and other information to which they are entitled. Under this legislation we could be asked to provide CRA with a current and accurate listing of our members at any time.

In current not-for-profit and charitable non-share capital corporations, the Corporation for the purposes of properly ascertaining the identity (including the address and other contact info) of a member needs a more robust process to determine membership other than someone who makes a donation. For example – if a workplace writes one aggregate cheque for all its employee donations without providing a listing of names, addresses and donation amounts–United Way KW would not know who our members at that workplace are.

Q: Do the changes to the by-laws mean that membership would no longer be defined as those who have donated in the last 16 months?

Jan:  Yes – that is correct.


Q: Is the membership now defined as those on the Board of Directors and those that the Board of Directors approves?

Jan:  Yes – that is correct. The Board of Directors is the best group to do this because they are the only members that have a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of United Way KW.  No other group or person has this responsibility.

Q: What criteria will the Board of Directors use to decide who can be an acting member?

Jan: Following the resolution passed at the annual meeting the Board of Directors has made the determination of membership criteria a priority. They must now determine objective criteria upon which membership is based which includes the ability to clearly ascertain the member by name, address and other contact info. For example, one of the criteria the Board of Directors could establish is an application form setting out the requirement for this information. In addition criteria could include, for example, a membership fee, a minimum donation, an expressed commitment to promote the interests of United Way KW and/or other criteria.

Q: Why didn’t you wait to have the criteria in place and pass this motion at the next AGM?

Jan: Similar to other non-profits, we knew the legislation changes were coming, although not sure of the exact date, and our legal counsel noted that many non-profits were taking a first step to assign the Board of Directors the authority to determine the criteria.  The change to the By-law was needed to take that recommended first step. We thought this was the best way to start this process- in alignment with the timing of our 71^st AGM and the anticipated new Not for Profit Corporations Act. Our next step is to be thorough and thoughtful in setting the criteria, taking into consideration our legal responsibilities, inclusivity, administrative capacity, and other factors.

I would like to thank everyone who participated in our 71st AGM.  Your questions and concerns solidify that our members truly care about United Way KW and this community.

Sincerely,

Jan Varner

National Volunteer Week: April 15-21, 2012

  

April 15 - 21 is National Volunteer Week here in Canada, and I hope you’ll join me in giving a heartfelt thank you to all of the volunteers in our community.

Ask people what they wish they had more of, and most will invariably say, “Time!”

Time to relax. Time to spend with friends and family. Time to enjoy the things in life that really matter.

Given the high value our society places on time, and the fact that time is a limited commodity in our world, it’s very fitting that we take a moment to honour and acknowledge those individuals in our community who give so generously of their time to help others.

Volunteers really do make a BIG difference. They are the glue that binds us together and unites us for the common good. Their efforts are critical to so many of the programs and initiatives that improve lives and make our community such a great place to live.

We at United Way KW rely heavily on the dedicated team of volunteers that comprise our board of directors and committees, help out in our office and at our events. We also have many ambassadors who act on our behalf in their workplace and out in the community.

To all, a sincere thank you for all that you do!

Jan

A Challenge from our Campaign Chair, James Chmiel

James Chmiel

Everyday, United Way KW has an enormous impact on our community, ensuring an essential network of programs and services that work together to achieve lasting, positive change.
 
It has been a humbling honour to serve as the 2011 United Way KW Campaign Chair and to assist United Way KW with their efforts.

Our campaign, like our community, has faced tough times. We have not reached the $6 million goal we set for ourselves last September, or more importantly, that we felt this community needed.

Make no mistake about it, the $4.9 million we have raised to date is a truly impressive demonstration of generosity and caring at a time like this.

I’m not willing to stop there, however, because I know we can do better. At the United Way KW Community Spirit Awards on February 29th, I reaffirmed to attendees my commitment to building upon the $4.9 million we’ve raised to date.

