On Thursday, February 5th United Way Oakville proudly announced at their annual Community Celebration Night that the Oakville community raised $4.25 million for its 2014 fundraising campaign, coming in above goal.
“As the 2014 Campaign Chair I have gotten to see the donors, volunteers and agencies that stand behind individuals and families who need help. And it makes me proud to be a part of this community,” commented Sean O’Brien, President and CEO of Reliance Home Comfort.
The announcement was made at United Way Oakville’s Community Celebration Night at the Oakville Conference Centre, which featured a contemporary dance performance by Toronto dance troop Gadfly, as well as speeches by the Campaign Cabinet, in addition to the traditional awards ceremony. With more than 300 people in attendance, the event honoured local organizations and individuals for their outstanding contribution to United Way.
“It was a fantastic year,” Brad Park, CEO of United Way Oakville, reflected. “We were fortunate to work with new organizations and donors committed to helping our community.”
United Way Oakville also welcomed Rob Lister, President & CEO of Oakville Hydro Corporation, as its 2015 Campaign Chair. Lister has been a dedicated member of the Campaign Cabinet for the past two years, first working with the Public Sector & Education Division, and most recently Co-Chairing the Community Leadership Division with France Fournier, Director of Community Relations at Whole Foods Market.
Rob Lister expressed enthusiasm to take on this new role, “with Sean as past-Chair, CEO Brad Park and his vibrant team at United Way Oakville, the Campaign Cabinet, and the workplaces and residents across Oakville, I am confident we can continue to increase the level of awareness, and broaden our reach to help those in need.”
United Way Oakville’s goal for its 2014 fundraising campaign was $4 million.
2014 Spirit Award Winners
United Way Oakville’s Spirit Awards recognize excellence in community giving among its dedicated volunteers, donors and corporate supporters. This year’s spirit award winners have stood out in the areas of creativity, innovation and overall commitment to building a better town for us all.
The 2014 Spirit Award winners were:
- Agency Division Award– Big Brothers Big Sisters of Halton
- Business Division Award– Bard Canada
- Finance Division Award – RBC Royal Bank
- Public Service/Education Division Award – Appleby College
- Manufacturing Division Award– GE Water & Process Technologies
- Speakers Bureau Award – Deborah Gatenby, CEO, Hope Place Centres
- Restaurant Challenge Winner- Browns Socialhouse
- Joint Union/Management Campaign Award – Sheridan College and OPSEU Local 244
- Campaign Builder Award- Manulife Financial
- Outstanding GenNext Volunteer- Liem Vien, Real Estate Broker, Royal LePage Terrequity Realty
- Community Leadership Giving Campaign of the Year – Oakville Hydro Corporation
- Outstanding Workplace Campaign Coordinator Award– Colleen Kavanagh, Executive Assistant to the
- CFO/President, Mattamy Homes
- Outstanding Union Campaign Coordinator- Steve Gardiner, UNIFOR Local 707, Oakville Assembly
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- Outstanding Campaign Cabinet Volunteer Award– Terry Smith, Real Estate Sales Representative and Owner of Smith and Company Timeless Homes
- Campaign of the Year Award – Ford Motor Company of Canada
United Way Oakville funds 32 local human and social service agencies supporting over 34,000 people in Oakville.