BYRON — The 2018 United Way of Ogle County Community Campaign is officially underway with a recent employee cookout at the Exelon Byron Nuclear Generating Station. 

Throughout the next few months, many local companies will be talking with its employees about the importance of giving to the United Way of Ogle County.

Campaign committee members will be explaining how the money raised in Ogle County stays in Ogle County to help fund many area human service agencies. Like Exelon, many of the county’s largest employers, such as Rochelle Foods and Rochelle Community Hospital, believe in the strength of the workplace giving campaign and the impact those campaigns have on the health and well-being of the community.

In the past five years, workplace gifts to United Way of Ogle County have averaged $200,000. This money has gone to provide important senior transportation for the Hub City Senior Center. It’s been used by HOPE of Ogle County to save women and children from dangerous domestic situations. 

With funding from United Way of Ogle County, Serenity Hospice and Home, through its bereavement program called The Shed, brings peace and support to family members left behind after a death. The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Focus House, Pinecrest Community, Village of Progress, and many more agencies all offer important programming and services for their clients thanks to funding from United Way of Ogle County.

Right now, United Way funded agencies affect the lives of 26,000 people – every other person in Ogle County benefits from United Way supported services. In the upcoming weeks, representatives of United Way’s currently funded organizations in Ogle County will be talking with employee groups, explaining how important every gift, regardless of size, is in providing life-changing services to Ogle County residents.

Each year givers through workplace campaigns and individual donors are thanked for their gifts, and then asked to give a little bit more. United Way of Ogle County doesn’t ask for more just to raise more money. More is asked so more can be done. More is needed to help United Way partner agencies serve more individuals and families so they can provide more important services and they can save more lives.

If there’s a United Way of Ogle County workplace campaign where you work, think about what your $1, $5, or $10 a pay period can do. That $1 may be just a fast food soft drink for you right now. But added to thousands more, it can turn a life around and improve the community. When your United Way workplace volunteer asks for your pledge, give what you can. But please give.

Each year the United Way publically thanks the Ogle County companies that run successful campaigns.

2017 winners

These are the 2017 campaign award winners:

• The Award of Distinction for high employee participation and a $10,000 or more campaign – Stillman Bank

• The Community Impact Award for highest total campaign – Exelon Byron Nuclear Generating Plant

• The Corporate Spirit Award for highest per capita giving – Sterling Federal Bank

• The Spirit of Community Award for largest campaign increase – Byron Bank

• The Rising Star Award for highest employee participation increase – Sterling Federal Bank

• The Living United Award for highest employee participation – Hub City Senior Center

For more information about United Way visit www.unitedwayrrv.org.