United Way KW CEO Jan Varner then challenged attendees to reaffirm their commitment as well by donating an extra $29, $290 – whatever amount they were able – to support not only our campaign but also the 29Leaps Movement created by local teenager Madi MacIntyre.

It is this same challenge that I now issue to all of you.

When I visited Madi’s web site on February 28th, about 159,000 leap acts had been counted. When I visited again two days later, on March 1, that number had climbed to over 240,000.

Please, get involved, spread the message, and make Madi’s total - and the United Way KW campaign total - climb even higher.

After all, when our community is strong, supported, and resilient, we all benefit.

Thank you.

James Chmiel
President, Erb and Erb Insurance Brokers Ltd.
2011 United Way KW Campaign Chair

Campaign Shortfall a Cause for Concern

The final preparations for our Community Spirit Awards on February 29th are a little bittersweet. While we can't wait to honour the individuals and organizations that support us making a lasting difference in our community, we can't help but also worry about the shortfall in this year's campaign.

With $6 million as our overall revenue goal announced last September, we forecasted later last fall that only $4.9 million would be raised. Unfortunately, that is precisely where our total lies now.

We've had some rather significant commitments fall through from a few workplaces, and although many companies went above and beyond in achieving their campaign goals, it just hasn't been enough to fill the void.

I'm very grateful to our Campaign Chair, James Chmiel, who remains committed to helping us find more dollars. In a recent statement to the media, he encouraged those that can to dig even deeper and rally around our community. As he pointed out, even an increase to $5 million would make a tangible difference in meeting community needs.

We’re doing our best to keep our commitment to this community and hope to maintain the investments we made last year. As local demand for social services continues to rise, we are turning to you for further help.

It’s not too late to get involved and make a difference. Donations can be made online at uwaykw.org or by calling our office at 519-888-6100.

Thanks,

Jan

SAVE THE DATE: Community Spirit Awards - February 29, 2012

Our 3rd Annual Community Spirit Awards event is fast approaching. Be sure to mark your calendar now and join us for breakfast.
 
COMMUNITY SPIRIT AWARDS
FEBRUARY 29, 2012
7:30 a.m.
Waterloo Inn

Join us as we celebrate and acknowledge those individuals and organizations that exemplify year round efforts to bring about long term, sustainable social change in our community.

For more details, please visit the United Way KW web site.

Ski Down At Chicopee - Wednesdays from Jan. 11 - Feb. 1, 2012

Greetings Fellow Skiers!

Be sure to hit the slopes this winter with Chicopee Ski & Summer Resort and United Way. It's a win-win situation! You enjoy a discounted rate on a full day lift ticket, while $5 from each ticket purchased goes to United Way to support community needs.

Hope to see you there!

Jan

"Technology Gives Back" Holiday Social in Partnership with United Way KW!

On Wednesday December 14th, I attended a great event put on by Canadian Women in Technology, or CanWIT. The local chapter, launched by Angelique Mohring, is growing in leaps and bounds. They have some pretty exciting plans for the future, including launching a student bursary and holding a series of signature events in the Spring.

When I spoke to the CanWIT crowd this morning, I shared some of the challenges non profits face with IT and how their group might be able to assist. A huge thanks goes out to all who attended, as their entry "fee" was the donation of a used laptop! United Way KW will work with local partners to ensure these laptops are put to good use by local non profits.

Thanks again, CanWIT, for caring about this community. Change started this morning....

Jan

Dream Auction offers unique twist to online holiday shopping

This holiday season, United Way KW encourages you to give your loved ones an unforgettable gift that benefits our whole community.

If you're looking for the perfect Christmas gift - one that stands out from the rest and officially earns you the title of “Best Gift Giver of the Year” - you won’t want to miss the opportunity to bid in the 2011 edition of our Online Dream Auction.

