Sioux Empire United Way

Scheels of Sioux Falls
Before the end of 2009, Scheels of Sioux Falls presented SEUW with a check for their total campaign of more than $95,000! That includes an employee campaign which had an 51% increase and a corporate gift that is an 81% increase. Thank you to Scheels for their amazing United Way support!

John Morrell
John Morrell employees presented SEUW with their total for their campaign this week. John Morrell's campaign started with an ice cream social for Heart Club members and continued by meeting face to face with every single employee. As always, the generosity of John Morrell employees was astounding - a campaign that totaled more than $420,000! Thank you to John Morrell for your continued tradition of giving to United Way.

Thurman, Comes, Foley & Co, LLP
ECM Jolene Kranz planned TCF's first United Way campaign with a goal of raising awareness. To bring some fun into the campaign kickoff, employees entered chili, dessert and other items into a chili cookoff. For $5, employees could enjoy the treats and vote for the hottest chili, most beans, and overall best. Employees also used this time to view the United Way video.	Follow-up was completed with additional information sent by email and facts posted in the breakroom. A game of Bingo was played to encourage quick return of pledge cards, with the winner receiving a movie gift certificate. The end results was more than $3,300 including five Heart Club members out of this office of 17!

ReliaMax
ECM's Terri Fisher and Heather Wallin planned a festive Mardi Gras theme complete with beads and masks to kick off the ReliaMax United Way rally. Employees had a chance to listen to Kerri DeGraff from United Way explain how every dollar helps people and families in our community. The campaign focused on participation and exceeding last year's employee donations.	Mike VanErdewyk, CEO, challenged the employees to hit various goals and if successful he would close the office for Christmas Eve to allow more time to be spent with their families. The employees not only met the goals but greatly exceeded them. This year's rally raised over $7,500 for an increase of almost 115%! Drawings were held for prizes which included scuba diving and karate lessons, gift certificates and underground parking spaces. Donations will continue to come in through the jeans day sticker promotion. Thank you to the ReliaMax executive staff and all the ReliaMax employees for a great and successful campaign!

YWCA Sioux Falls
Volunteers Stacy Stahl, Amanda Scheuler, and Mary Galis planned a paradise-themed campaign.	Inspiration for the campaign theme came from a United Way short story wrote by Tom Roberts, "Their elevated outlook becomes contagious and spreads across the land creating a paradise."	All employees had the opportunity to attend four different rallies, held at both YWCA locations.
The paradise campaign included a luau with Hawaiian snacks, hula hoop contest, grass skirts, leis, and more.	A focus on participation, and how every dollar helps pushed their campaign to $8,500, including 12 Heart Club members!

Government Division
Government Division Chair Galynn Huber and committee members Jane Hannestad, Kelby Mieras, Scott Anderson, Kari Benz, and Greg Johnson put together the Government Division's annual cook-off.	City, County, and State employees entered their favorite appetizer, soup or dessert into the competition.	All area government employees were invited to attend the event and taste all they wanted for only $5.
Partner agency information booths completed the event, which was a great way for government employees to start their campaigns.	Each government division went on to run their own separate rallies after coming together for their kickoff. The government division came together in their giving too - achieving a 4% increase in their combined giving totals!

CorTrust Bank
ECMs Darwin Van Den Oever and Chris Bauer planned a campaign that included all bank employees. By visiting each bank location for a rally, all CorTrust employees learned about United Way.	In addition to the rallies, employees had the chance to dunk their coworkers. Todd Hopkins, Dave Kelly, and Ken Fisher volunteered for a dunk tank fundraiser.	Employees also participated in jeans day, candy bar sales, a chili feed and a baked potato bar.
All of the rallies and special events paid off with an 8% increase, which was matched corporately. 100% participation was also achieved for the 5th year in a row!

Mitel DataNet
ECMs Jerry Foy and John Ray focused on communicating the importance of United Way to their employees during their campaign. Along with holding employee rallies, they made sure to personally meet with each employee to talk about United Way. The passion of the local employees and volunteers paid off. Their corporate office recognized Mitel's passion for United Way and contributed a first-time corporate gift. VP/GM Paul Blide presented the first-time corporate gift to SEUW's Cindy Elfifrits.

