Be The Change You Wish To See in The World-Mahatma Gandhi

Be The Change You Wish To See in The World, a common bumper sticker in the Atwood neighborhood that my fellow Loaned Executives (LE's) were discussing in the LE Suite.  Actually, the conversation started with us talking about how quickly the 17 week LE assignment has past and if we planned to stay involved volunteering with the United Way or partner agencies.  Someone brought up this quote and bumper sticker and how the very simple statement captured the entire conversation we were having at the time.  So, will we stay involved in volunteer efforts?  Hard to tell.  It's so easy to say, 'yes', but much harder to follow through when the demands of a full time job, professional development and involvement with professional associations reenter the picture.

Optimistically, we all hope to stay connected with the United Way and partner agencies after we end our assignments.  The assignment has opened our eyes to critical issues facing our community and how just a small amount of effort can contribute to meaningful change.  I would bet most of us will stay involved either through volunteerism or donations long after our assignment comes to an end later this month.

Top 5 LE Activities

1. The private sector campaigns are coming to a close.  LE’s assigned to these accounts are closing account folders, delivering Key Club pins and thank you notes to the dedicated Employee Campaign Managers (ECM’s).  

2. Public sector campaigns are still in full swing.  These accounts are focused on government agencies, schools, non-profits, etc.  A great deal of effort is being focused on public sector campaigns, events and pledges.  

3. As in any good effort, we’re discussing lessons learned and planning a celebration!

4. Formal acknowledgement of the LE contributions will take place at an LE Reception followed by our induction into the Former Loaned Executive (FLE) community.

5. Getting ready to reintegrate back to our sponsoring organizations OR actively seeking employment.

Ashley Nicoson working hard
preparing Key Club pins for
distribution!

Guys with Ties
Josh Erickson and Kevin Pachucki

Time to Celebrate

Will we hit the $18.1M goal?
Will the 550 events, 250 LE presentations and almost 17,000 in total rally attendance pay off?
Campaign Celebration is Thursday, November 21, 11:30 a.m. -1:00 p.m. at the Monona Terrace. The public is invited to attend!  Hope to see you there!

Joseph Frey Update

The project team completed a few awesome interviews with Linda Ketcham and John Miller from Madison Urban Ministries (MUM) and Joseph’s nephew, Eric. Schedules are starting to get crazy with the end of the United Way campaign and the holidays.  A project regroup is in order so we can ‘land this thing’. 

Also, a great news story featured recently on Joseph and his journey.

http://www.nbc15.com/home/headlines/208668621.html

Aaron Kempf interviews
Linda Ketcham, MUM

Greg Walters and Aaron interview
John Miller, MUM

Robby Zibell and Aaron
set up to interview Joseph's nephew, Eric

United Way Board Meeting

Yesterday I sent out pictures from the joint MMSD and United Way Board Meeting. Neil Heinen, editorial director for Channel 3 and Madison Magazine, was a guest at this meeting. He was inspired by the collaboration and shared his thoughts on an editorial last night on Channel 3. Here is a link to a video of the editorial http://bit.ly/1dNcJyN. If you are interested in reading it, here is the transcript. http://www.channel3000.com/news/opinion/on-board-for-schools/-/4028/22699742/-/8ffgcd/-/index.html.

 

United Way is currently uploading video to the United Way website. 

https://www.unitedwaydanecounty.org/ 

Let these words be an inspiration to the work we do every day. It is also extremely important to share this with donors, friends and volunteers. Please take a moment this morning and forward the above links with a personal message to someone in your network today. It is so important that everyone hears these positive, unsolicited third-party endorsements of our work. It helps to reinforce the United Way value add in our community and show how the work we are doing EVERYDAY is transforming our community into the best it can be.

Getting Ready to Call the Number

The days and weeks since our first days as Loaned Executives in late July have flown by!  I can hardly believe we're all talking about going back to our 'real jobs' and what an interesting transition that will be for most of us that are lucky enough to have employment.  A good handful of LE's are Sponsored and in addition to supporting the campaign they're actively looking for good paying jobs after our assignment ends in late November.  I'm fortunate to have a new team to join when I return to American Family and many new and exciting challenges ahead.  

As for the campaign trail, it's been more than exciting! We're about 70% of the way to raising $18.1M this year.  As of last week the LE's have conducted 520 events with a little over 16,000 participants.  Agency speakers from a United Way partner agency such as;  Porchlight, Agrace Hospice and WAGS supported about 300 of the events conducted. 

