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Sep. 18—BEMIDJI — It’s another year, but it’s not just another campaign.
As the kickoff for its annual Campaign for the Community, the
United Way of Bemidji Area’s
Live United Day brought together a host of volunteers on Wednesday for a Backpack Buddies packing event at Lueken’s Village Foods North — a prime opportunity to support a community in need.
Backpack Buddies
was developed to ensure children have access to nutritious, non-perishable food items when other resources are not available, such as weekends and school vacations, the United Way website states.
“We have a variety of businesses, community members and partners here, doing it all,” United Way Executive Director Denae Alamano said. “It’s so fun because they’re literally living united.”
Alamano noted that over 100 businesses participated in Live United Day, proudly displaying their signage in celebration.
In addition to the packing, volunteers unveiled a pacesetter total from businesses that conducted workplace campaigns early. With a fundraising goal of $775,000, six pacesetter businesses raised $262,301 through voluntary payroll deductions and fundraisers.
Pacesetter businesses included Potlatch Deltic, Beltrami Electric, First National Bank, National Bank of Commerce, Paul Bunyan Broadcasting and Sanford Health.
“If we can raise close to 30% of our goal (from pacesetters), we’re likely to meet our overall goal,” Alamano added.
Alongside the pacesetters, around 60 businesses conduct their own workplace campaigns via payroll deductions as well as corporate gifts.
“A lot of people won’t notice $1 or $5 a paycheck being deducted, yet when you add that up and if everyone does it, it really makes a big impact,” Alamano said. “It all accumulates to that grand total and by January or February, we allocate those funds through a grant process.”
Funds support several of United Way’s partner agencies, including the Beltrami County Historical Society, Boys and Girls Club of the Bemidji Area, Evergreen Youth and Family Services, North Country Food Bank and Support Within Reach, among others.
This year’s campaign has an added layer of importance given the
June 21 derecho that affected the Bemidji area.
Immediately following the storm, the United Way launched its Disaster Relief Fund to provide relief in the form of housing, food and clean-up for local families and nonprofits. Over $250,000 has been raised so far.
The United Way also recruited the Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa to aid with debris clean-up, which is currently ongoing.
“We still have over 100 households in need of chainsaw work, and they’re working through that with us,” Alamano said. “We’re really grateful to have them here.”
The
Northwest Minnesota Foundation
is also providing the United Way with funding to hire a disaster case manager as a way to help with roof repairs and navigating insurance, among other services.
As the United Way continues its own community support, Alamano hopes the community can support the United Way’s campaign in return.
“People who donate to the United Way will have a ripple effect on our partner agencies and what they’re able to do to help their clients and the community,” Alamano added. “I’m hopeful that people can give because it’s all going to local organizations to help local people.”
As a means of encouraging community support for the campaign, the United Way enlisted Sanford Health’s Megan Steigauf and Kayla Winkler as this year’s co-chairs.
“We always look for people who have a broad network, people who are well-known and well-liked in our community, and people who are willing to be the face of our campaign,” Alamano said. “Megan and Kayla have come up with so many fun ideas for this year’s campaign, and I’m excited to see how the community responds.”
The pair has garnered past experience with the United Way, making them a perfect fit for the job.
“I won’t lie, there were a few nerves. But it’s just been a blast,” Steigauf said regarding her reaction to being named a co-chair. “Now that we’re in it, we’re having a lot of fun and it’s been great.”
Both recognized the time commitment associated with the role, but found it important to fulfill it anyway.
“I initially said, ‘I don’t have time.’ But I can’t not have time,” Steigauf said. “I’ve learned so much being on the United Way board, and it’s just made me much more thankful and energized to be able to educate the community (about United Way).”
“It’s a time commitment, for sure,” Winkler added, “but it’s the right thing to do for the community.”
The duo commended the United Way’s ongoing work as they encourage the community to give in any way they can.
“It doesn’t have to be a dollar amount. It doesn’t have to be days and days of time,” Steigauf left off. “There are so many different ways to give.”
The campaign continued with the United Way’s Business Blitz on Thursday. Volunteers from partner agencies visited businesses to discuss the United Way and its impact throughout the Bemidji area while collecting donations.
A trap tournament will take place Thursday, Sept. 25, at the Bemidji Trap and Skeet Club with a choice of shooting times at 4, 4:30, 5, 5:30 or 6 p.m. Registration is $500 per five-person team with teams split up by experience level.
Restaurant Week will take place Oct. 6-10 and Movie Days for the United Way is set for Oct. 18-19. More details to follow.
Live United kits — which include signage, posters, donation boxes, merchandise options and brochures — are available for local businesses and community members to participate in the campaign, which runs through Oct. 31.
More information can be found at
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