MOST of us don't think twice about the toonies and loonies we hand over day in and day out in our quest for caffeine.
Heather Grant-Jury would like Winnipeggers to think about committing even one of those loonies each week to the United Way.
Heather Grant-Jury says unionized workers have exceeded goals.
"My feeling is if you're working in this city at any level, you can do a dollar a week. You can do two dollars," she said.
Grant-Jury, 45, is the campaign chairwoman for the organization's fundraising campaign this year, becoming only the second labour leader in the history of United Way Winnipeg to fill the spot.
"It's fairly unique across the country. By nature of the jobs we hold it's very unusual for a labour person to be a campaign chair," Grant-Jury said.
Before becoming the director of the UFCW Training Centre three years ago, she was president of the Winnipeg Labour Council for 18 years.
The significance hasn't been lost on Winnipeg's union members who have answered her call to step up.
"Every single division that has unionized workers in it has exceeded goals and participation numbers are higher," she said.
It's one of the highlights in this role that she describes as tiring yet fun, energizing and rewarding.
"It literally is a full-time job on top of your full-time job," she said.
Grant-Jury estimated that she has done as many as 15 speaking engagements a week on top of her other duties as chairwoman. And it's not over yet as she's determined to meet the fundraising goal of $16.4 million.
"We don't pick that number out of the air," Grant-Jury said, explaining the goal is a reflection of the needs of the agencies they fund.
"Don't get overwhelmed by the number. A payroll deduction of $2 is very, very significant."
She had two specific goals when she agreed to be this year's campaign chairwoman.
First, she wanted to increase participation, engaging people to give. Second was to increase leadership, encouraging Winnipeggers to give at a higher level.
"Research has shown when you ask people to give, they'll respond. When you ask people to give more, they'll respond," Grant-Jury said.
"If you ask me for $20, I'll give you $20. If you ask me for $22, I'll give you $22. If you don't ask me, I'm not giving you the extra two."
Her second goal has been bolstered by the leadership challenge issued by John Loewen, Bob Silver, Hartley Richardson and Sandy Riley.
The foursome pledged that together they would donate an additional $250,000 if the United Way could find 2,150 people to commit to making a Leadership donation of $1,200 or more.
"There are thousands of us that could be at a leadership level. Out of that $1,200 donation, it's really $600 because you get half of that back as a tax credit," Grant-Jury said.
As of Friday afternoon, 1,540 donors have signed on.
"Do you think that I, from labour, don't want that money from Hartley and Sandy? These are business guys that I negotiate against. Of course I want their money," Grant-Jury said.
michelle.melanson@freepress.mb.ca
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