The 2021 fundraising campaign of the Bartlesville Regional United Way is now in full swing.

The campaign, which will span through the end of the year, officially kicked off on Sept. 10 at Bartlesville
High School’s Custer Stadium during the Bruins’ varsity football home opener. It has continued through
the annual Golf Scramble at Adams Municipal Golf Course, into the Day of Caring and has now
blossomed into numerous individual fundraising activities held by a wide array of area businesses and
organizations.

The goal of the United Way’s annual fundraising campaign is to generate enough money to fund the
programs of its 14 non-profit member agencies while meeting its stated mission to “lead the fight to
improve the health, education and financial stability of every person in our community.”

Among the United Way’s non-profit member agencies are organizations such as Agape Mission, Mary
Martha Outreach, the Salvation Army, the American Red Cross, the YMCA and the Boys & Girls Club,
just to name a few. The United Way is a non-profit itself.

“We are proud to represent this community and to serve within it,” says Lisa Cary, the CEO and president
of the Bartlesville Regional United Way. “As a non-profit, we couldn’t operate without the generosity of our
community. But they lift us up, and in turn, we do everything we can to assist those who need a helping
hand.”

One of the ways in which the Bartlesville Regional United Way assists the community is through its Day of
Caring projects. The projects are focused on assisting non-profit organizations in the area – including
schools – with needs they might have, such as landscaping, painting, general clean-up, etc. In advance of
the Day of Caring – it was officially recognized on Sept. 29 this year – the Bartlesville Regional United
Way reaches out to area non-profits and asks them to let them know of projects for which they are
seeking volunteer assistance. Then, the projects are passed along to volunteer groups who can then pick
out the ones on which they’d like to assist.

This year, almost 1100 volunteers assisted area non-profits for Day of Caring projects.

“The Day of Caring is always a great event,” says Cary. “And, here’s the thing about it: It extends beyond
just one day. You’ll see Day of Caring projects being worked on throughout the span of a given
fundraising campaign. It’s remarkable the sense of pride that the volunteers take in being able to assist
the great non-profit organizations in our area. In turn, the non-profits are able to save a lot of money by
being able to turn to volunteers for some of the needs that they have. The Day of Caring is always a ‘win-win’ proposition for everyone involved.”

On the morning of Sept. 29, Cary and her team at the Bartlesville Regional United Way (community
impact, resource development and fundraising manager Joni Hall; office manager Lorrie Perkins; and
board members) gathered with volunteers in the Unity Square downtown greenspace to help open this
year’s Day of Caring. Prior to inviting volunteers to head out to area nonprofits to work on projects for
which they had signed up, Cary offered a few words.

“I just let them know that the heart of a volunteer is not measured in size,” recalls Cary, “but by the depth
of commitment to make a difference in the lives of offers. Ultimately, volunteering matters because it
changes lives for the better.”

Despite the challenges which have presented themselves in recent years, volunteerism and giving has
been strong so far during the Bartlesville Regional United Way’s 2021 fundraising campaign. An integral
part of every campaign is the annual United Way Golf Scramble. This year’s event, which took place in
September, raised more than $800,000 toward the campaign.

With the fundraising campaign now in full swing, those who would like to learn more about the Bartlesville
Regional United Way – and perhaps make a donation – are invited to visit it’s dedicated website. The
website features a wealth of information including statistics about the positive impact which the United
Way makes in our community.

“I’m proud to be part of the United Way, and I’m proud that we can help assist those in need throughout
areas in which we operate,” says Cary. “I’m proud of our volunteers, our supporters and just the fact that
together, we Live United.”