Brandon and District United Way Names New 2016 Campaign Chair

Brandon (May 18, 2016) Lois Henderson has been named the Brandon and District United Way's 2016 Campaign Chair. Lois believes strongly in the premise of the United Way and over the last two years has contributed her time and effort to help raise the funds required to provide resources, hope and education, in addition to the necessities of life, to a wide range of citizens in our community. Lois was born in Saskatoon, Sk and as a child of the prairies she spent her formative years if Rivers, Portage la Prairie and Winnipeg.

Newly announced Campaign Chair for the Brandon & District United Way's 2016 campaign, Lois Henderson. (Photo submitted)

Most of her career has been in the resource industry, including working with oil and gas, mineral exploration, mining and underground construction companies. She attended the University of Western Ontario and is a CGA CPA, a Distinguished Toastmaster and an avid curler. In 2010, representing Northern Ontario, her team won the bronze medal at the Canadian Senior Women's Curling Championship. Lois is also an author, and was recently awarded the Sheldon Oberman Mentorship through the Manitoba Writer's Guild. In her four years in Brandon she has contributed to the social welfare fabric of our community through her work with various organizations. These include the Women's Resource Centre, the YWCA and the United Way.

Pictured Left to right: Lois Henderson (Chair of the Brandon& District United Way's 2016 campaign), Terry Carlisle (Chair of the United Way Board of Directors) and Cynamon Mychasiw (Chief Executive Officer of the United Way of Brandon & District). (Photo Submitted)

While serving on the local board of the United Way for the past two years Lois mentioned through her observations what was paramount to her, "the first thing I observed was the impact of the United Way funding in Brandon and surrounding area. The money that is raised by the United Way Brandon & District stays in our communities, and is leveraged by the work of volunteers and the staff of those organizations providing greatly needed services and assistance." During her Campaign Chair announcement Henderson emphasized the fact that the United Way in this area, "is not a faceless organization. It is people like Cynamon (Mychasiw, Chief Executive Officer of the United Way Brandon & District) and Janis (Evens, United Way Brandon & District Director of Operations) and Tyler (Horan, Campaign Director), working to raise money from our community, to be used in our community, to impact our own people, those who are going through a rough patch or in need of special resources." Henderson also stressed the importance of spreading awareness that the dollars raised here are used here, "the funds raised from the campaign stay here in Brandon and District, they go to people you know or someone you walk by on the street. These dollars provide a safety net in our towns, to people in their times of crisis or need."  Chief Executive Officer of the Brandon & District United Way Cynamon Mychasiw was thrilled about the announcement and commented, "Lois's dedication, vision and leadership will drive this year's campaign to new heights!" Henderson wrapped up her speech by saying, "the final third of 2016 will be the focus of the United Way Campaign and it is during this time that those who volunteer their time to raising these much needed dollars will be calling on you. When they do, and they will, please consider the impact you can have in making your community a stronger and better place for us to live and work."       

United Way of Brandon & District is a leader in mobilizing people to give, advocate and volunteer to advance education, income and health in our community. For more info, to donate or offer your volunteerism call 204-571-8929 or visit their office at 201 – 1011 Rosser Avenue in Brandon.

What does the United Way do? The United Way offers you dozens of opportunities to improve your community. Your donation, however big or small, becomes something that will make a difference in someone’s life. Imagine having a chance to offer help to someone in 25 different ways. The United Way of Brandon & District partners with 25 Agencies throughout our community which run 31 different programs to help those people in need. Their Tools for School & Coats for Kids programs are just two of the many opportunities to make a difference. You can also make your donation to the program of your choice be it: The CNIB, The Women's Resource Centre, MS Society, Food For Thought, Family Visions, Helping Hands, YMCA, YWCA or the myriad of other worthwhile programs and services the United Way allocates funds to.

Your donation to United Way of Brandon & District is making a difference and creating an opportunity. You are creating change for someone’s life without even realizing it. More so, the Brandon and District United Way guarantee that your donation is being put right back to work in our community to ensure these opportunities can continue to provide food and shelter, offer a safe place for kids to play after school and even to help the visually impaired, to name a just a few. Who knew, one donation could do so much!