COPE 378 Staff Kick Off Annual United Way Campaign

Today the COPE 378 Staff launched their annual United Way fundraising campaign.

Gord Larkin and Dileep Athaide from the United Way came out to the kickoff lunch to show videos about the key areas United Way is working on: services for children aged 0-6, 6-12, and seniors.

Over the last year the United way helped fund crucial community initiatives and non-profit organizations, including Success by 6, food banks, Battered Women’s Support Services, the Burnaby Multicultural Society, and many, many more.

"I don't need to tell anyone about the tremendous need that's out there," Larkin told the room of COPE 378 staff.

Joanne Banfield and Bonnie Merriman, this year's campaign coordinators from staff, outlined some of the events they're planning this year. Some of the fundraising events will include a Halloween costume and office decorating contest, asking staff to make payroll deductions, a "money tree" draw, and bidding on votes for which song to make President David Black lip sync.

The United Way representatives noted that COPE 378 staff have always lead the rest of the province's union offices when it comes to annual UW fundraising campaigns.

 President David Black is confident the trend will continue this year: "COPE 378 has a long tradition of supporting the United Way and I know this year our staff will keep up their record of going that extra mile to help these crucial programs."

For more information on United Way Lower Mainland visit their website at http://www.uwlm.ca/.