Fundraiser pulls together to support the United Way

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on September 12, 2023.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

Pulling a city transit bus will likely never be an effective way to save on the cost of fuel, but it’s proving to be a good way to raise money for important programs in the city.
Members of the community pulled together to kick off a United Way of Lethbridge and South Western Alberta fundraising event Monday to support the various programs funded by the organization.
Several teams of eight to 10 people participated in the Pull The Bus event at Festival Square downtown, during which the teams pulled a 24,000-pound bus 75 feet along 6 Street South to raise money for the United Way.
“United Way supports non-profit charitable organizations in Lethbridge and southwestern Alberta, and we support their programs to help three different pillars, which is poverty to possibility, all the kids can be, and healthy people strong communities,” said Jaci Zalesak, executive director of United Way Lethbridge and South Western Alberta.
 Zalesak said the goal this year is to raise $296,000 to help support United Way funded programs and help its charities elevate the community and ensure everybody is supported.  
This year the organization supporting nine charities, which include two of the three local food banks, as well as inclusion programs for kids at Family Centre.
“We support outside of Lethbridge Safe Haven Women Centre, and we’re looking for more businesses to help support us in making sure that we can help get people out of poverty and help these organizations so that they don’t have to fundraise as much and they can focus on the work that they are doing,” said Zalesak.
She said the idea of pulling a bus came up as a symbolic way of pulling together as a community to support the organizations that are helping those within the community.
One of the teams pulling the bus was the Original Lethbridge Business Breakfast Club (OLBBC) team. Team member Stephen Mogdan said it’s good to be involved with the United Way, particularly since it does so much for the community.
“Couple of the people in our Original Business Breakfast Club are with the United Way, so it was a natural fit,” Mogdan said. “We were able to marshal some support and come out, and hopefully not injure ourselves.”
Representing one of the organizations that benefits directly from money raised by the United Way was Jen Visser, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lethbridge. Visser said that as a funded agency through United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters is privileged to receive the support.
“We are one of the longest relationships the United Way has, and that’s not just in Lethbridge but across Canada,” Visser said. “Having support from United Way means that we can provide programs to children in Lethbridge and surrounding area.”
She said if it wasn’t for the support received from the United Way, they would not be able to provide the programs they offer for young members of the community.
“Every dollar you give to the United Way has an impact in our community.”
She said they have seen an increase in the number of children they serve, partly because of the impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, which will be felt for years to come.
“This year we will serve over 1,000 children in Lethbridge and surrounding areas, which is a dramatic increase from what we were doing back in, say 2019.”

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