All efforts are focused on understanding how each of us intend to hit our portfolio and account goals in preparation for making our final campaign result recommendation to the Cabinet in November, this information will help United Way determine what number to announce to the community.  The exercise and report-out is known as Calling The Number.

It's been an amazing experience. A lot of people told me the experience would be 'life changing' and it has been every bit of that and more! A fabulous group of professionals, all working toward a common goal, helping each other out whenever possible without any expectations of 'moving ahead' or special recognition. Truly a team effort in every sense of the term.

TIME TO CELEBRATE!

As we're looking toward the end of the campaign, we're also looking forward to the 2013 Campaign Celebration, as we write our community's headlines and celebrate the success of our 2013 campaign!  The event is being held at the Monona Terrace, Thursday, November 21 from 11:30-1:00.  Reserve your seat at http://www.unitedwaydanecounty.org/celebration

WHAT ELSE?

Oh my goodness....since our family vacation to NYC ended in early October it's been crazy! Some highlights to share include wrapping up campaign rallies, collecting donations, helping to greet Tocqueville event guests at the Overture Center, a special guest speaker at last weeks LE weekly meeting; Gary Cannalte WISC-TV Chief Meterologist, apple picking in Cooksville for the food pantry, attending the InBusiness Expo and a fabulous night at the Dane County Humane Society mixer.

Karen Kallerud and I taking off to the Overture Center

Apple Picking in Cooksville

Captian Ron Geason directing the troops.

Our LE 'Mom", Dani a warm smile and hat to match!

                                            

Josh, famous quote "Can't see Forest through the trees".
Fellow LE Forrest Olson.

LE, James Goad, presents WISC-TV Chief Meterologist, Gary Cannalte with his Key Club Pin.

Dane County Humane Society Mixer with FLE's and LE's

"Una" wants to come home with us! ADORABLE!!!

Sandra Ricon, LE at InBusiness Expo

InBusiness Expo

JOSEPH FREY INDEPENDENT FILM UPDATE

We're off and running with efforts to produce and release an independent film about Joseph Frey, wrongfully convicted man facing an uphill battle to reintegrated into the community.  Our project team has completed the initial taping and will be interviewing/taping significant individuals in the story later this month.  

Joseph Frey and Greg Walters share a laugh as we get ready to start filimg the interview

Joseph Frey

All set!  Rob, Joseph and Greg

The project team deserves a mention here...

• Greg Walters, golden voice of the LE's, is interviewing and providing all the voice work.
• Aaron Kempf, has a video and script writing background and will be pulling together interview questions and helping to edit.
• Rob Zibell (sound familiar?) is the producer, videographer and editor.
• Joseph Frey is our star and subject matter 'expert'.
• I'm acting as the Project Manager.

Stay Tuned!

With Open Arms

Fantastic campaigns, led by dedicated Employee Campaign Managers are in full swing all across Dane County! The goal? Raise $18.1M to support local non-profit agencies like Community Action Collation, Porchlight, Schools of Hope and the hundreds of other initiatives supported by the United Way's Agenda for Change!

Being a Loaned Executive (LE) has given me the opportunity to get to know some of the most dedicated, quality, caring individuals in the community.  Over the past 3 weeks, I've been able to spend time with campaign teams and hundreds of employees from some of Dane County's largest employers including; American Family, M3 Insurance, WPS and John Deere Financial.  In addition to other local financial and insurance companies; Johnson Bank, Capitol One, Wisconsin Mutual Insurance, Hausmann-Johnson Insurance and Ansay and Associates.  The one thing these companies have in common, large or small, is a rich culture of giving back to the community.  It's amazing, really, to meet so many dedicated individuals. People that are themselves living pay check to pay check, yet they donate time and dollars to help a greater cause.

John Deere Financial Employee Campaign Managers
Karl Zobel and Ryan Schulz

John Deere's United Way Rally Room

During the course of the campaign the LE's have the opportunity to listen to community voices speakers from local non-profits.  They share stories about real people that have benefited from the generosity of others.  I may have mentioned a prison simulation the LE's did as part of our training.  The simulation exposed challenges ex-offenders face when trying to reintegrate back into the community.  During the simulation, I met Joseph Frey, released in July after serving 20 years of a 120 year sentence for a crime in which he did not commit.  The Wisconsin Innocence Project proved his innocence with the help of new DNA evidence. Imagine not being out in the community for 20 years...how much things have changed; cell phones, computers, new roads, job skills required to gain any level of employment, access to medical treatment.  