As James Chmiel, our 2011 United Way KW Campaign Chair, explains, “We’ve taken your typical auction and transformed it into an opportunity to have the experience of a lifetime. Think back to your childhood dreams of what you wanted to be when you grew up. This auction provides a chance to make those dreams come true, either for yourself or for someone dear to your heart.”

Included among the many auction packages available are the chance to be police chief for a day, opportunities to be a talk show host or food critic on local radio, and the chance to play hockey with the Kitchener Rangers. These and many other dreams are only a bid away.

Whether it’s a well-deserved holiday gift for yourself, or something unique for that hard-to-shop-for person on your list, you'll find something for everyone.

In the spirit of the holiday season comes one more festive detail - all proceeds from the United Way KW Dream Auction will help support social service needs in our community. Afterall, the holiday season is the perfect time to help make a difference for someone in need.

Bidding starts Tuesday November 29th at 9 a.m. and closes at 4 p.m. on Wednesday November 30th. Bids can be placed at http://donateuway.com/auction or directly through the United Way KW web site at http://www.uwaykw.org/.

“And that’s the kind of day it’s been…”

In the world of television news, it’s safe to say that Lloyd Robertson is considered royalty. In fact, if it wasn’t for our own Lisa LaFlamme taking over Lloyd’s role when he stepped down from CTV National News earlier this year, the occasion would have been a very solemn one indeed, especially for those of us who’d come to rely on Lloyd over the years to keep them up to speed with current events.

Be it good news, bad news, or something in between, we could always count on Lloyd to tell it like it was with his deep, steady voice and calm presence. If anything - or anyone - ever ruffled his feathers, he certainly hid it well.

For many Canadians, Lloyd’s sign off - “and that’s the kind of day it’s been” - meant it was time to turn off the TV and go to bed.

Here I am sounding like Lloyd exited the airwaves permanently, when in actual fact you can still watch him regularly as host and chief correspondent for W5.

And… you can catch him in person right here in the KW area on Friday November 25th as he helps us honour Lisa LaFlamme at our Annual Celebrity Event at Federation Hall. For more details and tickets, visit http://www.uwaykw.org/.

Rising to the occasion during difficult times

We shared some difficult news with the media last week. At a time when the demand for social services continues to rise in our community, we’re currently forecasting that only $4.9 million will be raised during this year’s fall workplace campaign towards the $6 million overall revenue challenge issued back in September.
 
As I explained to the media, we’re seeing a trend in local companies kicking off their workplace campaigns much later, which means we may not learn their campaign results until well into the new year. The other side of the story is that while we're seeing significant increases among some workplaces that have completed their campaigns, overall there’s a downward trend in funds pledged.

In response to this announcement, House of Friendship - an agency with several programs and initiatives supported by United Way KW - posted a blog entry entitled “United, we are stronger”. I really encourage you to read this blog, which is written by House of Friendship employee Matt Cooper. It explores the value behind supporting United Way and provides some real answers from real people in our community about why they choose to give.

Here’s an excerpt:
“The United Way has shared its concerns and hopes for this year’s campaign. As a community and individuals we have a choice about how we respond. House of Friendship staff have chosen to step up. Join us. Think about YOUR reason for giving and support United Way and our community. We all benefit.”

Attention all sports fans! Have we got a treat for you!

James Duthie, Host, NHL on TSN

As one of her special guests at this year’s Annual Celebrity Event at Fed Hall on November 25th, honouree Lisa LaFlamme has invited none other than Gemini Award-winning James Duthie, host of NHL on TSN. He has been hailed as one of the most talented stars in sports broadcasting today.
 
In addition to his duties at TSN, James joined Lisa in co-hosting CTV’s Olympic Daytime during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. He also hosted coverage of Team Canada Men’s Hockey during the Games. Talk about a dream job!

This coverage garnered James the Gemini Award for Best Sportscaster or Anchor in 2010. He previously won this same award in 2009 for hosting ‘NHL on TSN TradeCentre ’09’.

