Cindy Schaefer enjoying her prize: a trip to Disney World!
November 6, 2017
Written by Katie Kuhn, United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County
Each year, donors who give a new or increased gift of $25, $50, or $75 to the Community Fund are entered to win some seriously awesome prizes in the Give & Win Sweepstakes: a brand-new Harley-Davidson Motorcycle, a trip to Disney World, a Ultimate Bucks Fan Experience…even a new car!
You can see United Way’s prize patrol surprise the winners at work each year, but what happens after the camera stops rolling? We spoke with two winners of the 2016 Sweepstakes to see how making even a small gift to United Way changed their life.
Cindy Schaefer, Marcus Center for the Performing Arts
Won the Disney World Vacation in 2016, sponsored by Justin & Lauren Barber, Marcus Theaters, and Harley-Davidson Motor Company
How did it feel to win the sweepstakes?
I was very excited and honored. I’ve never won anything like that before! I never looked at the sweepstakes…I gave to give.
Why do you give to United Way?
United Way is a wonderful organization with many different ways to support specific agencies. I give to motivate others.
What would you say to others who are thinking about giving to United Way?
Giving to United Way is a good way to give back to the community because the funds stay local. United Way giving is so easy with payroll deduction. It’s a good feeling knowing you can help someone in need. Since I won I have encouraged others to give or increase their pledge.
Greg Szeflinski, Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Won a new 2016 Chevy Malibu, sponsored by Adient
What did you do with your prize?
My wife and I both had cars that were in great shape, so we weren’t looking to upgrade. The Malibu was nice (it even had that wonderful new car smell!), but it wasn’t something we felt we should keep. It just so happened that my wife’s mom had an aging Buick, and did not have the means buy a new car. It was a perfect match for us to transfer the new car to her. The Malibu has all the modern driver aids that will help my mother-in-law stay safe behind the wheel, and keep her driving longer. She sold her old Buick, and used the proceeds to help us with the taxes on the prize. It was a win for all of us.
How did it feel to win the sweepstakes?
It was amazing-and overwhelming! I’d never won something like this before. As exciting as it was, it was also great to come to the wrap-up event. It was energizing to see and hear all of the people who volunteered their time and talents on last year’s campaign to help the United Way in helping our community.
I have to give credit to my boss, who was in on the secret that the prize patrol was going to visit that day. He’d set up a meeting for our team in a conference room near our building’s front door. He was deliberately vague about the purpose of this meeting, and we didn’t suspect anything. When the prize patrol got delayed getting into the office, my boss had to improvise something for the meeting while we waited. A few minutes in with no real agenda, my boss asked if we could “go around the room and talk about your favorite Christmas movie”. What are we doing in this meeting?!? Then 20 people from the prize patrol burst into the room, with balloons and noisemakers, and camera rolling. And you know the rest.
Why do you give to United Way?
There are so many areas of need in our community, people that need helping hand. I like the fact that giving to the United Way allows my contribution to benefit so many groups that would not be able to raise the funds on their own, or if they did it would take resources away from their true mission.
The deadline to enter the Give & Win Sweepstakes is this Friday, November 10! Give your gift to United Way’s Community Fund today.