An in-house drive to increase employee contributions, with a twist, won the District of the Sooke the United Way of Greater Victoria Spirit Awards Municipal Challenge Cup recently
The annual Spirit Awards celebration recognizes people who helped raise $4.7 million in 2018, funds that help more than 100 organizations and 80,000 people across Greater Victoria.
“This is a grand celebration of all of our community partners, primarily those in the workplace that have helped us raise the much-needed funds throughout the Greater Victoria area,” said Mark Breslauer, CEO of the United Way of Greater Victoria. “They are the lifeblood of our campaign, from volunteers to having advocates within the workplace that help educate about a cause.”
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Sooke competed against 10 other municipalities to earn the Challenge Cup.
Municipalities competing in the challenge are ranked on a number of factors, including the greatest percentage in number of donors, the greatest percentage of averge gift, and the highest percentage of employee participation.
Last year, about half of district employees contributed to the United Way.
The district also go bonus points for developing an employee education and engagement tool called The Price is Right! which highlighted the cost of living in the CRD.
“Thank you District of Sooke for all your hard work and dedication to our cause,” Breslauer said. “We look forward to another great year from you amidst some worthy and fun competition.”
More than 250 workplace partners involved with United Way in 2018 were considered for 13 different Spirit Award categories.
Of note this year was Seaspan- Victoria Shipyards, which was inducted into the Thanks a Million club for cumulatively raising more than $1 million for the United Way.
The most prestigious award, the Chair’s Award of Distinction, was given to Mark Lovick, the vice-president of RBC Royal Bank Regional for South Vancouver Island. This award goes to an individual for extraordinary commitment to the United Way’s community campaign.
– with files from Nicole Crescenzi
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