Frances Lankin delivers an emotional thank you to the thousands of Torontonians who contributed to the success of the 2008 Campaign.
There is a special vibe in a room full of over 1,600 people who collectively defied the odds. It's a vibe that resonates with enthusiasm and pride, with the sheer joy that comes from a job not just well done in the face of adversity but superbly done in spite of adversity. And it clearly expressed the mood at United Way's 2008 Celebration Dinner.
Jian Ghomeshi, popular host of Q on CBC Radio One and a longtime friend of United Way, returned for his third consecutive gig as emcee. Funny, irreverent and always on-the-mark, he spoke movingly about the City of Toronto and the spirit of its people. "United Way," he said kicking off the evening "is critical to building a blueprint for a diverse world, a beautiful blueprint called Toronto."
Thank You, Toronto was a moving video tribute to the generosity of Torontonians. Taking the audience on a journey across the city, the video showcased a number of representative United Way agencies and gave the audience a glimpse of the vital services they deliver. In each brief visit, the member agency's Executive Director or Program Coordinator expressed thanks to all Toronto for caring, for giving and for making their work possible: "Without you," said each one, "there would be no way." The heartfelt gratitude of these dedicated professionals heightened the sense of personal connection and contributed a great deal to the spirit of the evening. (» watch the video)
- Bill MacKinnon, 2008 Campaign Chair
Describing how these United Way agencies make a difference in the lives of neighbourhoods, youth and newcomers, Robert Harding, Chair of United Way Toronto's Board of Trustees, said simply, "It's the work they do that brings positive, lasting changes to our city." Paying tribute to the contributions of "great volunteers, workplaces, donors, agencies, and community partners," he said, "at the end of the day, United Way is not an organization, a building or a network of agencies—it is all of us."
During the 2008 Spirit Award presentations, the applause seemed more thunderous than ever before. As table after table cheered their colleagues—whether nominees, winners or just the hardest working co-workers they had ever known—the mood was palpable. This had truly been a very special campaign!
So when Frances Lankin said, "this is an emotional night for me and for all of us," everyone in the room knew what she meant. "The economic storm that hit our communities last fall," she continued, "turned out to be deeper and more devastating than anyone predicted. Thousands are already turning to United Way agencies for food, shelter, employment services and financial counselling." While the Campaign had raised $106 million by the end of the year—an enormous feat that really defied the odds—it was short of the $110 million goal. Knowing that toughtimes were about to get tougher, United Way reached out to the public. And the people of Toronto responded by digging deeper, pledging an additional $1.5 million to bring the campaign total to $107.5 million!
On behalf of United Way Toronto, Frances thanked Robert Harding, Board Chair and Bill MacKinnon, Campaign Chair, for their outstanding commitment and for the personal example they set. She thanked everyone involved in the campaign, the Campaign Cabinet, workplace volunteers, agencies and her team of volunteers and staff, saying, "I am truly humbled by your efforts every day."
Bill MacKinnon, Chair of the 2008 United Way Campaign, spoke of the outstanding work United Way agencies carry out, every day in every part of Toronto. "That's what inspired me to accept the position and it's what motivated me to work harder than I ever have before." He expressed heartfelt thanks to "the thousands of Torontonians across the city who helped make this year's incredible achievement possible. Your hard work and determination is a shining example that embodies the very best of community values."
$107.5 Million! Thank you Toronto! was the Cover Story in our quarterly newsletter, Community Matters: Winter 2009
