London-Middlesex United Way says thanks at Hoopla half-time show

The United Way of London and Middlesex said a special thank you Monday night to all of its supporters and volunteers.

The organization held its Hoopla event at the London Lightning game, hosting hundreds of donors and clients for an evening of fun to celebrate the 2016 fundraising campaign.

“What better way, at a London Lightning game, where we have a built-in audience of thousands of cheering fans, and we’re able to invite not only our donors and supporters but a number of our agencies whose clients wouldn’t necessarily be able to attend a Lightning game,” said United Way of London and Middlesex CEO Kelly Ziegner.

During half-time, representatives from the United Way thanked the community on behalf of the 85,000 people who benefit from United Way-funded programs through the year.

The organization raised more than $9 million in what officials called a tough year.

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“We want to ensure that whether you’re going through tough times, whether you’re a family that may be facing job loss, that there are resources and tools that you need to be resilient and to be able to thrive and participate in our community to the best of your ability,” said Ziegner.

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During the half-time show, campaign chair Dr. Karima Velji, vice-chair Evelyn Daley and Ziegner were joined by Sara, a 12-year-old cancer survivor, and Chi-Lan, her tutor from the Learning Disabilities Association (LDA) of London. The LDA is funded by the United Way.

Sara survived brain cancer after being diagnosed as a toddler. Aggressive treatment for the disease affected her ability to process and analyze information. Over the last five years, Sara has received support from LDA programs and one-on-one tutoring, helping her thrive among her peers.

“Stories like Sara’s are the reason I chose to volunteer my time and lead the United Way Campaign,” explained Velji in a news release.

“I am so incredibly proud of our community for rallying together to raise more than $9 million which will ensure we can continue to invest in programs proven to change lives and get results for our community.”