Q: How did you come to be involved with the United Way?
I’ve been involved with United Way since I started to work with SWEPCO in 1979. Either agency tours to speak at company meetings, or loaned executive, or sometimes just participating in the internal campaign. I don’t remember much before that I wasn’t!
Q: If you could tell someone who doesn’t know about the United Way one thing about our organization, what would it be?
We go to great lengths to make sure that your money is used wisely, with accountability, and with verifiable results. We don’t just put your money to programs we WANT to be successful, we put money on programs that ARE demonstrably successful.
While our hearts are involved in our agencies, good stewardship requires that our minds are engaged and involved.
Q: If you could change one thing in this community, what would it be?
Involvement. Parents in education, Public officials in listening to what the community is actually saying, the community in crime prevention, People helping meet other people’s needs. We’ve become a “selfie” society and we miss (or sometimes ignore) what’s happening all around us. Most people have good hearts, but we’ve allowed technology to replace engagement with others.