|
 |
|
SPECIAL EVENTS
BOOST
CORPORATE GIVING—AND MORALE
|
By Pam Droog Jones
With the United Way’s annual campaign gearing up for a September kickoff and the Arts and Education Council’s ongoing fundraising efforts, regional companies are in the giving mode. At a lot of offices, employees receive campaign information and complete pledge cards and that’s that—and that works. But across the region, other companies turn their United Way and A&E workplace giving
campaigns into opportunities to have some fun, boost morale and above all, increase
civic contributions.
“A special event connected with the campaign is good for everyone involved in the process, including employees, the company, the community and the United Way. The more fun employees have, the better they feel about participating. They may give more this year, and if they have a memorable experience, it affects their level of participation in future years, says R. J. Crunk, United Way’s senior vice president for resource development. “Additionally, employees are impressed that United Way funding raised here, stays here, and that more than 90 cents of every United Way dollar goes to strengthen families, workplaces and neighborhoods.”
 UniGroup’s semi-annual New Book Fair generates United Way contributions. |
|
Uniquely for United Way
“Companies obviously don’t do as much, in terms of lavish spending on campaigns, as they did years ago. Now they’re more resourceful with their dollars,” Crunk says. “We see them use team-building that gets employees away from the daily grind. The United Way campaign is also one occasion when barriers come down and employees and the company join together to support the campaign.”
That’s certainly the case at companies like UniGroup Inc., MasterCard International Inc. and American Water, which rely on creativity for their United Way campaigns.
At UniGroup, Pat Larch, president of Transportation Services says, “United Way is our primary charity focus, so we created fundraising opportunities we thought would be meaningful”—such as the Mystery Dinner Theater held on a Friday night in the company’s UniGrille Activity Center. The production is put on by a professional troupe. Ticket proceeds go to United Way. This year’s event, “Bullets in the Bathtub,” was the second annual.
| UniGroup sponsored its second annual 5k for the United Way run/walk last year. |
|
The UniGroup Open golf tournament held at Forest Park raises money for United Way through entry fees, hole signs, mulligans, raffles and auctions. The company also sponsored its second annual “5k for the United Way” run/walk last year. And it held its annual Bowl-A-Rama in July featuring cosmic bowling and prizes. “We invite kids from a United Way agency to come bowl with us,” Larch says.
In addition, throughout the year UniGroup employees hold “grassroots” events such as a semi-annual New Book Fair, theme basket auctions and rocking-chair raffles. “Some departments do their own things, too. All of these activities are great ways to generate a high level of increased contributions,” Larch says. “Employees see we commit our time and resources and that has a spirit-building effect within the organization.” That spirit helped UniGroup’s 1,400 employees raise more than $220,000 for United Way last year.
At MasterCard International, candy and games add up to a successful United Way campaign and a good time for its 2,000-plus employees. In addition to pledging, based on their level of giving, employees received up to four tickets to redeem in various ways, such as “purchasing” candy bars from special vending machines. Four out of the 3,000 candy bars had a golden ticket inside the wrapper, winning a prize for the buyer.
“We’ve done the golden tickets a couple of years, but we’re always asking what can we do to encourage employees to go above and beyond,” says Amanda Gioia, director of public relations. The answer last year was Hungry Hungry Hippos, a children’s game in which players use plastic hippo heads to grab marbles off a game board. Using their tickets, employees voted on which four members of senior management would play the game in front of
everyone at MasterCard’s St. Louis headquarters. KMOX Radio’s Carole Daniel did the play-by-play at the event at an All Employee meeting. These activities helped MasterCard raise more than $860,000 for United Way last year.
Few companies, however, can match American Water’s customer service center in Alton when it comes to unique United Way fundraisers. Employees held an election to determine which member of senior management they would like to see kiss a pig—a real, live pig. They voted by putting money into jars bearing the names and photos of various managers. The winner was Larry Davenport, former director of the customer service center, who got to smooch a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig named Frankie Lee.
“People literally were stuffing the ballot boxes, but in a good way,” says Greg Lammert, communications manager. “Larry came from behind at the very end of the voting period. He was a very good sport.” So was Frankie Lee. “He was cleaned up extra special for this occasion,” Lammert adds. Thanks to Kiss-A-Pig and other activities, American Water’s 430 call-center employees raised about $13,400.
Giving to Keep Art Happening
“The arts are not frivolous. Corporations definitely know how important a vibrant art scene is to a community to attract and retain the best and brightest employees,” says Karen Klaus, director of corporate giving at the 43-year-old Arts and Education Council. In 2004, donations from 130 workplaces plus other private funding helped raise more than $2.2 million to support more than 100 arts organizations in a 16-county bistate region. “We can say, ‘Your dollar will be divided 100 different ways to assist 100 arts and education organizations,’ but it’s much better if you can demonstrate in some way how we do that,” says Jim Weidman, A&E Council president.
| Karen Klaus, director of corporate giving, Arts and Education Council |
|
As a result, many companies treat their employees to live performances and other fun activities during A&E Week in April. One of those is Edward Jones, whose general partner Bob Ciapciak currently is the A&E Council’s board chairman. The company presented live lunchtime performances by talented Edward Jones associates at its three St. Louis campuses.
Then there’s the employee talent competition. Rob Winterer, an account relationship manager at Edward Jones, explains, thanks to the in-house video studio and satellite network, competitors are taped and the videos are broadcast throughout the company during A&E Week. “The tapes are shown around 10 a.m. so no one schedules meetings then,” says Winterer. Everyone votes for “most talented” through the company Intranet. A karaoke machine is provided and people have even brought in live bands.
“The competition was inspired by ‘American Idol,’” Winterer says. Last year the winner was an associate who sang an original song.
The company also sponsors a contest and show of artwork by employees’ children, from kindergarten through high school. The theme this year is “What I want to be when
I grow up.” The art exhibition tours the
three campuses and is judged by an
employee committee.
“Edward Jones is the top giver to A&E and these activities show management is very committed to backing it, which encourages associates to participate,” Winterer says. This year’s goal for the company’s 3,400
St. Louis home office employees is $160,000.
A.G. Edwards and Sons also features performances during A&E Week but the musicians are from A&E-supported organizations. Last year, a youth orchestra comprised of minority high school students performed symphonic music. This year the St. Louis home office’s 4,300 employees were entertained by interactive ethnic drummer. During the lunchtime show, A. G. Edwards President Robert Bagby greeted employees and gave out A.G.E.-logo cookies. The goal is $20,000.
“The point is to make that connection between contributions to the Council and how it helps specific programs,” says Darrell Collins, community relations coordinator. “Each year we see more people getting involved.”
One of the highlights of the campaign kickoff, Collins adds, is on the last day of kickoff week, everyone gets to wear jeans. “For us, that’s a real treat,” he says. |
|
|
|
|
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
|
