Happy Fall! I would like to mention a select set of sponsors who stepped up in an extra-big way to help us with our end-of-summer events.
Special thanks to Four Corners Broadcasting, Chevron, Parady Financial and Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
We could not do our work without the sponsors or incredible volunteers. These people work for no compensation other than the satisfaction of knowing they help to make a difference. Our world would stop turning without them.
Thanks to the volunteers who plan events; who are experts at pop-up tents and hanging banners; who greet and direct visitors; who serve food and drinks; who check wristbands and IDs; who run auctions; who take photographs and share them with the world; who handle the technical details; who go with the flow; and (yahoo!) who help with cleanup!
Thanks to the volunteers who help with daily operations; who staff the desk and answer phones, greet clients, lend an ear and serve as a shoulder on which to cry; who file and organize; who write letters and proofread documents; who manage schedules and lists; who fill backpacks and boxes and lug stuff all around; who feed, clothe and house; who create posters, fliers and social media campaigns; who help collect surveys or take inventory; and who help us do the work of 10 people in an office of three.
Thanks to the volunteers who share their talents and expertise; who keep our computers humming; who review the financial documents and the marketing plans; who give legal advice or remind us about good common sense; who miss work to make yet another board or committee meeting; who help us make connections; who help us move; who rake our leaves; who invite their friends to get involved; and who keep reminding us why we do this work.
Thanks to the volunteers who lend their muscle; who build houses; who repair furnaces; who load trucks; who paint walls and fix carpets; who climb on the roof and clean the gutters; who build stairs; who clean our roadsides; who fix leaks; and who make things work better all around.
Thanks to the volunteers who work with children to give them a better future; who deliver books and dictionaries; who read with kids; who help with math; who make the commitment to mentor; who teach kids to have fun; who teach them to be their best; who serve as role models for making good choices; who serve as coaches, referees and team managers; and who take care of kids when things get rough.
For all of these volunteers and so many more, I give a heartfelt thank you! You have helped to make our community a better place and made a difference for tens of thousands of lives here locally. Please keep it up! We work to connect volunteers with opportunities, so if you would like to find the right fit for you, please contact us today at Unitedway-swco.org. Thank you for volunteering and Living United!
Lynn Urban is president and CEO of United Way of Southwest Colorado.