With Open Arms

This week, I had the opportunity to hear Linda Ketcuhum speak at one of the John Deere Financial rallies. Linda is from Madison Area Urban Ministry, one of United Ways non-profits that helped Joseph Frey reintegrate, helping him with the basics until he could get back on his feet.  Linda tells a great story about Joseph's years of incarceration and how his family ties faded over 20 years.  Recently, she invited Joseph to accompany her on a speaking engagement to tell his story first-hand.  After his story, a young man in the audience said, "Joseph, you don't know this and you don't know me but I am your nephew."  A coincidence that is too fantastic to believe.  Really, what are the chances that Joseph would have accompanied the speaker, to an organization in which his nephew worked and attended that particular rally.

Later that night, Joseph received an email from his nephew that simply stated, "With open arms." 



Fellow LE, Lisa Wendorff, heads out to a rally!



Blog Ice Breaker--Why do you give to United Way?

Rallies, special events, campaign meetings it's all a blur...There's so much excitement and support for the campaign it's a great feeling to be part of a community effort with everyone working toward the same goal, $18.1M.  

So, I was at a rally the other day and the campaign manager asked her team, "Why do you give?"  And in the typical round robin fashion, the answers started...

• "Because I love my community."
• "There are so many people in need and the United Way does a great job getting resources to where they are most needed."
• "Because the efforts are research-based and measured."
• "Because United Way and Hospice helped my family when my mother was dying."

Since I was a guest at the rally, my answer came last.  And, I really had to-do some soul searching before my turn came around. So why do I give and volunteer?  

Because I can.  

Living and working in Dane County-I've enjoyed a great life!  Married for 34 years, 2 awesome kids, career at a great company, I'm close to my family and have some of the best friends in the world.  My kids have never gone to bed hungry, went to school without proper school supplies and always had a place to call home, bring their friends and tackle homework.   

The Fam
(Gary "Zib", Me, Katie, Robby)

Currently, 2,100 Dane County at-risk families are maintaining stability due to United Way's housing strategies. United Way's Housing First places these families into permanent housing quickly, then provides targeted services to address issues like budget coaching. Housing first has an 80% success rate keeping families how have been homeless settled in permanent housing.

So, I give and volunteer because I can and because I would hope that if I were ever in need that someone in the community would Take Action and help change my life.

Are You With Us?

KICK OFF!  (Literally)
United LIVE! Days of Caring and the 2013 Campaign

Its go time!  Campaign season is in full swing and the Loaned Executives (LE's) are out in force throughout Dane County.  Days of Caring kick-off celebration, UNITED LIVE held on the most beautiful day of the summer at the Alliant Energy Center was full of good food, games and local entertainment.  What a perfect way to start the campaign season!  Support from our American Family family was incredible.  Jack, Mary Schmoeger, Mary Vertacic, Carol Cichocki, Tom Lea, Kendra Whipple, Allison Cooley all showing up to support United Way.   The community speaks so highly of American Family and I humbly thank those of you that continue to encourage and support Josh and me.

Support from the top!
Thanks to Jack and the great team from AmFam for spending the day with us!

What would a campaign be without a little craziness?  Days of Caring saw the LE's head out to join over 3,500 volunteers from companies and organizations making a difference by giving their time to improve our community.  Projects were completed at different agencies throughout Dane County to advance our community's Agenda for Change!

I connected with over 60 volunteers at two locations; Oakwood Village Retirement Community on Madison's west side, who's focus is to help older adults lead lives of growth, happiness, health and security and Pheasant Branch Conservancy, a natural area located on the north side of Middleton.  If you've never been there, it's beautiful with its open water, springs, prairies and wooded hills.

Oakwood Village 

Pheasant Branch Conservancy

Welcome to Pheasant Branch Conservancy

Campaigns Get Going
Meetings with our assigned companies and the dedicated campaign managers are in full swing, as well! Employee Campaign Managers (ECM's) from all corners of Dane County are hard at work organizing company events supporting the campaign and reinforcing the important work made possible through the generosity of all of use who will make United Way pledges.

At American Family, the Rosenberry Society, our next generation of philanthropic leaders held a week long celebration recruiting young professionals motivated to effect big change in the community.  Even some of us 'elderberries' attended the networking event to close out the week and recognize the efforts of the AmFam Rosenberry members. 

Jack thanks the dedicated Rosenberry supporters of United Way of Dane County, young professionals who share our commitment to our community.

Rosenberry membership:

• Under age 30, minimum annual gift of $250*
• Age 30 to 40, minimum annual gift of $500*

There is a decrease in homelessness and more affordable housing is available.

