By Colin Peterson
Let me tell you about a man I know who exemplifies what it means to LIVE UNITED. In order to respect his privacy I am going to refer to him as Steven.
Steven is a prominent business leader in our community. I had the opportunity to work with him last summer at the start of the 2008 United Way campaign. Steven is a loyal contributor to United Way and has been giving for over 25 years. On this most recent campaign he graciously agreed to volunteer for us by completing what we call “CEO calls” – where we meet with business leaders to solicit their support and gain their endorsement to conduct an employee fundraising campaign at their companies. Steven took the lead in arranging meetings with these business owners and built a case for why these businesses should conduct a campaign. I tagged along on the calls to provide technical support, answer questions and conduct the follow-up on campaign planning.
One day when Steven and I were headed out to make a call, I hopped in the passenger side of his mini-van and noticed a couple of infant car seats strapped in the back. I made the observation that Steven must have been hauling around grandkids over the weekend. Steven surprised me when he said the car seats were not for his grandkids; rather they were for his foster kids. It turns out that Steven and his wife have been working as foster parents for infants for the past 22 years. In that time he told me they have provided shelter and security to nearly 60 infants in need.
At that time last summer, I was a relatively new dad. My son was a little more than a year old so he was just past the infant stage and beginning to toddle around. I remember thinking how badly I needed a break from the stress and lack of sleep that comes with caring for an infant – and here Steven is telling me he has been perpetually caring for infants almost as long as I’ve been alive.
When we talk about what it means to LIVE UNITED, we talk about giving, advocating and volunteering. I knew Steven was a giver (check) and I knew he was a volunteer (check) but I was impressed most of all to learn he was an advocate too – by sharing love and providing security to foster infants in central Iowa.
Steven’s story inspires me. Thankfully, there are more stories like his. I’d love to hear yours. You can reach me at cpeterson@unitedwaydm.org or 515-246-6500.
Let me tell you about a man I know who exemplifies what it means to LIVE UNITED. In order to respect his privacy I am going to refer to him as Steven.
Steven is a prominent business leader in our community. I had the opportunity to work with him last summer at the start of the 2008 United Way campaign. Steven is a loyal contributor to United Way and has been giving for over 25 years. On this most recent campaign he graciously agreed to volunteer for us by completing what we call “CEO calls” – where we meet with business leaders to solicit their support and gain their endorsement to conduct an employee fundraising campaign at their companies. Steven took the lead in arranging meetings with these business owners and built a case for why these businesses should conduct a campaign. I tagged along on the calls to provide technical support, answer questions and conduct the follow-up on campaign planning.
One day when Steven and I were headed out to make a call, I hopped in the passenger side of his mini-van and noticed a couple of infant car seats strapped in the back. I made the observation that Steven must have been hauling around grandkids over the weekend. Steven surprised me when he said the car seats were not for his grandkids; rather they were for his foster kids. It turns out that Steven and his wife have been working as foster parents for infants for the past 22 years. In that time he told me they have provided shelter and security to nearly 60 infants in need.
At that time last summer, I was a relatively new dad. My son was a little more than a year old so he was just past the infant stage and beginning to toddle around. I remember thinking how badly I needed a break from the stress and lack of sleep that comes with caring for an infant – and here Steven is telling me he has been perpetually caring for infants almost as long as I’ve been alive.
When we talk about what it means to LIVE UNITED, we talk about giving, advocating and volunteering. I knew Steven was a giver (check) and I knew he was a volunteer (check) but I was impressed most of all to learn he was an advocate too – by sharing love and providing security to foster infants in central Iowa.
Steven’s story inspires me. Thankfully, there are more stories like his. I’d love to hear yours. You can reach me at cpeterson@unitedwaydm.org or 515-246-6500.
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