United Way of Northeast Louisiana helds it's Celebrating Excellence Awards Ceremony yesterday. The announcement of the amount raised during the 2011 campaign is a reflection of the generosity of individuals, companies and employees in our community. 

 The dollars raised are also a reflection of the investment in the people of our community. Your investment makes a difference every day.Seniors received hot meals. Children received after school tutoring and mentoring as well as  many other services offered by our 24 outstanding partner agencies.High school students in our region are learning basic money management at the Dollars and Sense Reality Fairs. Follow up financial education classes are being provided by area universities: ULM, Tech and Grambling.

This campaign started by focusing on 2^nd grade students improving their reading. Stay tuned for more to come as United Way focuses on education.  
 
The 2011 Campaign saw some exciting increases:Employee giving in the workplace was up.We had an increase in the number of campaigns run.Generous giving through the Tocqueville, Steamboat and Bayou Societies continued. Total dollars raised in these Leadership Societies saw an increase. The giving in the Lincoln-Union Campaign also increased significantly this year.

Last year we raised $3,215,000. We set an aggressive goal this year of $3,400,000. I  am VERY excited to announce to you that this year, we have raised $3,526,000 -- a 9.6% increase over last year! 

At the heart of each workplace campaign is the United Way Employee Campaign Manager. We are very pleased to present the Outstanding Employee Campaign Manager Award to two people who co-chaired their company compaign.  They worked diligently to overcome barriers to meet their employee campaign and participation goals. The winners of the Outstanding Employee Campaign Manger Award were Laurie King and Larry Ferris of Berry Plastics. 

Laurie & Larry have a remarkable story of how they inspired growth in both employee and corporate giving at Berry Plastics. In order to receive either a Special Achievement or Circle of Honor Award, requires a corporate gift which was not a policy of their corporation. So last year, the employees held a bake sale and the proceeds were given as the corporate gift, enabling them to receive a Special Achievement Award. But, Laurie and Larry did not stop with just that.  Each year they requested a corporate gift.  Again, as part of the 2011 campaign they asked.  This year the response was different. The company had decided to make a contribution to United Way.  Laurie and Larry were thrilled as were their employees.  The company was rewarding them for their dedication to United Way and to their community. They were expecting a $500 contribution, so they were astonished when they opened the corporate check. ­­­­The company was inspired by their dedication and perseverance and what was enclosed? A check for $ 33,316.84, matching employee giving $1 for $1.  Their story had been heard about the wonderful things that they and United Way are doing in our community.

We’d also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Vic Warren, Plant Manager at Berry plastics, for graciously allowing Laurie & Larry to spend the time needed to work on their campaign.

Laurie & Larry you have inspired all of us.  Thank you for living united each and every day. 

You’ve seen the Live United shirts. You’ve seen the Live United billboard. You’ve even seen Live United during football halftime shows. Today we are so pleased to announce the first ever Live United Award. For United Way, Live United means Give. Advocate. and Volunteer. And the first ever recipient of this award truly exemplifies excellence in each of those areas. We are pleased to recognize The News-Star, a Gannett Company, as the first ever recipient of the United Way, Live United Award. 

Give. While experiencing corporate restructuring, the employees increased their personal giving resulting in an increase in the number of employees participating as well as an increase in the amount of the average employee gift. The corporate per-capita increased by 47% thanks to The News-Star and The Gannett Foundation’s generous corporate giving.

Advocate. The News-Star Editorial Board consistently supports the goals of United Way and it’s partner agencies in numerous editorials throughout the year. 

Volunteer. The News-Star and Delta Style co-sponsors and volunteers for almost every non-profit event held in our community. Staff members are active volunteers in everything from the Delta Community College Foundation to American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life.

We were very fortunate to have 17 new employee campaigns this year. New campaigns are critical to the success of the campaign! 

ConAgra Foods – Lamb Weston, Dewitt, French & Giger, LLP, Interstate Dodge, Interstate Hyundai, Marion State Bank, Robertson Produce, Van-Trow Toyota and Wells Fargo Advisors.

The new employee campaigns in Lincoln and Union Parish were Arbor Lake / Arbor Rose, D’Arbonne Woods Charter School, Farmerville Motors, Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Department, Peachtree Dental, Plum Creek Timber Company, Town of Farmerville, Union Parish Schools and Union Parish Sheriff’s Department

The Campaign Leaders Award recognizes the employee/corporate giving of the Top Ten companies raising the most dollars in the 2011 Campaign. Winners, please come forward as I call your name and we will present you with your award.  Also, please hold your applause until all winners have been announced.