James also has two previous Olympic Games and a whole roster of other sports shows under his belt, including stints as co-host of the evening edition of SportsCentre, host of TSN’s CFL studio show and time spent covering the NBA.

James’ talents lie not only in broadcast journalism, but print journalism as well. In 2010, he published two books - They Call Me Killer: Tales from Junior Hockey’s Legendary Hall-of-Fame Coach and The Day I (Almost) Killed Two Gretzkys.

We can’t wait to welcome James to Waterloo later this month and hear what he has to say about Lisa.
 
Tickets are on sale now at http://www.uwaykw.org./

Jan

Transformational Change Ignites Uncertainty and Passion

“Change isn’t on the horizon for United Way, it is the horizon.”

I wrote these words in a blog post last fall, and they merit repeating here as we at United Way KW find ourselves in the midst of transformational change. It’s something we've been working at for over 4 years since realizing that acting as a fundraising organization for approximately 42 agencies is no longer enough; we need to move to investing in long term, sustainable social change. Doing so requires not merely a few improvements here or there, but rather an all-encompassing shift to a new direction that impacts our strategies, our processes, our corporate culture, our mindset and, of course, our stakeholders.

Not only are staff roles and expectations changing, but those of our volunteers are too, as are our relationships with organizations, donors, and the programs and initiatives we support.

Not everyone reacts to change in the same way. Some stakeholders will embrace our new direction wholeheartedly, while others may feel discomfort and uncertainty. Resistance is a natural and expected reaction.

While it is inevitable that some folks will resist our changes, it is important to keep in mind the consequences of not changing. We must remember, too, that we did not enter into this decision lightly. In order to ensure that no one in our community gets left behind, we also need to make sure United Way doesn’t get left behind.

In the midst of uncertainty, one thing is for certain. We will not emerge from this transformation the same organization we were when we began. We must adapt and respond to constant shifts in areas such as technology, organizational structure, workforce, and the economy.

Transformational change is taking place at the national United Way level too. You’ve probably already noticed our revised logo and new tagline, which aptly states “Change starts here.” In the coming weeks, we’ll be introducing you to additional changes that reflect our new direction.

Throughout this process, we at United Way KW are committed to keeping the lines of communication open and to respecting the varied reactions and opinions of our stakeholders. What won’t change is our belief in the need to work together to keep our community and its social services healthy and strong over the long term.

You may recall that United Way KW celebrated its 70th anniversary earlier this year. I firmly believe that the fact that we’ve been around for so long is a testament to our willingness - and our ability - to transform in the face of significant change.

Jan

KW women take the media world by storm!

Julie Osborne, Publisher of Maclean's

While she is perhaps the most well-known woman from the KW area to make it big in the media world, Lisa LaFlamme isn’t the only one. Nor will she be the only one on stage at our Annual Celebrity Event at Fed Hall on Friday November 25, 2011. We’ll also be hearing from guest speaker Julie Osborne, who has some pretty impressive credentials of her own.
 
Not only is Julie currently the Publisher of Maclean’s, she recently added Acting Publisher for Canadian Business, Profit and MoneySense to her responsibilities.
 
A graduate of Cameron Heights Collegiate, Julie holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in French Literature and Education from the University of Western Ontario, where she also went on to earn an MBA. She speaks English, French and Spanish.
 
Julie works with the Canadian Olympic Committee and has attended the Games eight times. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of the Writers’ Trust of Canada and a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Canadian Women in Communications.
 
There’s more, but I’ll stop there. I think you get the picture when I say that like Lisa LaFlamme, Julie Osborne is very accomplished in the media world. We should feel proud that both of these women hail from our community. Talk about great role models!
  
Remember, tickets for our Annual Celebrity Event honouring Lisa LaFlamme are on sale online at http://www.uwaykw.org/. Check out my October 18th blog for more details.
 
Hope to see you there!
 
Jan

Celebrity Event Tickets on Sale Now!

