Phone-a-thon

by Andrew Sargent
United Way Board President

One of the time-tested, traditional ways of raising money is to pick up the phone and call people, en masse and impersonal. The professionals know exactly what to say: "Good evening. Is the person who makes charitable decisions in your house available?" Or "Hello. This is Joe Givemore from the XYZ Charity. I am calling with a fantastic opportunity for you to feel better about yourself."

Here at United Way, we are a little more personable and a lot less polished. Maybe it's because we don't make calls on a routine basis. Maybe we know you professionally or socially. Maybe we remember how we feel about receiving these types of phone calls ourselves, last night, at dinner, while the kids were crying. Maybe it's because we are better at showing you why giving to United Way makes such a focused impact. Or maybe it is because we just ate a veggie wrap that is acting like a prisoner planning a jailbreak and we don't have long to talk.

Regardless, telephone calls are an important way to remind our citizens that we are here, doing yeoman's work to make the greatest advances possible in the overall health of our community. And so we must join our ancestors in picking up the phone and calling many of you.

This week kicked off our annual phone-a-thon. It will be accomplished by a small group of volunteers dedicated to reminding folks to support our United Way.
If you get a call, please forgive our unpolished awkwardness. Disregard the urgency with which we speak. And if we are unclear, please ask that we show you personally how we assist the community with your good support. But if your caller ID says it is United Way calling, pick up the phone and listen.

It won't take long. I promise.