The Spirit of West Texas, Taking Care of our Own
By Keith Patrick, 2022 Loaned Executive Chair
One of Lubbock’s greatest strengths is the generosity of its people. Perhaps in a callback to the pioneering spirit of West Texas, time and again we see the citizens of Lubbock apply a bootstraps attitude to taking care of our own. In my opinion, that is never more evident than what we see Lubbock accomplish collectively in the United Way Annual Campaign.
What United Way does, particularly on the South Plains, is beautiful in how obvious it feels to those of us lucky enough to call this community home. Lubbock Area United Way appeals to the spirit of connectedness that defines our community in a way that feels common sense at its core. By giving to the Lubbock Area United Way, donors take part in an incredibly broad scope of impact, funding services of 23 Community Partners, as well as the community-altering work undertaken by the United Way itself.
In addition to the capacity for broad impact through fundraising, the Lubbock Area United Way also offers opportunities for broad impact through service. I was voluntold to serve as part of my duties at Frenship ISD but have found myself enjoying my time with this organization more than any other. The passion of the people who work to better our community and the ability to see first-hand the impact of our invested time is incredible and I’m honored to be a part of it.
As the Chair of the 2022 Loaned Executive program, I see dozens of new faces joining the ranks of the United Way, learning about the needs of our community, and passionately answering the call to make a difference in their own ways. In serving our community through organizations like Lubbock Area United Way and its partner agencies, we see the individual examples that make up that broad impact that is so appealing. We see the smiles on the faces of children enjoying safe and high-quality programs, families made whole again, and survivors of tragedy or violence supported back into healthy and stable lives.
The work undertaken on the South Plains to serve those in need or in crisis is incredible, and it’s undertaken by staff and volunteers working side by side. That is the spirit of West Texas, we take care of our own, and we pick up our neighbors by working to ensure that every one of us can pursue our dreams, whatever they may be.
Make your gift today.
I hope, as we open the 2022 Annual Campaign in the coming months, you will look beyond the dollars to see the amazing things that those pledges accomplish in our communities. Find your “why” for changing lives through gifts and service and you will find yourself fulfilled in effecting lasting change in the lives of our neighbors. Because the success of the campaign and the work of Lubbock Area United Way is not measured in dollars and cents, but in lives changed.