Be a leader for the United Way

by Patty Pitts

Neither David Clode or Kim McGowan can remember exactly when their longtime support for the United Way qualified them as leadership donors (those who donate more than $500 annually).

“I’ve been supporting the campaign since before I can remember,” says McGowan, systems development manager for student records. “I started off giving $2 a month on payroll deduction, then as my salary was reviewed I also put some of that into the United Way. If you don’t have the money in your pocket, you don’t miss it.”

Clode, executive director of student and ancillary services, has been a United Way supporter “since the ’70s. Somewhere along the line I realized that for just a few dollars more a month, I’d be in the leadership category.”

Gifts by leadership donors are a significant factor for the success of this year’s United Way campus campaign, which is 90 per cent toward its 2002 goal of $120,000.

“My husband, [business associate professor] Dave McCutcheon, and I have been United Way supporters for years, and I was honoured to be asked to take on the role of leadership committee chair for the campus campaign,” says assoociate dean of business Dr. Rebecca Grant.

“Demand for the services of every United Way agency is skyrocketing, and the generosity of leader donors is more important than ever. I’m delighted to say we have 14 new leaders so far this year, in addition to increased support from our continuing donors in the $500+ category.”

Both Clode and McGowan have personal reasons for giving at the level that they do. “There were some neighbours of mine whose children had heavy support from United Way agencies. It made me want to do more than just a one-time donation and do a monthly gift. I’m totally amazed by how many people in the Greater Victoria area are touched by United Way agencies,” says McGowan.

“You reach a point in your life when it’s time to support an organization because you have the capacity to do so,” says Clode. “This university was built for my generation and now we’re coming into the peak of our capacity to pay back. The community’s infrastructure of social support was expanded to support baby boomers. Now it’s time to pay the system back, especially now when social agencies are so much in need of our support.”

To make a pledge to the United Way campus campaign, visit the campaign Web site at <unitedway.uvic.ca>. For more information about the campaign’s leadership category contact Grant at 721-6423 or rgrant@business.uvic.ca.