The United Way of Estevan has, in a way, hit the jackpot.
Making the announcement to a room of local United Way executives and media, James Trobert, last year's United Way of Estevan president, graciously and enthusiastically accepted a $95,763.50 cheque from three delegates from Ensign Energy Services and Big Sky Drilling. Dave Fyhn, manager of administration at Ensign and chairman of the company's United Way campaign, was accompanied by Rick Mann and Darryl Maser, both representatives of Big Sky, a division of Ensign, who made the presentation.
"I want to give a heartfelt thank you, thank you, thank you for what you've done," Trobert told his guests. "The generosity exceeded expectations."
Upon being told they were only the third-highest contributor to the United Way, Fyhn replied, "We've got some competition then."
Big Sky, an Oxbow company, asked suppliers to get involved and come up with prizes. They asked each rig to compete to see which one could raise the most donations. The total of about $48,000 was then matched by Ensign. Nineteen rigs participated and the winning rig, managed by Landon Pillar, raised about $10,000. The second highest tally was a rig managed by Wayne Kolb, which gathered $5,500.
Mann, operations manager for Big Sky, said the suppliers and their prizes were the biggest factor in getting the rig workers to donate.
"That's what really made it fly."
The prizes included GPS units for all the participants of the winning rig, and a 60-inch television that will be won in a draw by one of the people employed on that rig.
The second place rig has a draw for a nitro powered car. The third place includes the names of everyone who donated and the draw will produce two winners, one of whom will receive a 60-inch television, the other an iPad.
The money was donated to United Way last year, but came after the October telethon so wasn't officially presented until Jan. 12. It brings the organization's 2010 total to $459,704.57.
Sheila Guenther, United Way's president for 2011, said, "It will be our highest total ever."
Fyhn applauded the "healthy participation" of the rigs and said for next year they plan on fundraising through a couple of their other local divisions. He added this is just the start of their support of the United Way of Estevan and hinted they could raise more once they open up fundraising to the other companies.
Trobert told Fyhn, "If that's just the start, I'd like to see how you finish!"
He attributed the success to Mann and Maser.
"You were enthused coming in," he told them. "You need good leadership to (raise this kind of money). They really championed that."
Trobert said they will discuss with member agencies exactly what will be happening with the money and how it will be distributed.
