The United Way organization Weyburn has known for more than 50 years will look a little different moving forward, as the board was officially dissolved just last night.
The Weyburn & District United Way held a special members meeting Wednesday night in the Vimy Room at the Royal Canadian Legion. After a discussion to clarify concerns of member agencies, the proposed dissolution of the Weyburn United Way Board was carried forth by a near-unanimous vote. One person was opposed.
With dissolution as the first item on the agenda, distribution of the remaining assets was the second, with final allocation cheques presented to member agencies.
Around 30 people were in attendance, including Regina United Way CEO Robyn Edwards-Bentz, and Director of Operations Tanya Murray, as well as United Way Saskatoon & Area CEO Shaun Dyer. Their presence was involved and assuring to the member agencies that the United Way isn’t really being removed from Weyburn. In fact, President Sabrina Kraft said Weyburn can rest assured that the individuals who once governed the local organization as its executive will continue in their service capacity as part of an advisory committee in the future for the United Way.
“United Way will still have a presence in Weyburn,” said Kraft. “Just because it’s not the United Way board, doesn’t mean the United Way itself is going away. United Way will still be there for the member agencies that want to apply for funding and apply for support.”
Kraft explained during the discussion that the board had an executive assistant for 10 years, Sandra Alexander, who had a background in finance. Since her retirement, however, the board has been working with United Way Regina for administrative assistance. She said the volunteer leadership and United Way representation in Weyburn aren’t going anywhere.
“There will be a volunteer presence for the Weyburn and area, and there will be a volunteer leadership team that is working with the United Way, who takes over our postal code, to build the bridges, to build the foundation, to build the communication, so all the pieces are there,” she said.
Kraft said United Way Weyburn has requested United Way Regina officially take on the administrative role for our community, and that the former board is still committed to the organization’s reach within the community, to act as liaisons for its member agencies.
“As the president of the Weyburn & District United Way, I will still have a leadership role working with the United Way that takes over our postal code area, to make sure that the communication is there,” she explained.
United Way Regina CEO Robyn Edwards-Bentz said the common mission was behind their willing response to Weyburn United Way’s request for support this spring.
“Fifty years is a long time, and you can see the commitment and the generosity here in this room, and what we’re trying to do is do our best to help support that and carry it forward,” she said.
“It’s a supportive role, back-end administrative support,” said Edwards-Bentz. “Of course, that’s what we need to do is step up and we support each other."
"That’s what United Ways do. We are all about the community."
"So for the past nine months, we have been supporting on the financial side, making sure that we had staff out to support the Communithon, through the processing of donations, the tax receipting, all those pieces that need to take place, and handle that back-end responsibility in support of the community,” she added.
She said some meetings will take place prior to anything being made official between Weyburn and the United Way Regina.
“At the end of the day, the geographic area is assigned by United Way Centraide Canada,” she explained. “So there are some conversations that have to be had there as well, and we’re looking to work together to provide that best support to the community and maintain that United Way presence.”
For those who may be specifically concerned about the future of the Communithon, Kraft noted a special meeting will be held on January 16th at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Room at the Weyburn Credit Union.
“We encourage people to come out to our Communithon meeting in January to put the fun back in fundraising because Communithon is still important to the community and still important as a fundraising event,” said Kraft.
Kraft expressed her vision for an even better future for Communithon as a way to meet the needs in the community. Whoever becomes involved, whatever is decided and however it ends up looking, 2019 will be the 38th year of Communithon in Weyburn.
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