Honda drives United Way to 59% of Goal
Record-level giving reported countywide with one month left
in campaign
For Immediate Release
November 4, 2004
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Dane Espenschied, volunteer Campaign Chair at Honda of America, Mfg., presents the United Way of Union County with a check for $278,998.08, representing the money raised for the agency during the company's 2004 fundraising drive. Accepting on behalf of United Way (from left to right) are Board Members Michele Mercer, LouAnn McKeen, and Shari Marsh, Executive Director. |
The generosity of associates at Honda of America, Mfg. and a final celebration of the company’s 25-year anniversary in Central Ohio have resulted in the all-time highest gift pledged to the United Way of Union County. Thursday, Honda announced that the company’s workplace campaign totaled $278,998.08 for the 2004 year. That takes the total raised by United Way volunteers this fall to $439,771, or 59% of its $750,000 goal.
Corporate-wide, Honda raised more than $2.1 million for United Ways throughout the company’s 15-county hiring region. The grand total was buoyed by a corporate match of 75 cents for every associate dollar pledged, an increase of 25 cents from Honda’s typical match, made in recognition of the company’s silver anniversary in our community.
454 Honda volunteers agreed to solicit their fellow 13,110 associates by coming to United Way training sessions in August. They then dispersed among Honda’s plants and offices to ask for the support of others.
“We went out as a team and talked to all the managers at all the plants and explained to them what we needed from them in order to support this program,” said associate Dane Espenschied, volunteer chair of Honda’s United Way campaign. “We needed them to give the time to share the story to make sure people are aware of the types of programs and support that can be given to United Way. The result of that effort is people being informed. And you can see the result of people making informed decisions about United Way.”
The result is a record-setting gift to United Way of Union County, besting Honda’s own gift of $240,329.28 made in 2001. The 2004 pledge includes a record-setting corporate gift of $119,566.32 calculated from the 75-cent match incentive.
“I think it just kind of gels a relationship that should exist between corporate America and helping society,” Espenschied said. “I think that relationship becomes stronger as we try to support these United Way agencies and what they’re trying to accomplish.”
Following Honda’s form, 19 of the 23 United Way workplace campaigns that have completed report higher results from last year, with 17 of those at record-setting levels. Across the county, those who have invested in United Way thus far show a 23% increase in giving from last year.
“With a record-setting goal of $750,000, we knew it would take some record-level giving to reach it,” said Dave Bezusko, Campaign & Public Relations Director for the United Way of Union County. “But so many folks are coming through to help us meet the needs in our community.”
That would include Union County residents who work at Nationwide Insurance, where the 2004 gift reported to the local United Way on Monday was a record $72,550. It included a 100% corporate match for every employee dollar pledged.
“We’re on your side whether you’re in Columbus or Marysville and I think the culture and the values of our organization are coming through with a campaign like this,” said Jim Burke, co-chair of the United Way campaign at Nationwide that involved more than 1,000 volunteers.
As large corporations are coming through with big money, smaller outfits report increases in donations that will make it possible for United Way to reach its goal. Midwest Express nearly tripled its donations to United Way of Union County, raising more than $12,000 that included a 100% corporate match. Marysville Schools teachers and employees more than doubled their giving from $3,500 to more than $7,800 thanks to an e-mail campaign that circulated through the district last month.
27 small businesses have pledged corporate gifts to United Way of Union County to date, including 14 which have done so for the first time. 163 additional donors have given from home via United Way’s residential mailing campaign. The campaign runs through November 30.
Money raised by the United Way of Union County makes an impact in our community as more than 16,000 local residents use United Way programs and services. Companies or individuals wishing to participate in the 2004 United Way campaign can do so by calling (937) 644-8381 or by visiting www.unitedwayofunioncounty.org.
Businesses and organizations that have pledged their support this year via workplace campaigns, corporate, or in-kind gifts include: Allen, Yurasek, & Merklin; AmeriHost Inn; Ashland Chemical; AVS Properties; Bank One; Bindery & Specialties; Bob Chapman Ford; Bobcat Skidsteer Loading; Box Homes; Buckeye Sports & Family Chiropractic Center; Cannizarro, Fraser, Bridges & Jillisky; City of Columbus; City of Marysville; Columbia Gas of Ohio; Consolidated Care, Inc.; Consolidated Electric Cooperative; Cunningham Trucking; Curves of Marysville; Curves of Plain City; Custom Staffing; Dave's Pharmacy; Dayton Power & Light; Delaware County Bank & Trust; Down Under Catering; Dr. Richard Scott, D.D.S. eMarysville.org; Fairbanks Local Schools; Fifth Third Bank; FirstEnergy Foundation; Franklin Bank; Franklin County Employees; Goodyear; Graphic Stitch; HER Real Living; Herron's 5th Street Deli; Hewlett-Packard; Holiday Inn Express; Hometown Connection of Marysville Honda of America; Honda Transmission; Huntington National Bank; IBM; Industrial Ceramic Products; Industrial Parkway Association; Invensys Climate Control; John Waite, Realtor Kiwanis Club of Marysville; K-Mart; Kroger; Lambert Jewelers; Loving Care Hospice; Marysville Association of Realtors; Marysville Business Association; Marysville Exempted Village School District; Marysville Journal-Tribune; Marysville Mailbag; McAuliffe's ACE Hardware; Memorial Hospital of Union County; Mental Health & Recovery Board of Union County; Messenger Publications; Michele Mercer, Realtor; Midwest Express; Milcrest Nursing Center; Moats Financial Agency; Monro Muffler/Brake; National City Bank Nationwide Insurance; Nestle R&D Center; Nissin International Transport; North Union Local Schools; Ohio Department of Transportation; Ohio Reformatory for Women; Ohio State University; Parker Denison Hydraulics; Pizza Hut; Plain City Druggist; Pottsie's BBQ Richwood Banking Company; Richwood Gazette; Richwood Realty; Rummell-Brill Insurance Agency; Scotts Company; Select Sires; Shearer-Banks Insurance; Sky Bank; State of Ohio Employees; The Gables at Green Pastures; Transportation Research Center; Union County Board of MR/DD; Union County Coroner's Office; Union County Council on Aging; Union County Engineer's Office; Union County Health Department; Union County Job and Family Services; Union County Sheriff's Office; Union County Veterans Service Office; Union Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.; United Rotary Brush; UPS; Walker Meadows; Wal-Mart; Webb Interactive Marketing; Whirlpool; and WUCO 1270-AM.