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The Oakville Beaver, Friday January 27, 2006 - 3 United Way celebrates $3,853,500 campaign Radio Freaks bring comical spin to night ofaccounting By Wilma Blokhuis OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF It was a night of more than a million laughs - $3,853,500 worth. The United Way of Oakville (UWO) celebrated the success of last year's record-breaking cam paign, a four per cent increase over 2004, and $3,500 above a $3.85 Chief Executive Officer of UWO, "to 30 per cent of the overall cam million goal. About 200 people, volunteers paign from nine per cent six years and supporters, attended the cele ago. The Sprotts' focus on philan is priceless." L bration held Wednesday night at thropy the Oakville Centre Challenge is an for the Performing "It's been a challenging incentive for Arts. A large year. The last five to six donors to give at cheque lowered to years have been some the leadership the stage amid a of the most difficult level, said Bill shower of balloons RON KUZYK / OAKVILLE BEAVER Cooper of Cooper heralded the years we've B A LLET FINALE: Members of the audience at Wednesday's United Way of Oakville campaign celebration at the Construction, who encountered." achievement. Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts were summoned on stage to lift up Scotty Watson of the Radio Freaks to end his is stepping down The laughs dance routine comedy sketch. The Radio Freaks were not only the entertainment but also masters of ceremonies. after two years as came courtesy of Bill Cooper, Chair of the UWO years have been some of the most health and social services agencies relationship. the Radio Freaks, Campaign Chair, United Gordon Ross, Chair of the UWO difficult years we've encountered "who work at solving the root Campaign Cabinet. three Second City Way of Oakville Replacing Cooper and Oakville residents, like they've causes" of problems in people's board of directors, thanked the alumni who have donors "who despite raising funds delighted audiences with their will be Brendan Moore, President done so often in the past, have lives, said Jill Yousie, Chair of the for hurricanes, earthquakes and comedy for about three years. The of Brendan Moore Enterprise Sales really met the needs of the United Community Impact Cabinet. tsunamis, plus the election taking "Last year we provided $2.1 mil Way in Oakville." __ trio was hired to be the masters of Tax Solutions. attention way from the campaign, lion in funding to the agencies About one in three people "For the past six years we have ceremonies as well as the enter gave us a phenomenally successful require the services of a United working in five key areas, children met and exceeded this challenge tainment. year with a marvelous result." and youth, community advocacy They poked lighthearted musi because people are stepping up to Way funded agency, "quite an All of the speakers thanked the astonishing statistic/' said Cooper. and planning, families and individ cal fun at Oakville, `read' The this challenge," said Cooper. UWO staff, donors and the more "As the demand grows (along with uals in crisis, services for the eld "Thank you to everyone who Oakville Beaver on stage, poking than 1,000 volunteers. erly, plus health and rehabilitation. participated in the Sprott the town's population), so too do fun at headlines and noted the The Radio Freaks also present "Donors' dollars are invested Challenge," he said. " It gives our the agencies contend with the paper had a "good Spprts section ed the evening's 17 awards as fol strategically and responsibly and campaign tremendous momen increased demand. Oakville is a sporty town." lows: we as a volunteer review commit "Oakville is no different from Kevin Frank, Scotty Watson tum and we are truly grateful to First-time Employee Campaign and Randy Vancourt also intro the Sprotts for leading by example any other 905 area community and tee continually evaluate the agen of the Year, Open Solutions Inc. cies' program delivery, financial duced members of the audience as and for encouraging others to be Toronto," he said. "We have a lot of Employee Campaign of the accountability and ability to meet social concerns that need' to be actor Wesley Snipes and politician leaders. Year, SENACA Seniors Day human service needs." "It's been a challenging year," addressed." Belinda Stronach. Bob Van Cleef, Program (1-50 employees), Procor Yousie added UWO also provid UWO provides funding to 34 vice-chair of the UWO board of he continued. "The last five to six Ltd., (51-149 employees), First ed organization capacity building directors and vice-president of the Canadian Title (150-499 employ grants totaling $50,000 to 11 agen Oakville and District Labour cies to improve their business ees), and UPS SCS Inc. (500 plus Council, was introduced as televi plans, financial systems and com employees). sion character Tony Soprano. Employee Campaign Chair and munications. But perhaps the highlight of Committee of the Year - ARKEMA In addition, UWO has also pro their comedy routine was Watson Inc. (1-50 employees), MOEN Inc. vided $25,000 in community dropping his trousers on stage (150-499 employees), and Town of building initiatives, $15,000 to the revealing white long johns, leop Oakville (500 plus employees). Halton Health Community Fund ard print boxer shorts and one Canvassing Group of the Year, and another $15,000 for contin knee in a brace, and wrapping a Regional Municipality of Halton. gency. "size 44 tutu made for me by Corporation of the Year, T\vin "We keep our finger on the Karen Kain, a four-by-four tutu" Oak Credit Union (1-50 employ pulse of the community and main around his waist to do "a female ees), ALTANA Pharma Inc. (150tain strong relationships with the dance" and dropping the front of 499 employees), ZENON agencies that provide the'frontline the tutu down his belly "to look Environmental Inc. (500 plus services," she said. more masculine." employees). Van Cleef, speaking about the He also joked about being a Leadership Campaign of the contributions made by unionized dancer with only one good knee. Year, UPS SCS Inc. workers, said "labour struggled The Radio Freaks recruited mem Labour Participation of the along with you on the campaign bers of the audience to their dance Year, CAW Local 707 and mem and we met with some success. 'routine that included lifting "It's been a tough year for bers. Watson "who weighs slightly more Agency Campaign of the Year, labour because we also donated to than 100 pounds" for the `finale.' Halton Family Services. provide relief for natural disasters. All joking aside, raising money Community Spirit Award, And, it's been tough because peo is serious business and the Radio Appleby College and Fern Hill RON KUZYK / OAKVILLE BEAVER ple facing unemployment pony up Freaks acted as interviewers while School, accepted by Guy McLean, C O M M U N ITY SPIR IT: Joanne McLean, Director of Fern Hill School and the money in spite of the bad situ UWO representatives spoke about Headmaster of Appleby and his ation they're in." her husband Guy McLean, Headmaster at Appleby College, received the United the campaign. wife Joanne McLean, Director of He added labour' s support of Way of Oakville Community Spirit Award at Wednesday's campaign achieve The contributions made by Eric Fern Hill, for their Winter by the the United Way campaign comes ment celebration at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts. The two and Vizma Sprott, an investment as a result of a long-standing good Lake CD fundraiser. schools coordinated the W inter by the Lake CD fundraiser for the United Way. banker and owner of Bookers Bookstore respectively, who launching the Sprott Leadership Matching Challenge six years ago, was noted. The Sprotts match, up to $150,000 annually, all new lead ership donations of $1,000 or more. "Leadership giving has grown | ' `- "