Kewanee Area United Way’s annual campaign kicked off last month, and the organization’s leaders are calling attention to the “Buck a Week” campaign.
This program gives employees an opportunity to donate through payroll deductions.
Employees at Peoples National Bank, Boss, Great Dane, Kewanee School District 229, Wethersfield District 230, OSF, State Bank of Toulon, the city of Kewanee, Caterpillar and Black Hawk College have made this type of donation for decades.
“It is a sustaining and important contribution that many people in this area use to help their neighbors, friends and family to have a better future,” said local United Way executive director Linda Blair.
In addition to employee contributions, many businesses also make a corporate donation, Blair said.
On Nov. 25, members of the KAUW board of directors joined Rachel Price, PNB’s marketing and public relations officer as she presented a check for $8,300 to United Way.
Blair said PNB has been a KAUW supporter for decades, playing an important part, along with other businesses in this area, to keep services available in this area for 50 percent of the population served by KAUW.
“Because of businesses like PNB, who are dedicated to supporting this community and nonprofits in the area, it is possible to maintain vital resources, serving 5-6 of every 10 residents in this area,” Blair said.
“This has been a very tough year for many people,” she said, “no less for the nonprofits who depend on donations to keep services available in this area. Without the many businesses in this area who partner with local providers and support those agencies, this area would have a vastly different landscape.
Blair added, “In a period of time where services for rural areas are so important, the businesses in this area keep stepping up, in large or small ways to help. I couldn’t be prouder to partner with all of the great businesses in this area like Breedlove’s, Cerno’s, Fernando’s, The Eatery, Arby’s, Scooters, La Gondola, Country Morning Coffee, O’Reilly’s Auto Parts, NAPA, Autozone, Creative Look, Blissful Branch, Krans Kafe, and Entwined and others. All of these businesses, and more through the years, have helped to support what is needed in this area.”