First PREMIER/PREMIER Bankcard
CEOs Dana Dykhouse and Miles Beacom announce the results of this year's United Way Campaign.	First PREMIER played on the "No Place Like Home Theme," announcing their results complete with a Dorothy, Cowardly Lion, Tin Man, Scarescrow, and Good Witch!	ECM Stephanie Jarvoski and HCC Dick Birath, together with their committee, planned a variety of activities and rallies to build on their corporate match incentive. Heart Club members and prospective members started their campaign by receiving a heart pounding invitation to a Heart Club reception. Employees also had plenty of opportunities to attend United Way rallies, played a company-wide game of Bingo, and more. All of the fun added up to a 14% increase in employee giving!

Daktronics
It's the perfect time of year for a chili cookoff! And that's just what the great committee of volunteers for Daktronics planned for the beginning of their United Way campaign.	Several employees took up the challenge, striving to be crowned Chili Champion. The winner, James, won a prize package of tickets to a USF football game.	The tasty results were enjoyed by all employees for $1/bowl. Along with the cookoff, employees had the opportunity to try their luck at a raffle for prizes that included sports tickets and coffee packages.
A variety of incentives were also offered at $50, $125 and $250 giving levels. Employees who chose to support SEUW were entered to win tickets to a variety of sporting events, as well as other prizes.

Minnehaha County Human Services
ECM Anny Libengood put the spotlight on heroism by planning a murder mystery United Way campaign. Employees participated in "The Assasination at the Annual Superhero Convention" by assuming heroic costumes and mannerisms. Characters like Jester, Gothicon, Shiver and Vampo Man had to solve the mystery of the murder of Nerdon.	And while the theme of the campaign was mystery - the results were heroic. The employees of Human Services achieved 100% participation and a more than 10% increase in giving.

LodgeNet Interacive Corporation
ECM Jim Marks, HCC Toni Stansbury, and an enthusiastic planned a Generations United campaign.	Employees participated in a week of activities that were based on different decades. Employees were encouraged to dress up throughout the week, with the outfits matching the decade for the day.	Activities throughout the week included a Wii bowling tournament, a chance to play on video arcade systems, various craft activities, a bake sale and more.
The week ended with a thank you luncheon with entertainment provided by a LodgeNet employee band.

The First National Bank in Sioux Falls
Bank employees learned "There's No Place Like Home" with a campaign that focused on the issue of homelessness in Sioux Falls with a Wizard of Oz twist. Branches and departments each constructed and decorated doll-size homes and held a penny-war throughout the week to select the winning home.	All bank employees also had the opportunity to attend number rallies to learn more about United Way and partner programs. Individuals who chose to increase their pledge over last year's by $1, $2, or $3 per pay period were entered into drawings for paid time off and cash gift cards.	ECM Brian Gilbert reports the bank has alreach achieved more than 90% participation, with more time remaining before the end of their campaign.

The Center for Active Generations
ECMs Tom Hoy and Molly Keegan rounded up their coworkers for a morning and afternoon rally to provide everyone the opportunity to learn about SEUW.	The western themed-rallies included free grub and cowboy hats for everyone. Employees also had the opportunity to qualify for a variety of incentives, including time off for #1 Club Members and drawings for various gift cards to be held from all givers.	Rally goers dusted off their chaps and learned about SEUW's impact in the area as well as a message of support from director, Gerald Beninga.
A final message of support was heard from a community member who was referred to The Center for Active Generations by SEUW to assist in the care of an elderly loved one. She noted her own personal longtime support of SEUW before speaking of her own personal experience of now utilitizing a service provided by CFAG.

The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society's National Campus
Employees were encouraged to "Race to Raise" during a variety of activities at the organization's national campus.	ECMs Melissa O'Hara and Suzanne Berge planned many race-themed activities.	Here, employees cheer on their ducks during the rubber duck race.
With a goal of $75,000, 80% participation and 65 Heart Club members, employees got into the race theme quickly.	Staff also participated in an Amazing Race obstacle course, paper air plane tournament and bean bag tournament, along with more activities.	Incentives offered were a variety of prize drawings for anyone who participated in the campaign. Anyone who became a Heart Club member was a part of additional drawings and also received a $5 Jerstad Bucks thank you.

