SEQUIM — The United Way of Clallam County kicks off its annual community campaign with a premier event at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 16, at Club 7 at the 7 Cedars Resort, 270756 U.S. Highway 101.
The annual Celebrate United starts with champagne, photo opportunities, mingling and crafted swag bags full of local goods, followed by a brunch meal catered by 7 Cedars and champagne cupcakes from That Takes the Cake.
Keynote speaker Nash Fung, a Seattle magician, inspirational speaker and community volunteer, will entertain during the meal. Fung will perform magic and storytelling to inspire attendees “to be more curious and chase your dreams,” event organizers said.
“This event is a chance for the community to dress up, have fun and connect for a common goal of making a real lasting impact in our community,” said Jaycie Wakefield, development director for United Way.
Tickets are $80 per person or $150 for two, and are available at unitedway clallam.org/celebrate- united.
The theme this year for United Way’s campaign is “Together We Can,” organizers said.
“With the cost of food, gas and shelter rising, many people in our community are struggling to keep up,” said Christy Smith, CEO of United Way of Clallam County.
“Without additional support, members of our community are becoming food insecure, unable to complete necessary travel or even at risk of losing their homes.
“It is our mission to stop that before it happens. Together we can build a stronger community and by donating or purchasing a ticket to our event, you can be a part of helping us make a difference.”
Each year, United Way of Clallam County seeks to identify the community’s most critical needs and raise funds to implement “collaborative, innovative solutions to improve the lives of people living in Clallam County,” organization representatives said.
Working with local nonprofits, partners and the others, United Way of Clallam County last year raised more than $1.4 million to put back into the community.
“Last year was a great example of how we came together to build success,” Wakefield said.
“We started our Community Impact Program which aims to provide funding to those who need it most,” she said. “Our Resilience Project continued to teach community members about best practices around trauma informed care, we increased our event revenue by 479 percent by hosting signature events, and we launched an affinity group called Women United; a safe space for all women to uplift and support one another. We are really excited to see how much we can accomplish this year.”
Last year’s event was a hybrid in-person and virtual event because of the COVID pandemic.
This year’s event sponsors include 7 Cedars, That Takes the Cake, First Fed, Platypus Marine, Callis Insurance, DA Davidson, Olympic Peninsula Stone, Bibity Bobity Childcare, and Edward Jones financial advisors; Jennifer Ciarlo and Tyler Johnson. Event logistics are supported by several local businesses, including Keith’s Frame of Mind, Sequim Bee Farm, So So Sweet by Ashley, Kindred Collective, B&B Lavender Farm and more.
“Highly distinguishable events such as Celebrate United would not be possible without the generosity of local sponsors and a caring community willing to help us make positive lasting changes in our community,” Wakefield said.
For more information, visit unitedwayclallam.org or contact Wakefield at 360-457-3011 or jaycie@unitedwayclallam.org.
