Every year around this time, Foodbank employees gather in our main warehouse for a little bit of fun that benefits an important cause – the United Way of Greater St. Louis.
The St. Louis Area Foodbank is a proud member agency of the United Way. We’re just one of more than 170 area agencies that receive funding from the United Way. Those funds are used to further our mission of feeding hungry people throughout the bi-state region.
At our employee United Way rally we remind our fellow staff members that when they support the United Way, they’re not only supporting the work that we do here at the Foodbank, but they are helping the entire community.
Our United Way rally planning committee, headed by our Food Drive Coordinator Casey Milton, always ensures that we’re not just raising funds, but also employees’ spirits.
Casey always comes up with a theme for the day. Rally committee members usually end up dressing in some sort of costume based around the theme and this year was no exception.
Our 2013 theme was The County Fair. There was a ring toss game, a pie-eating contest, hot dogs, hay bales, funnel cakes and much more. There was even a dunking booth. Weeks prior to the rally, employees could vote (for $1 each) for who they wanted to see in the dunking booth. The top two vote-getters (our President & CEO, Frank Finnegan, and our Inventory Control Manger, Tim Jackson) each spent 15 minutes praying that their fellow employees had bad aim.
Employees could purchase tickets to participate in various games throughout the day for the chance to win some really great prizes. The totals are still being calculated, but it looks like we’re on pace to exceed last year’s fundraising totals. The more we raise through the rally and payroll deductions, the more people in our community get helped.
We might as well have some fun while we’re doing it.