A different spin on fundraising
The first year for the amalgamated United Way Niagara is looking good early in its fall fundraising campaign.
So far 40 per cent, or $2 million of its $5-million goal, has been raised.
Brock University pitched in a little more on Sunday with its first Move-A-Thon, through which people paid a $5 fee that went United Way and then took part in one of eight offered fitness classes which included a spinning, yoga, kick boxing and Zumba.
“Traditionally we have had an outdoor run on Halloween, and then we did a Halloween Spin-A-Thon and this year we thought that we would try something different, which also has the advantage of being open to the whole community,” said Sandy Howe, staff co-chair of the university’s United Way committee.
The event was more about raising awareness than money, said Eric Walter, Brock’s fitness centre manager.
There was no financial ‘goal’ specifically for this event; the goal of the entire campaign for Brock is $145,000.
The university’s campaign runs until the end of the year with the flagship event, a trivia night to be held at Club Roma on Nov. 9. Trivia is also open to the public. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the Brock Book Store or at the Walker Complex welcome desk. Also, Toronto Maple Leafs tickets are being raffled off with the winner to be announced on the trivia night. Those tickets can be purchased at the welcome desk as well or at the trivia night.
Funding the United Way is crucial.
“One in three people will use a United Way-funded service in their lifetime in Niagara is what grips my heart,” said Howe. “So of our approximately 450,000 people, that looks like 163,000 locally access the service at some point. I think that’s impactful and that’s largely why I am involved.”
Howe said people don’t have to be in the region to donate to United Way Niagara, and their money can also be sent directly to a charity.
“That’s a possibility that not a lot of people know about,” she said.
Most people in Sunday’s spin class were there for the same reason — to give back to their community while getting a little exercise.
“We always do something active on Sunday mornings so it just seemed like a good fit,” said Sally Renwick of Fonthill. “We are going to do this class then we are going to do a yoga class after so it’s just a nice way to be able to support the United Way.”
Victoria Steele of St. Catharines also turned out to the event.
“For me it’s a little more personal. I travel a lot for my job so I don’t get to join in to some of the other United Way campaigns that Brock is putting on, so I happened to be here this weekend and I knew that I would see a lot of familiar faces as well … I would usually be up doing something active on Sunday morning so why not this?”