It’s another year of wins for United Way Perth-Huron – and a surprise win for executive director Ryan Erb

Ryan Erb, executive director of United Way Perth-Huron, looks onto a standing ovation at the Arden Park Hotel on March 28. Erb was surprised on stage with the King Charles III Coronation Medal, one of the greatest honours for community advancement in Canada, after years of service with the organization.

CONNOR LUCZKA, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The United Way Perth-Huron (UWPH) has continued the trend of setting fundraising records year after year, announcing the region once again raised more money for the most vulnerable than ever before.

At its celebration for the 2024-2025 annual fundraising campaign at the Arden Park Hotel on March 27, the organization revealed that donors, volunteers and the community raised $2,356,497, slightly above last year’s record-setting total of $2,331,057.

Although short of the just over $2.6-million goal, combined with a further $542,050 raised for United Housing, a separate organization started by UWPH to address the housing crisis, $2,898,547 was raised in total for the 2024-2025 annual campaign.

“Our locally raised and invested funds are imperative to the collaborative good work of United Way and making communities stronger,” said Kristin Sainsbury, co-chair of this year’s campaign with John Wolfe, at the celebration. “We're excited to see the impact funds raised this year will have on the lives of our neighbours, friends, family and even ourselves.

“I want to just thank all of you because, as everyone has said, it takes a community to contribute – some small, some large – but all of it together has collectively helped us to meet this incredible goal,” Sainsbury went on to say.

“It may sound cliché, but our donors and volunteers really are what makes our organization tick,” said Ryan Erb, executive director of UWPH, in a media release. “There are so many challenges we face as a region that are beyond our control. Despite that, the people of Perth-Huron continue to support the work we’re doing. We are grateful for the trust our community places in United Way to help deliver important programs and services.”

It was a win for Erb that evening, too. Erb was surprised with the King Charles III’s Coronation Medal, one of the greatest awards for community advancement in Canada.

As the packed dining room of the hotel erupted in a standing ovation, Erb thanked the “incredible kindness” of his staff and the way they all uplift each other day-to-day, as well as the generosity of the community.

“We can’t do it alone,” Erb put succinctly.

In addition to Erb, volunteer spirit awards from UWPH were presented to Gerry Bell, David Clarke, Barry Hutten, Cindi Jones, April Selkirk, Eva Sippel, Tom Soltys, Robert Stanton and Grace Theophilopoulos. The Avon Maitland District School Board, McCann Redi-Mix, Goderich Mayor Trevor Bazinet, Goderich councillor Randy Carroll, and Kerry Prober and her teams at McDonald’s in Stratford and St. Marys received community spirit awards.

FIO Automotive Canada once again topped the list of workplace fundraising campaigns, raising $192,194. This total included a dollar-for-dollar corporate match from FIO.

Every year, regional United Way organizations undertake exhaustive fundraising campaigns that go to local issues at the heart of what the charity is dedicated to. In the region of Perth-Huron, the United Way provides funds and services towards “unignorable issues” like lack of housing, low income, mental health, access to services, intimate partner violence, food insecurity and discrimination.