Over 1,200 children in Dane County slept in homeless shelters this year.  Those that live in shelters have only a 37% chance of becoming independent.  Statistics that became reality for 75 participants in the Poverty Simulation this week at American Family.

What is a poverty simulation?  It's a creative, intensive way to inspire and teach the community how important it is to address poverty.  Each participant is given an identity and a family.  15 minute time slots represent a week living in poverty. Participants need to decide how they will spend their time and money, having to make the tough decisions to spend $800 on renting an apartment or feeding their families.  Sending kids to school hungry and not being able to pay the utilities. Worse yet, having to visit Quick Cash to get money to bail their kids out of jail.

During our Poverty Simulation debrief comments that stuck with me...
"I work every day and I'm single, I still live paycheck to paycheck. Any little bump in the road could find me in the same situation."

"My identity was a 12 year old child living with my grandmother.  I got to see poverty from a child's perspective and was especially moved when I had to decide whether or not to go to school or walk to the utility company to pay to keep our lights on for another month."

Poverty Simulation at AmFam

United Way's Housing First initiative will reduce the number of children in shelters by 50%. With the support of Housing First real families are getting the financial and budgeting coaching and help they need to secure stable housing and a place they can call home.  

If you already give to United Way, this is the kind of impact your generous donations have already made on the community.  If you're considering donating for the first time this year you will be joining thousands of others in Dane County making a personal choice to Take Action and Change Lives!  Are you with us?

The Luckett List

LE Graduation -Madison Club
August 16, 2013
(Josh Erickson, Mary Vertacic and me
our little candles to light the way)

Be engaged, ask questions if you have them, take ownership of your progress. The 2013 Loaned Executive class graduated last Friday after 2+ weeks of the most thoughtful, well run training in the area.  Despite the 'fire hose' of information the United Way staff tackled every aspect we'd need to be successful.  They were skilled at exposing us to unfamiliar ideas, giving us a chance to practice and get feedback on particular techniques and encouraged us all along the way! 

"So What Happened...?"  Shel Ellengstad, Community Leader, has been a certified Dale Carnegie Course instructor for 25 years, performs 40-60 hours of live TV and a legend in the ranks of Former Loaned Executives (FLE's).  We started the week with Shel and public speaking training.  Apparently, public speaking training is fun and not the least bit stressful.  Our assignments; come prepared with 3 topics and 'brief notes'.  Brutal. I guess I've been in the corporate world too long because every speech I remember starts something like..."When we were doing this, than that happened, which resulted in X."  EENT!  NO!  Completely wrong.  I will forever have ingrained in my mind Shel saying to each of us, "So what happened?" basically, get to why someone would be interested in the story and not a lot of blathering about this and that.  

A guest panel including Ellis Ragland, 100 Black Men and Sun Prairie School Superintendent, Tim Culver talked with the LE's about initiatives aimed as students succeeding academically and graduating from high school, regardless of race. We learned about the United Way's School of Hope which is helping close the achievement gap in Dane County.  Its mission is to work with school staff to increase the academic performance of students of color and those from low-income families.  

Campaign Chair, Doug Nelson, Regional President, BMO Harris Bank spent a good portion of his week with the LE's holding an open Q & A session, leading the Cabinet Meeting and speaking at the LE graduation.  

Investment decisions needed to be made by the group.  We had a small budget and several grant requests.  Our mission, determine which requests would be awarded available funding. All requests came in writing and the agency prepared a face/face presentation.  It's so much easier to make decisions when there isn't a human element and you're not sitting across from someone that is passionate about the work they do. 

The completion of a course of academic study. [Answered in Jeopardy format] What is graduation.  A graduation test in the form of a Jeopardy Game provided a light-hearted final exam.  Team "My Little Pony" had some issues with our buzzer otherwise we would have been in first place, I'm sure.

Final Exam Jeopardy with Deedra Atkinson

Joe with our game buzzer! 

Jane and Renea provide another correct answer!

Finally back to the Madison Club for graduation day, where we all started.  The room was noticeably louder and with all our sponsors in attendance there was a lot of excitement in the room! After the ceremony we were whisked off to the LE "Suite" to see where we'd be working during the campaign and who our cube-mates would be.
Congratulations to my fellow LE's!  

2013 LE Graduating Class
August 17, 2013

 Our 'LE Mom", Dani Luckett gave us her Luckett List of Big Ideas From Training:

• You are composing a good world.
• Inspire organizational leaders.
• People give to people.
• Be thoughtful and creative.
• Be a proactive and responsive partner with your campaign teams.
• Demonstrate credibility, take time to understand a different perspective and you will earn trust.

The best cube farm row every assembled!