Nearly 100 people attended the 2015 Fabulous Flapjack Fundraiser in October that the South County Community Services (SCCS) organized to raise money for United Way. Guest pancake turners included Larry Forsyth and Charlie Glaes, working the stove to feed all the folks who came through the door. The breakfast folks were generous with their donations; $5,006.30 was donated or pledged.
The goal is $40,000, the same as 2014, with a new twist according to Laura Howard, the United Way chairperson. Chris Tracy, the chairperson of the Gull Lake United Way has challenged Vicksburg to see which community organization can top its last year’s goal with the highest percentage increase. If Vicksburg wins, an extra $1,000 will go toward a program initiated at Indian Lake School by art teacher Jake Biernacki. He leads an intensive course for all grades in science, technology, engineering, art, and math–STEAM–which still needs plenty of equipment for the children’s enrichment in this new model.
If Gull Lake wins, Tracy said that its $1,000 would be determined by the members of his United Way committee and other leaders in the community. “I’ve called my list of donors and asked if they were aware of this challenge. It’s a little extra incentive that helps both communities, no matter who wins the extra cash,” Tracy said.
In response, Howard and her committee are leaving no stone unturned in this race to the finish by the end of December, when the numbers will be calculated.