United Way is a global organization creating stronger, more resilient communities. They work to improve the health, education, and economic mobility of every person in every community they serve. Coulee Bank has participated in an annual fundraiser for the United Way since 1970 because they too are deeply rooted in their communities.
The Impact of Supporting United Way
Rachel Munger, PR Manager, says, “United Way partners with many different organizations to meet the biggest needs of the community they are serving.” The partnerships allow United Way to maximize each donation to its fullest potential. Some organizations the Great Rivers region United Way partners with are the YMCA and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Kicking Off the Campaign
Before kick-off, representatives from Coulee Bank attend a United Way Workplace Champions event. Lori DuMars, HR Generalist, says, “At this event, United Way provides a toolkit for organizations to help with fundraising efforts. Then, a couple of us put together a presentation to show at Unity Day, a day that brings all Coulee Bank locations together, including the La Crosse Wisconsin area, Rochester, MN, and the Twin Cities.” Here is one of the kickoff videos United Way provides in the tool kit: https://youtu.be/_46r7TVs0yw?si=9-lELLc9fRrcY1QF.
Unity Day is also a time to promote team building, community service, and professional development. Participants engage in activities designed to strengthen teamwork, such as collaborative projects and group challenges. The day also emphasizes giving back to the community through various service initiatives, allowing individuals to make a positive impact locally.
DuMars says, “We start the fundraiser with a fun competition called Penny Wars. We have containers for each location at Unity Day, and employees add money to each bucket throughout the day. Coins are positive, dollar bills are negative. For example, one penny is one point whereas one dollar is negative 100 points, and the goal is to have the highest positive number.” Munger goes on to say, other locations try to sabotage other teams’ buckets by adding dollar bills, which acted as negative points. If your team reached their point goal, your whole branch got lunch, so it was a fun way to encourage giving with a bit of competition between the branches!
A Month-long Effort
“After our kickoff event, our fundraising campaign lasts three weeks to one month. During this time, we host games like trivia, bingo, or spin the wheel. We also host a silent auction and themed dress-up days. All these different events are designed to encourage people to pledge to United Way, whether it is $2 per pay period or $25 per pay period,” says Munger.
While this is the largest fundraising event each year for Coulee Bank, Munger recommends finding a charity that aligns with your values. “There are so many deserving organizations, we cannot possibly give to all of them. Find a charity that you are passionate about!”