NEW FACES UWWC Executive Director Andy Brigle introduced the 2023 Campaign Chairs Tom and Cindy Reed
By: Amy Wendt
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
On Saturday, September 9 United Way of Williams County (UWWC) launched its 2023 season at the Edon Community Center with a fun, casual event.
Parrish Farms provided the meat for a hog roast dinner. Following the meal, guests were treated to live music by the high-energy band 56 Daze who was voted the #1 cover band in Toledo.
While many past season launches have traditionally taken place in Bryan, which houses UWWC’s headquarters, the United Way is committed to serving all communities in Williams County.
Moving this year’s kickoff to Edon was an effort to engage a smaller community in the initiative.
The United Way supports many programs that focus on education, financial stability, and health-related programs.
Katie Shaffer, Executive Director of Sarah’s Friends was on hand at the event to give a brief overview of the Rapid Re-housing Assistance program and how funds from the United Way provide much-needed aid to victims of abuse during their time of need.
During the evening, guests were also formally introduced to Tom and Cindy Reed as Campaign Chairs for the 2023 season.
Tom is retired from Wells Fargo in Defiance and Cindy is the President of the Ohio Gas Company. United Way donors for many years, the Reeds were excited to be chosen as the faces of this year’s campaign.
“We want people to see that we are excited about the Williams County United Way and what they do – and try to get people to relate to that,” Tom offered.
The UWWC has a series of upcoming events scheduled in some of the smaller communities across Williams County.
The outreach aims to engage everyone and to underscore that the United Way is dedicated to serving all Willaims County communities.
Cindy noted, “We plan on attending as many of these events as we possibly can.”
Having been long-standing donors, the Reeds are well-acquainted with the positive impact that the United Way brings to Williams County.
“I think some people view it as a large faceless organization, when in fact, I think it is an organization that gets into the nitty gritty and the needs of the individuals within the county…they get involved in those things much more than many people realize.”
“From the point of view of the needs of the individuals within the county, don’t think there is a better organization that can relate to those and find ways to support,” Tom shared.
“They just touch a lot of lives in such a positive way,” agreed Cindy. “I think last year United Way helped over 56% of the population in Williams County.”
“So, when you stop and think about that and you look at all of the people you know in your life, it’s very likely that in some way United Way has reached many of the people in that circle…and you may not even know it,” added Tom.
The kickoff brought another “new” face to this year’s event, UWWC’s Executive Director Andy Brigle, who took over the helm in May of this year after serving for 30 years as Program and Sports Director at WBNO/WQCT radio.
While in the past, he has sat on the United Way’s board for one term, he shared that he still has a lot to learn about his new position.
“It is going incredibly well,” Brigle says of his first few months leading the non-profit. “I’m loving every single day of being here and it’s even better than I imagined.”
“The response – whether it is from the community, the agencies, or businesses has been tremendous.”
While everything is going smoothly for Brigle thus far, he admits that he doesn’t feel as though he has mastered his new position just yet.
“I’m guessing that the first year is going to be pretty wild because I’m going through everything for the first time…Everything is still new.”
“Once I get through everything the first time, I think that’s when I can say – and even then, I’ll still have questions,” Brigle noted.
“Lori Smith was the interim director, and she did an amazing job. Our office manager, Amy Kirby, has been terrific. Between the two of them and a very supportive Board have made that transition a lot smoother.”
The United Way collaborates with businesses, government entities, schools, faith organizations, media outlets, individual community members, and non-profit groups to promote the well-being of all by prioritizing essential aspects of a fulfilling life: Health, Education, Financial Stability, and Basic Needs.
The generosity of donors allows them to offer grants for programs and joint initiatives that benefit all residents of Williams County.
To get more information about donor and volunteer opportunities or to learn about more programs funded by the United Way, visit https://unitedwaywc.org/.
Amy can be reached at amy@thevillagereporter.com