Tickets for our annual celebrity event are now on sale. Given this year's guest of honour and her special guests, we don't expect them to be available very long, so be sure to get yours today!

Tickets are $125 each and available online at http://www.uwaykw.org/.
Sponsorship opportunities are also available by contacting our Communications Officer and Event Planner, Meg Lagrotta, at mlagrotta@uwaykw.org or 519-888-61100 ext. 232.

Here again is our fabulous line-up for the evening:

Guest of Honour:
LISA LAFLAMME, Chief Anchor and Senior Editor, CTV National News

Guest MC:
JEFF HUTCHESON, Sports and Weather Anchor, Canada AM

Guest Panel Members:
LLOYD ROBERTSON, Host and Chief Correspondent, W5, and former Chief Anchor, CTV National News
JULIE OSBORNE, Publisher, Maclean's, and Acting Publisher, Canadian Business, Profit and MoneySense
JAMES DUTHIE, Host, NHL on TSN

Hope to see you there!

Jan

Annual Celebrity Event: Special Guests Confirmed!

We were thrilled when LISA LAFLAMME - a KW native who has risen through the ranks of TV news to become Chief Anchor for CTV National News - agreed to be the guest of honour for our 2011 Celebrity Event. It’s being held Friday November 25, 7 p.m., at Federation Hall in Waterloo.

Just when we thought things couldn’t get any better for this event, we’ve received confirmation that some very talented guest speakers will be participating in the evening as well:

LLOYD ROBERTSON, former Chief Anchor, CTV National News
JEFF HUTCHESON, Sports and Weather Anchor, Canada AM
JULIE OSBORNE, Publisher, Maclean's
JAMES DUTHIE, Host, NHL on TSN
  
If you’re wondering what to expect for the evening, it’s probably best to go with that old standby “expect the unexpected”. With Jeff Hutcheson as MC, the only thing for certain will be the laughter. As for the rest, I think our publicity statement for the event says it all: “If you think the news is compelling, wait 'til you hear the stories behind the news!”
  
For ticket details and sponsorship opportunities, visit http://www.uwaykw.org/.

Hope to see you there!
Jan

The Economical Insurance Group and Strategic Philanthropy

Mention the phrase “corporate social responsibility”, and The Economical Insurance Group (TEIG) immediately comes to mind. This is one organization that truly understands the business value behind engaging employees and other stakeholders in supporting community needs. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, what’s good for the community is also good for business.

As with any other business initiative, developing a well-planned strategy is critical for success. TEIG began work on a philanthropic strategy in 2010, with an eye to supporting and positively impacting both the current and future social concerns of its stakeholders. The plan includes activities and initiatives that align with company values, support organizational objectives, and have the potential to create new business opportunities.

Over time, TEIG’s Philanthropic Strategy will evolve into the following components: corporate and community giving, a signature charity, learning and scholarships, and an employee volunteer program.

In particular, I’m thrilled that United Way is a leading contender to become TEIG’s signature charity and I’m excited at the prospect of an employee volunteer program that lets staff take time off for volunteer work and team volunteer projects. One need look no further than the many United Way awards TEIG has won over the years to realize just how strong and successful the relationship has been between our two organizations.

TEIG’s Philanthropy Strategy isn’t yet finalized, but I love the direction it’s heading in and hope it becomes a standard other businesses strive to achieve.

Jan

Waterloo Region Record editorial

If you missed the great editorial entitled "United Ways deserve our help" in the Friday September 23 edition of the Waterloo Region Record, be sure to click here and check it out.

Here's my favourite paragraph from a campaign perspective:

"Either through channelling donated money or volunteer time, United Way organizations are making our communities better places in which to live. And they richly deserve all the support our communities can give them."

And here's my favourite paragraph in terms of helping people understand what it is that United Way does in the community:

"Interestingly, United Way organizations are altering their focus. They are putting less emphasis on their role as an umbrella organization that raises money and are focusing more on issues in the community that require major change."

