 CNIB: 50 Years a Partner
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Fifty years ago, on January 13th, 1965 the first meeting of the Board of Directors of the newly incorporated Red Deer and District United Fund was held at high noon at the Capri Motor Hotel.The inaugural campaign raised just over $64,000, with proceeds allocated to 10 local agencies. One of them was the CNIB, which received $2,500 and United Way continued to partner with CNIB for the next five decades.
In 1985, the Red Deer Advocate highlighted this partnership with an article on Red Deer resident Miriam Schnellert and her seeing-eye dog Orpha. Schnellert has been blind since birth, and in 1985 she told the Advocate "Blindness is an inconvenience, it's not incapacitating." In the 1980s, the CNIB offered skill development, and would transcribe student textbooks into Braille or onto tape.
A lot has changed since then. Schnellert is now retired and living in Edmonton. "The CNIB is still an important part of my life", she says. "I'm taking mobility training and they'll help you with your iPhone." In this digital age, voice commands and programs like the iPhone's "Siri" make cellphone use a part of everyday life for people with low or no vision. In May, Schnellert will be meeting her eighth guide dog. She also highly recommends the CNIB National Library. "Braille books are hard to come by," she says. The CNIB National Library now can stream books directly to clients.
In addition to CNIB, the John Howard Society and Catholic Social Services also received funding in1965, and all three remain partners with United Way to this day.
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Miriam Schnellert and her seeing-eye dog, Orpha in 1965. Photo by Doug Marke, courtesy of the Red Deer Advocate.
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Thanks for Making the Change Possible!
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A BIG round of applause for the 30 volunteers who committed more than 900 hours to review applications and decide how to invest the donations United Way received over the year. It is an in-depth process of understanding the issues, discovering how each applicant contributes to making an impact in our community and ultimately making investment decisions. We can't thank you enough for all that you do to help build a strong, resilient Central Alberta. |
Community Impact Council
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Brenda Farwell - Chair
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John Mulgrew - Chair Education PIT
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Priscilla Rundell - Chair Income PIT
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Edie Hiebert - Chair Wellness PIT
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Donna Morrison
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Gwen Clarke
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Kathryn Hagen
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LeeAnne Shinski
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Alice Murray
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Robert J. Mitchell
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Priority Impact Team Volunteers
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Anto Davis
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Barry MacKenzie
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Brenda Watts
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Brittany Boughtin
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Cindy Hunt
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Denni Wentzell
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Gloria Antifaiff
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Ian Sudlow
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Jennifer Hallett
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Julie Ostrowski
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Kerry Lowe
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Leah Poole
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Lia Macmilian
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Rachelle Kuhnen
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Robin Byrnes
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Rocky Martin
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Roxane Parsons
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Tamara Sawatzky
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Terrine Greenwood
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Valdene Callin
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Thanks for Getting Off the Bench and Joining the Change!
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Since the 78% of all funds raised by United Way of Central Alberta come through the participation of the business community -- either through Workplace Campaigns or Corporate donations and sponsorships, we are always seeking to expand our relationship with the business community.
In 2014 we were thrilled to welcome the following new businesses to the United Way family:
- Baja Holdings BCS Inc.
- Bromwich & Smith Inc.
- Canyon Technical Services
- Copps Pile Driving
- Johnson Inc./Community Savings Insurance
- Ledcor Industries
- McBain Camera Fotosource
- Ridgeline Canada
- SGS Canada
- Specialized Desanders
- Spectra Energy
- Steadfast Courier
- Waskasoo Estates
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United Way Partners Making a Difference
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There is a group of forgotten seniors supported by two United Way partner agencies that you would never think of because they are so removed from society.
The Bowden Senior Men's Group is comprised of 177 senior inmates who provide support for one another. One way they do that is to connect with organizations "outside the fence" to help the inmates prepare for reintegration into the community. The Golden Circle Outreach Program and the John Howard Society visit this group regularly to provide information that will help the men get ready to make that transition. The Golden Circle will also be involved with a pilot project to train four inmates to run fitness classes for senior men in order to promote the wellness of an aging inmate population.
The members of the Bowden Senior Men's Group get a mere $1.60 per day, and yet they made a donation of $175.00 to the United Way campaign -- which is impressive, all things considered! A sincere "thank you" to the United Way partner organizations that support them.
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