MANSFIELD — For 100 years, United Way of Richland County has been a force for good in the community.
The non-profit organization celebrated its centennial and jumpstarted a new fiscal year Tuesday with its annual kick-off campaign, held drive-in style in the back parking lot of the Renaissance theater.
Centennial campaign chair Rick Taylor acknowledged the Top 25 company donors from 2019 and pace-setter donors for the coming year. He also announced United Way’s goal for 2021 — but challenged the community to go just a little bit further.
“Our official goal this year is $1.4 million. Thanks to the hard work of our pace setters, special events and the pillar donors, we’ve already raised $611,000. That’s 43 percent of our goal,” Taylor said. “So I know the official goal is $1.4 million, but I want to challenge the community to raise $1.5 million.”
Executive Director Dan Varn thanked all the donor representatives for their generosity during the past year. Despite the impact of COVID-19, United Way was able to keep its commitments to partner agencies and programs throughout the community and invest an additional $140,000 in the community.
“We do that because of individuals, of companies, of organizations, of all of you, and we are so humbled and appreciative of that,” he said. “We know this is going to be a challenging year, but we know we can do it. And we’re excited to do it. And I think 1.5 million is absolutely possible.”
Power of the Purse event chair Christie Massa thanked the committee and DRM Productions for pulling together a virtual version of the ninth annual fundraiser.
“We tried really, really hard to put on a live event, but it just wasn’t in the cards this year,” Massa said. “Despite all the challenges that we did face, we still managed to have a really fun event and also, more importantly, our event was able to bring in over $32,000.”
Massa asked the community to mark their calendars for the 10th annual Power of the Purse fundraiser on June 3, 2021.
Board chair Lisa Carmichael, who works as superintendent of Ontario Local Schools, reluctantly handed mascot Gus the Gopher back to superintendent Stan Jefferson of Mansfield City Schools, which had an increase of over $5,000 last year on its United Way campaign.
Gus has bounced back-and-forth between school districts since the competitive campaign started in 2015, with Ontario out-fundraising its neighbors last year.
“Now he is going to be a Ty-Tyger, which again I’m not happy about,” Carmichael joked. “Mr. Jefferson, I’m right behind you and I’m going to be getting him back.”
“It is truly an honor for the Mansfield CIty Schools to be able to pay forward to this great organization,” Jefferson said. “We all know that you can never pay back, but we can always pay it forward.”
Erin Schaefer, executive director of Catalyst Life Services, thanked United Way for its support of local partner organizations, even in the midst of a pandemic.
“It’s been a very challenging year, obviously for all of us, but especially for those of us who are serving the needs of those who are most vulnerable in this community,” Schaefer said.
“So many times the people that we serve are the ones who are forgotten, but because of what you do, what United Way does, we make sure that those people aren’t forgotten,” she continued. “We are eternally grateful and we just thank you for your continued support.”
