From Sarnia to Superior, from Fredericton to Fort McMurray, community spirit shines through
With a workforce of more than 11,000, Enbridge has operations in communities right across North America.
And our United Way campaign is an annual reminder of the community spirit that thrives in our employees and contractors – from Sarnia to Superior, from Minot to Marshall, from Fredericton to Fort McMurray, from Melville to Montreal.
While Enbridge’s biggest campaigns were carried out in Houston, Edmonton, Toronto, and Calgary, various regions of the Enbridge enterprise showed their own brand of vibrant, energetic support for the United Way in their communities – helping to create positive change, investing in social programs and special initiatives, and raising a total of more than $225,000, including special events, employee donations, and corporate matching.
Duluth-Superior Region
It’s pretty hard to top a freezer full of meat and NFL football on the box, isn’t it? Well, Enbridge’s 2014 Duluth-Superior United Way campaign included some of both.
Employees in Enbridge’s eight Twin Ports offices staged a pair of fundraising football boards that revolved around NFL games involving Duluth’s beloved Minnesota Vikings and Superior’s cherished Green Bay Packers. Meanwhile, a donated steer was the centerpiece of an annual meat raffle, and it wasn’t just any old steer – it was the Cloverland, Wis.-raised reserve champion from this year’s Head of the Lakes Fair.
And after the Duluth-Superior regional campaign wrapped up on Oct. 3, more than $114,000 had been raised for local United Way organizations – nearly double the campaign committee’s goal of $63,000.
“What an outstanding show of goodwill and generosity,” says Rachael Krivinchuk, chair of Enbridge’s 2014 Duluth-Superior Region United Way campaign.
New Brunswick
Enbridge Gas New Brunswick volunteers rolled up their sleeves to volunteer at the Fredericton Community Garden as part of EGNB's Amazing Campaign.
Enbridge Gas New Brunswick’s Amazing Campaign, carried out from Sept. 22 to 26, included an Amazing Arctic Adventure presentation, tours of agencies such as the Moncton Boys and Girls Club, and an afternoon of rolling up sleeves to volunteer at the Fredericton Community Garden. (Click on this link for a video recap of EGNB's Amazing Campaign, which was carried out as an offshoot of Enbridge Gas Distribution's overall United Way fundraising operation).
The results were amazing, too, says 2014 EGNB United Way team lead Dawn Allaby – with just over $62,000 raised, a figure that more than doubled the campaign goal. That’s an average donation of more than $400 per employee!
Chicago Region
Our employees in the Windy City area achieved brown-bag brilliance this year. Enbridge sponsored a team of office staff based in Schererville, Ind., to take part in the Lake Area United Way Packapalooza – an event that saw volunteers pack about 66,000 lunches for the Northwest Indiana Food Pantry.
We also sponsored a team that achieved some special feats of engineering during the Lake Area United Way’s inaugural Canstruction event. Employees Jackie Baine and Trina Salvisberg worked with kids from the Campagna Academy to create a superhero-themed structure built entirely out of cans of food – and won an award for creativity! Click here to watch a video that was produced on the event.
Our Chicago Region campaign, with branch offices in Marshall, Mich., and Bay City, Mich., just wrapped up at the end of November – and raised about $40,000.
Saskatchewan
Enbridge Pipelines Saskatchewan (Inc.) got creative in the kitchen this year, hosting the sixth annual Cooks that Cook United Way fundraiser in Estevan, Sask., on Oct. 3. Nearly 50 cooks shared delectable homemade dishes – Hog Haulin’ Ribs, Gramma’s Baked Beans, and Bodacious Beef Sliders, to name a few – while four local restaurants joined in to feed the nearly 250 guests who attended.
Between this cooking extravaganza, various raffles, and a Biggest Loser health and wellness initiative, the EPSI contingent collected about $31,500, according to 2014 EPSI United Way campaign co-chair Susan Thompson. We proudly handed over the cheque to United Way reps during a telethon held in Estevan.
Eastern Region (Sarnia to Montreal)
Enbridge Pipelines Inc.’s Eastern Region, which extends from Sarnia, Ont., to Montreal, put an exclamation mark on its 2014 United Way campaign on Nov. 27 with the annual Holly Jolly Holiday dinner and auction in Sarnia, as all proceeds supported United Way Sarnia-Lambton.
Meanwhile, the 21st annual Day of Caring saw the regional United Way chapter directing activities such as minor home repairs for seniors and the disabled, and renovation of non-profit facilities. All told, the 2014 Enbridge Eastern Region United Way campaign collected more than $25,000, reports campaign chair Tracy Vanderheyden.
North Dakota Region
We played the hospitable hosts with barbecues in Williston, Stanley, Grand Forks, and Minot, inviting the community for lunch served by Enbridge employees and all proceeds going to the United Way.
A March Madness bracket fundraiser, several employee blind auctions, and various raffles all helped to bolster the coffers, reports Beth Ryan, chair of Enbridge’s 2014 North Dakota Region United Way campaign. The operation is still running until the end of January, but has collected more than $15,000 to date, not including corporate matching, for community-minded initiatives.