Thanks also to the other local media outlets - radio, TV and print - that highlighted our 2nd Annual Day of Caring. This type of coverage is critical in helping us spread our message and garner the support needed to keep this community strong.

Jan

Putting caring into action – the big day is almost here!

September 21, 2011, our second annual Day of Caring, is coming up fast. Special thanks to Manulife Financial for sponsoring the day this year. With their support, I know we’re really going to get the message out that people can make change happen through volunteer efforts. That’s what Day of Caring is all about - fostering volunteerism in our community by showing people they can make a difference with more than just dollars. They just need to put caring into action.
  
Last year, 21 teams of volunteers worked on projects ranging from yard work and deep cleaning to think tank participation. I helped paint a large mural on the KW Multicultural Centre building. Can’t wait to see what’s in store for me this year!

Know what else is special about our upcoming Day of Caring? It’s the one year anniversary of my first tweet! For those of you who don’t believe I know how to use Twitter (don’t deny it, I know you’re out there), here’s a picture of me during last year’s Day of Caring, getting lessons from our Communications Officer, Meg Lagrotta.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
See you at noon on Wednesday September 21, on King Street in downtown Kitchener (by city hall) for our Day of Caring celebrations and workplace campaign launch. We’ll be sharing the street with the Downtown Kitchener BIA as they host their employee appreciation day. For the rest of the particulars, be sure to visit http://www.uwaykw.org/.

 
Jan
 
PS - Meg said to tell you to follow hashtag #dayofcaringkw, whatever that means. (Maybe I need to brush up on my Twitter just a little.)

A BIG welcome to our WCCs, and a HUGE thanks to their sponsors!

It’s that time of year again when our annual Fall Workplace Campaign ramps up. This campaign wouldn’t be nearly as successful each year without the addition of Workplace Campaign Coordinators (WCCs) to our staff roster. These individuals come to us through the generosity of local organizations and individuals participating in our sponsored employee program.

With salary and benefits paid by their sponsors, WCCs join forces with our staff to support and inspire hundreds of workplace campaigns in our community. They assist these workplaces in planning, implementing and monitoring their United Way campaigns, while honing and refining their skills in sales, customer service, public speaking, leadership, project management, networking and strategic analysis.

Many of our WCCs come from post-secondary institutions. Some are sponsored by the schools themselves, while others come to us through the generosity of local individuals.

Please join me in giving a BIG welcome to our new WCCs, and a HUGE thanks to their sponsors:

Esther Song  -  University of Waterloo

Matthew Wong  -  University of Waterloo

Renee Walkom  -  Wilfrid Laurier University

Annette Walker  -  Region of Waterloo

Carrie Bergen-Geisel  -  Manulife Financial


To learn more about our sponsored employee program, please visit our web site or contact Rene Porritt at rporritt@uwaykw.org or 519-888-6100 ext. 287.

Jan

Lisa LaFlamme to headline our 2011 Celebrity Event

Reporter Joel Rubinoff wrote a great feature in The Waterloo Region Record last Saturday about Lisa LaFlamme, the Kitchener native who rose through the ranks of television news and broke through the proverbial glass ceiling to recently take over from Lloyd Robertson as chief anchor of the CTV evening news.

Here’s how Joel describes Lisa in the article:
“She’s a doer, not a whiner, an optimist, not a cynic, a passionate, committed trailblazer who rises to challenges, grabs opportunities and, confronted with opposition, pushes beyond it.”
 
She sounds like someone just as worthy of being the news as she is worthy of delivering it, doesn’t she? Which is why I’m so thrilled that it’s Lisa we’re honouring at this year’s United Way Kitchener Waterloo and Area Annual Celebrity Event on Friday November 25th at Federation Hall.
  
Tickets go on sale later this month, and you’ll find more details about the event at http://www.uwaykw.org/.
 
Hope to see you there!

Jan