I am a lucky guy.

I am a lucky guy.

Lucky to be born in Canada, raised in Saskatchewan and to consider Saskatoon home.

Lucky to be surrounded by a happy family that enthusiastically supports my crazy adventures.

Lucky to have spent a lifetime newspapering and writing.

Lucky to be part of a powerhouse like Creative Fire.

And lucky, with Paul, to start a new adventure – partly because of a pesky case of Parkinson’s – which will happily include more time for goofing off and playing fetch with our dogs, Sparky and Motley.

My Dad was an engineer who travelled the world, building dams. He was intimately involved in construction of Gardiner Dam and believed passionately in the vast potential of Saskatoon and Saskatchewan. Today’s reality would please him greatly.

My Mom had a rule that it was fine to criticize, but it was better to first offer to help. She believed by the time you got involved, you had probably forgotten what you intended to bitch about. You don’t have time to volunteer? At 49, newly widowed and returning to work as a secretary to support two kids, my Mom volunteered – relentlessly. She believed everybody has time to help. And yes, she canvassed door-to-door every fall for, what in those days, was known as the United Appeal.

I’m lucky that The StarPhoenix hired me in the most junior newsroom position of copy boy. Lucky too that people like Ed Sebestyen, Jim Struthers and Ned Powers believed anything was possible, including a kid with a high school diploma one day becoming editor and publisher. Lucky that the Sifton family, which owned the paper, operated with a guiding principle that its newspaper should do what was right for the community.

Lucky that Cliff Wright, one of my personal heroes, told me as a young reporter that volunteers make Saskatoon “a very special place.” I thought all mayors said that. Then I joined Southam and ran newspapers in B.C. and Ontario. I learned many things in those adventures, but most of all I learned that Cliff was right.

I was once-in-a-lifetime lucky to be involved in the launch of new community newspapers. Most fun ever. And while the Free Press endured the fires of competition for only three years, it’s funny how things work out. Conrad Black ended up in jail. I ended up here.

I’m luckiest of all because of Creative Fire. Founders Patti Harrison and Ken Juba were determined to create a successful business built on hiring talented and nice people. They did it. In the process, they’ve attracted amazing clients and, daily, create incredible work.

Lucky – and thankful - to be invited by Saskatoon and Area United Way to this spectacular dinner. And lucky to have friends like Rita Mirwald, Ken and Patti, Greg Miller, Sheryl Fox and Jason Aebig – and legions of others – who did all the hard work for this event.

Lucky, most of all, as Cliff Wright said, to be part of this special place. Lucky that there is a vibrant United Way to keep making this place special long into the future.

There is no concept which remains so thoroughly relevant and contemporary as the United Way. That is because the United Way,

“There is no concept which remains so thoroughly relevant and contemporary as the United Way. That is because the United Way, especially Saskatoon’s United Way, is stunningly effective. It works – for all of us.”

especially Saskatoon’s United Way, is stunningly effective. It works – for all of us.

I spent many years on the United Way Board of Directors. I learned our United Way is a model of solid governance, leading the way in transparency, accountability and social responsibility. I learned our United Way is a model of efficiency, stretching your donated dollars to the maximum and reaching every corner of the community, and every critical community issue, with your generous contributions.

We talk a lot about building infrastructure in Saskatoon, usually as it relates to roads. The United Way is in the business of building infrastructure as well, human and social infrastructure. The United Way helps keep the lights on at an impressive array of member agencies. It brings the community together to strategically attack the pressing issues of poverty, housing and helping kids be all they can be. And it offers an umbrella, under which all the components of a healthy community – business, labour, government, charitable organizations and ordinary citizens – can join together in making this a better place.

Saskatoon - every one of us – is lucky to have the United Way looking out for us and looking out for our neighbours. Best of all, we’re lucky to have a bold United Way – this year’s annual campaign goal is $6 million. That’s a tall order.

To keep Saskatoon special, it is vital to hold the United Way close, keep it strong and, most of all, lend a hand to help it succeed. The United Way is not just one more charity – it is at the core of citizens’ aspirations for this place and an important barometre of the community’s health.

By being here tonight, you’re building the United Way. Because of people like you, the United Way will always be a foundational pillar of this community and I’ll always feel lucky to call Saskatoon my hometown – no matter where the next stages of this grand adventure may lead.