By Tony Lloyd, 2018 Board Chair
Looking back at 2018, having served as Chairman of the Board for the Lubbock Area United Way, and getting ready to chair the 2019 Campaign, I can’t help but reflect on the remarkable people who have come before me. People who have always put their community and others before their own needs. People like David Seim, Byrnie and Sharon Bass, Brad Moran, Craig Wells, David Alderson, Doug Hensley, John Elliott, Jon Stephens, Amber Dean, Judy Parker, Jay Eagan, Irasema Velasquez, and so many others. What a great example and tradition people have set for our awesome community.
Many leaders in our country and our community have stated that we must leave our communities better than we found them. I am a true believer in this concept and am so thankful for so many in our community who follow this principle. I also love this quote from an unknown author “Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about what kind of community you want to live in.”
Our United Way mission is simple but so perfect: GIVING ∙ PEOPLE ∙ HOPE, and through so many in our community, we accomplish our mission many times every day by touching thousands of lives through our 23 Community Partners. As I prepare for the 2019 campaign, I am visiting with each of these agencies and learning about their work. I am simply overwhelmed by the ways that they are all building hope for their clients, for their volunteers, and for their staff.
Many of you have heard Winston Churchill’s quote, “You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.” Thanks to ALL of you who have made life great in our community by what YOU give!
As we reflect back on 2018, THANK YOU so much for what you did to support our efforts. As we look forward to 2019, please continue to give of your many talents and treasures, and thank you in advance for continuing to make our community such a great place to be.