It was an evening of celebration and recognition on March 24 as United Way of 1,000 Lakes hosted the annual Campaign Celebration and Best of Awards at the Timberlake Lodge in Grand Rapids. More than 250 investors, grantees, and partners attended the celebration, which included the presentation of awards recognizing the contributions of Itasca area workplaces during the 2015-16 campaign.

While celebrating record-breaking support of its annual community campaign, which raised a grand total of over $294,000, the event raised an additional $5,000 through a Plaid Challenge presented by Minnesota Power. The company pledged $25 for every guest donning plaid that evening.

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GRAND RAPIDS – United Way of 1000 Lakes will host their annual Campaign Celebration and Best of Awards on March 24, 2016 from 4:30-6:30 at Timberlake Lodge to announce campaign results and recognize outstanding community partners and volunteers. The event will feature local jazz guitarist, Sam Miltich, and keynote speaker Al Hodnik, President and CEO of ALLETE. 

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The community has spent the last three months as part of a widespread effort to help Change the Story for our neighbors. We’ve met Chelsi and Sandy, who represent more than twenty thousand people helped annually because of your support of United Way.

As the New Year gets underway, the community has generously and selflessly contributed more than $261,000 to help others in 2016. This number is a reflection of the generosity of our community, who recognizes the continued needs within the community. United Way aims to raise enough funds to reach last year’s campaign total of $289,000, which will allow the organization to continue funding its agencies at the same level.

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“I’m so proud of Grand Rapids in being a progressive community – willing to have a conversation like this” said Peter Birkey, Board Vice President, United Way of 1000 Lakes and event moderator for a special forum on inequities in education, employment and health at the Timberlake Lodge Hotel.

A live stream of the “Cultivating Conditions for Change: A Forum on Race & Equity,” hosted by the Greater Twin Cities United Way in Minneapolis, kicked off the morning. In his opening remarks, emcee Reg Chapman of WCCO-TV called out to those participating in the forum in Grand Rapids.

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Local restaurants have teamed up with United Way to improve lives and strengthen our community.  Visit one of the participating Dining United restaurants for breakfast, lunch or dinner to support United Way. These restaurants have pledged to donate a portion of their proceeds toward the United Way‘s community campaign. 
In 2015, United Way of 1000 Lakes is investing in more than 30 programs and services across 24 agency partners. These programs and services impacted more than a dozen communities and touch the lives of one-in-three people in the Itasca area.

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If you like to cook or have every flipped a pancake, United Way of 1000 Lakes challenges you to a friendly competition with other individuals and businesses at their Third Annual Pancake Cook-off and Relay Race to benefit United Way of 1000 Lakes.

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