CAPITAL Card Services
CAPITAL Card Services employees held a week-long United Way campaign. The week kicked off with employees receiving free Live United shirts on Monday morning. Other activities included an agency fair, several opportunities to attend rallies and have a free meal, and more.	Employees unwound during the week with a friendly competition on a Wii. At the end of the week, a drawing was held from all SEUW givers for the Wii system.	Other incentives included: $50 gift cards given to employees who increased their pledge by $1/week or for new givers at $1/week, a day off and hooded sweatshirt for anyone giving at least one hour pay/month, and two days off plus Heart Club logowear for any new or continuing Heart Club members.

Wells Fargo Recon & Control
ECM Margaret Werdel, together with Amy Bosma and Dana Roth planned an energetic morning breakfast rally for the employees of Wells Fargo Recon & Control.	Staff got their morning exercise with a quick game of Stand Up Sit Down. The game quickly illustrated just how many of their coworkers had been touched by a SEUW partner program. Rally goers heard from Angela Hyde about the new Genesis program before viewing this year's video, as well as a video message of support for United Way from corporate President & CEO of Wells Fargo, John Stumpf.	In celebration of the SEUW campaign employees were excited to learn that about a whole month of casual days. Employees also had the opportunity to be entered into a drawing for a portable DVD player and iPod by entering their pledge online by the end of the month.

CNA Surety
CNA Surety volunteers Todd Seargant, Jennifer Hill and Dustin Ebbesen planned a Hawaiian-themed campaign to have fun in reaching a goal of more than $65,000.	Staff had the opportunity to learn about United Way at one of 12 employee rallies that were held over two days.	At the rallies, employees heard from CEO Paul Bruflat, about his support of United Way.
During the campaign week, employees also participated in a salsa/dip cook-off, were treated to bagel and popcorn sales, and had a limbo contest.	The week ended with a raffle of themed-gift baskets that were put together by employees and departments. All of the luau-fun helped CNA surpass their goal!

Holmes Murphy & Associates
The local office of nationwide corporation, Holmes Murphy & Associates participated in an all-staff rally. Employees heard from Angela Hyde of Community Outreach about Genesis, United Way's newest program.	A sweet treat of heart-shaped cookies was provided at the rally. ECM Sean Mayer also shared that the local office hoped to continue their streak of 100% participation.

Wells Fargo Financial Cards
ECMs Lisa Geiver and Gaylen Hansen kicked off their campaign with a pancake breakfast for all Wells Fargo Financial Cards staff.	The theme of "One Team, Many Hearts" was used through a week that included many activities. Along with the pancakes, team members heard from agency speakers, had a book sale, and participated in department rallies.	Heart Club Coordinator Dave Hughes also personalized messages to current and prospective Heart Club members, reminding them the impact of a Heart Club pledge.
All of the fun will go a long way in ensuring Wells Fargo Financial Cards makes their $180,000 goal!

Sioux Empire United Way Internal Rally
Sioux Empire United Way staff held their own internal rally in late August. ECMs Christina Heckenlaible and Kerri DeGraff encouraged staff to "Keep it Real" with reality tv themed activities.	Staff competed for the final rose by listing as many agencies and programs as possible by various impact teams.	Staff had to prove their stuff in the board room or be "fired" by listing as many community resources as possible.
In a spin on "Here Comes the Newlweds," staff used their knowledge of one another to advance in a game of trivia that included questions about favorite foods, first jobs and more.	Before the tribe could speak, staff had to put their survival skills to the test.	All of the fun and games ended with "The Big Give." Scott Lawrence, this year's campaign chair, spoke to the staff about the importance of this year's campaign and the needs of the Sioux Empire. Staff "Kept it Real," raising more than $10,000 and increasing their per capita giving from $905 to $956!

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