December 30, 2015
by: Renee Canfield
Top Three Moments in 2015
This past year has rushed by in a blur. Wasn’t it just January a month ago? Yet so much has happened in terms of fundraising and development at UCP of Greater Cleveland, that I know it must indeed be December. We increased our participant numbers for the Race to Empower 5k in May, had a beautiful day for golf at our Tee Up for UCP in June, held another inspiring Team UCP at the Cleveland Triathlon in July and on top of it all, hosted our first gala in many years in October! The in-between moments were spent hosting volunteer groups, expanding our social media reach, strategic planning with our Board of Directors, identifying new names and logos for our departments, writing grants and reaching out to donors who support our annual fund and program initiatives.
The highlights for me were many, but you might ask, what were my top three? Certainly the gala, Puttin’ on the Ritz, was a very special moment this year. Emily Hastings, our Special Events Coordinator, and I put our heart and souls into the event—down to every last 1920s inspired detail, and it went exquisitely. The event was highly successful, fun, energetic for guests and brought in over $175,000 in support for our programs at UCP of Greater Cleveland. The final moments of choosing our new department names and logos was certainly another landmark event. I will admit, it was a complicated process. But now that we have the new names, I know they are perfect for helping our agency clarify for the public and our stakeholders who we serve and how we impact their lives. I can’t share them yet—we are launching in 2016, but I promise, you are going to love them!
And the last of the top three moments in 2015? It is hard to choose, I admit. So maybe it is all those small moments combined that happened in-between the big ones. The volunteers who work hard on special projects, the donors who supported our agency, the board members who offered guidance, my staff that worked incredibly hard and the clients who inspired me every day. Each and every one of you is amazing and makes my job so incredibly joyful. Thank you!
Thank you for making 2015 such a great year and for giving your time, talent, support and inspiration to make UCP of Greater Cleveland a wonderful place to work, to receive services and to be connected. 2016 promises to be another whirlwind and we have a lot to look forward to and plan. In addition to all of our normal events, donor stewardship and fundraising we will also be launching new brands for our two major departments, making our website mobile compatible and building a major gifts and planned giving program. It sounds like a great deal, and yes, we will be busy! But I know with all of your support, UCP of Greater Cleveland will continue to empower greater independence, productivity and connection to community for all of us. Wishing you the best in 2016,
Tammy
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