10.    Ouachita Independent Bank - $64,756.19

9.        BERRY Plastics - $66,653.68

8.      P&S Surgical Hospital - $73.008.88

7.      Graphic Packaging International 

 Beverage Packaging Division & USW 654 and  

West Monroe Mill & USW 364     $80,503.63

6.      JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. $86,773.48

5.      ANGUS Chemical Company & USW 786 - $114,071.02

4.      Community Trust Bank - $117,048.01

3.      St. Francis Medical Center - $121,157.963

2.      Strauss Interests - $1133, 404

1.       CenturyLink - $543,126.15 (This is the first time that the combined employee and corporate giving has reached the half million dollar milestone)

The Special Achievement Award recognizes our gold level companies that are focusing on their corporate and employee giving and best practices. The Special Achievement Award winners were: AIMS, Inc., ATMOS Engery, AT&T, American Red Cross, Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Louisiana, Dean Morris, LLP, Foodbank of Northeast Louisiana, Hatch, Mott, MacDonald, ITW Monroe Packaging, Monroe Housing Authority, O.I.C. of Ouachita, Ouachita Parish Green Oaks Detention Center, Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Department, Ouachita Valley Federal Credit Union and Our House.

The Special Achievement Award in Lincoln and Union Parishes went to Acadian Wood Products and DART

The Circle of Honor Award recognizes our platinum level companies that support the purpose of United Way of Northeast Louisiana.  It is designed to recognize not only dollar contributions, but also the quality of the campaign, participation, and employee support specific to United Way.

The Circle of Honor Awards went to:

Affiliated Mortgage Corporation, Allen, Green & Williamson, ANGUS Chemical Company /USW Local 786, Argent Financial Group, Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management, Associated Business Printing, BancorpSouth Bank, BERRY Plastics Corporation, Capital One Bank, Centric Federal Credit, Union, CenturyLink, Community Financial Insurance Center, LLC, Community Trust Bank, Creed & Creed, Cross Keys Bank, Entergy – Sterlington, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, EPCO Carbon Dioxide Products, Financial Institution Service Corporation, First National Bank, Holyfield Construction, Hulsey, Harwood & Sheridan, LLC, iBERIABANK, InterMountain Management, LLC, Jim Taylor Chevrolet, Lazenby & Associates, Luffey, Huffman, Ragsdale & Soignier, Merrill Lynch, Monroe Chamber of Commerce, NAI Faulk & Foster, North Delta Title, North Louisiana Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Clinic, Northeast Louisiana Cancer Institute, Ouachita Independent Bank, P&S Surgical Hospital, Progressive Bank, Radiology Associates, Reeves, Coon & Funderburg, Regions Bank, Robertson Produce, Richland State Bank, Ryan Auto Group, Scott Equipment Companies, Scott Powerline & Utility Equipment, LLC, Scott Truck, LLC & The Thomas H. and Mayme P. Scott Foundation, Inc., Southern Apparatus Service, Steel Fabricators of Monroe, LLC, Strauss Interests, Stuart C. Irby, TXI, The News – Star, A Gannett Company, Thomas & Farr Agency, Inc., UPS, United Way of Northeast Louisiana, Van-Trow Toyota and Voith Paper Fabric & Roll Systems, Inc.

The Circle of Honor Award winners in Lincoln and Union Parishes were Bank of Ruston, Don M. Barron Contractor, Inc., Jim Taylor Ford, LaSalle Management Company/M&T, Lincoln Builders and Union General Hospital.

The Cypress Award was created in 2003, and is a beautiful photograph taken by United Way friend and former mayor, Melvin Rambin. Since it’s inception, the Cypress Award has been given to these distinguished and dedicated companies and employees: CenturyTel, Hibernia Bank (now Capital One), P&S Surgical Hospital, Willstaff Worldwide, Ryan Auto Group, and Community Trust Bank, Ouachita Independent Bank and for the past year, ANGUS Chemical Company.

This years Cypress Award went to Argent Financial Group. This company is an outstanding supporter of United Way and the community. 81% of their employees gave with 96% of those dollars directed to supporting our community goals.60% of their employees are members of the leadership giving societies and the average employee gift is $416. All aspects of their giving increased with the corporate gift up 17% and the employee giving increased 12%. Employees are given United Way information on the company web site and United Way is included in new employee orientation. Employees of this company actively volunteer with United Way serving on the Board of Directors, Community Investment and as both booth volunteers and financial counselors at the Dollars and Sense Reality Fair. Their employees provide leadership on the boards of partner agencies and many community organizations in Ouachita and Lincoln Parish.