PUD Employees Raise $20,406 for United Way

December 9, 2011 – Columbia River PUD employees have topped $20,000 in donations to United Way of Columbia County for the third year in a row. During the PUD’s recent campaign, employees donated $20,406. It’s the largest campaign total in the history of the PUD.

“We are so thankful for the many champions we have at Columbia River PUD,” said Kathye Beck, Executive Director of United Way of Columbia County. “We could not continue to do the work we do without their consistently enthusiastic and dedicated support.”

PUD employees Brooke Gardner, Sherry Welter and Libby Calnon coordinated the campaign, which was bolstered by a white elephant silent auction and a lunch-hour chili cook-off among employees. Operations Supervisor Mark Larson won the cook-off with his “Afterburner Chili” and plans to defend the title in next year’s competition.

The PUD’s annual United Way campaign is one of the biggest and best in the county. The average gift per employee was $392, and 16 of the PUD’s 52 employees earned United Way’s Forest Leadership Giving recognition with a contribution of $500 or more. 94% of the PUD’s employees contributed during the campaign.

Beck said that county-wide, contributions are on pace to match or slightly beat last year’s totals. United Way hopes to raise $302,012 in this year’s campaign.