ASHLAND — Over the past year, local businesses and schools have raised $854,332 for the United Way of Ashland County, surpassing the $850,000 goal for its 2023 “The Show Goes On” campaign.
The money United Way raises goes to its partner agencies — local non-profits and charities — who in turn provide services to people in need in Ashland County, United Way Executive Director Stacy Schiemann said.
“It’s a complicated puzzle putting the campaign together and to get it to a hundred percent. And that’s most definitely the outcome that we want,” Schiemann said.
“But the true measure of success to me is being able to provide a person in need a coffee, a blanket, a warm jacket, and portable snacks. I mean we all need those things, right?”
In 2022, United Way served over 900 meals during its Fun Friday events, collected two bus loads of school supplies and $2,275 for Ashland’s Back-2-School event, and served over 100 homes with 305 volunteers during the Day of Caring in October.
Also in 2022, United Way’s partner agencies served people 16,997 times, according to United Way’s annual report.
“There’s an old song by Jim Croce and there’s a line in it that says you can’t have a rainbow until you’ve had rain. So try to think about that a little bit, in every life a bit of rain must fall,” said Dan Lawson, a co-chair of United Way’s 2023 campaign.
“So it’s good to know that the United Way of Ashland County and its partner agencies help people through the rains and the storms of life and help them see the rainbow.”
On Thursday, it was time to celebrate these accomplishments. Around 200 movers and shakers from the Ashland community came out to the Mount Vernon Estates on Thursday for United Way’s annual meeting and awards ceremony.
United Way gave out awards to its partner agencies, the top 20 organizations that raised the most money, and to its volunteer of the year, Todd Geren of Sutton Bank.
United Way’s top fundraiser was Centerra Co-Op, who raised $93,014, followed by the Packing Corporation of America, who raised $56,612.
On the business side of things, United Way appointed new officers, board of trustee members and new campaign chairs.
Nicole Hawks of Critchfield, Critchfield & Johnson will take the reigns as president of United Way for the next year while Todd Geren moves to the former president role. Chris Bevington of Lighthouse Financial Management will serve as treasurer, and United Way’s secretary position remains open.
United Way’s new board members are Kailey Bradley of Refuge Counseling, Carrie Gough of Spire, Neil Hinkle of Whitcomb & Hess and Rob Klenk of Bo Lacey Construction.
Finally, United Way’s 2024 campaign will be co-chaired by Casey and Kelly Cooke, both realtors with Coldwell Banker.
“Casey and I, we just feel like we believe in action. We believe in this community of people who show up for one another, who serve one another and who love one another. And we feel lucky to be a small part of that in this way,” Kelly Cooke said.
