After filling out the application form, then holding my breath through the lengthy interview, I received the call. I had been chosen as one of the two impact speakers for the United Way Lower Mainland fund raising campaign. What could be better than this? Going into work places and speaking about an organization that invests in communities, advocates and leads social change. Whoo Hoo! I was on cloud Nine.
I was told that training would begin the last week of August, and told to ‘Show up early.’ Imagine my surprise when I walked into the training room on that first day and found myself with a group of total strangers, and learned we would all be working, elbow to elbow, for the next four and a half months. And what an eclectic group we were. We had people from the business community, people from government, union and non-union representatives, retired people, as well as budding entrepreneurs. There were about 40 of us, and we all made our home in ‘The Hive.’
Have you ever watched a telethon? When you look past the television host, you see a hive of activity in the back ground: action, smiles, laughter. If you have never worked in an environment with people all around, (and I hadn’t), let me tell you, this is an experience in itself. The energy, the momentum that builds as you are moving toward a common goal is unbelievable. This is the experience of working in ‘the Hive’.
And then, of course, there is the bell ringing! No dozing at the desks here. The bell ringing happens when someone has met a campaign goal. The other day, a gal was so eager and enthusiastic to let everyone in ‘The Hive’ know that one of her United Way clients had not only met their campaign goals but surpassed them, that she actually pulled the bell right off the wall…it landed on the floor clanging all the way down! To put this into perspective, it’s like the Canucks scoring a goal.
There is a team spirit here, regardless of age or occupation that just envelops everyone, and everyone in the Hive has a story to tell.
One member of the group brought tears to our eyes when she spoke of her daughter being bullied at school and on the school bus. Another shared how he was constantly pushed around by bigger kids, and then someone else mentioned how he hated school by the time he reached Grade 2 because of how he was treated by classmates. We gave silent cheers of support when one of the gals described how her little niece, worked with unwavering optimisim to overcome her disabilities. And, our hearts ached for Valerie, as she hesitantly told how she and her children managed to crawl out from under an abusive alcoholic relationship.
And, then there is Paul who shook his head in disbelief, when he talked about how he and his brother discovered their dad had no food in the fridge. To maintain his independence, the father had lied to his sons. Our eyes opened in absolute amazement when one of the other gals told us how her mom loved to take the bus from White Rock to visit her friends at The Bay downtown, until the bus route changed. The route was now an extra 40 minutes longer. As her mom said, “At 87, I don’t have all the time in the world. I may be able to make it downtown, but will I make it back?”
However, no matter what the story or who told it, there was one common thread…and that was the United Way.
For each of these families, the United Way came into their lives and made a difference. For some they found that difference at a local Neighbourhood House, others, through a major organization like the Red Cross, the ‘Y’, the Boys & Girls Club. Some found the helping hand they needed through an early child care program, others found it through a daycare, or after-school activity for their children. And then there were those who discovered their life-line at seniors’ place, while others welcomed the young parent supports, and counselling for their teens. The list goes on…
When I first walked into the room for my training at the end of August, I had no idea of the depth and breadth of this organization. The impact of the United Way through its support and funding of a multitude of different programs, along with its advocacy and leadership in the community – has knocked me on my keester. The up-side is that all these stories had a happy ending. The downside, that there are too many of stories of abuse, neglect, poverty and poor planning still being told.
This is my first experience working with United Way on their annual fundraising campaign. And, what an amazing ‘United Way’ speaking experience this has been. Many people arrived, nervous at the thought of going into the workplaces, standing up and speaking in front of others. Now, we have to pull people off the stage. Others came in shy and embarrassed to tell their story, and have surprisingly discovered they are not alone. We all have stories of pain and despair, inner strength, resilience and hope.
We are now moving into the homestretch of the fund raising campaign, so I expect there will be a lot of bell ringing, cheering and hugging…and whoo hoo’s! We started out as strangers and have ended up as friends. We have all helped, preen, polish and promote each other to the fullest. This has truly been a ‘United’ speaking experience.