A full year of celebration is underway to mark the 70th anniversary of the United Way in Windsor-Essex.
The fundraising, community support charity started in 1947 and for many years was known as the Red Feather Campaign.
Two longtime community leaders have come together to Co-Chair the 70 years ReUnited Committee.
Retired Ford executive and former United Way Board Chair Adrian Vido says he toured 5 projects in the community to learn how the charity works today and has been inspired by what he's seen: "it was inspiring in a couple of ways, one that what we do have changed significantly over the last 20 years since I was board chair it's very targetted and specific and to see the magnitude of the need, whether it's children or seniors in the field was what inspired me to help make a difference"
Vido says the big event in November is not the only celebration planned, there will be many smaller events leading up to the main celebration Novvember 10th.
70years ReUnited Co-chairs reliving labour talks (photo by AM800's Peter Langille)
Longtime labour leader Gary Parent says they would like to have people participate in the celebration with items they have kept: "if you have any paraphenalia from past campaoigns or anything you want brought to the United Way so that we can display it during the decades, because we're looking at 7 different decades of trying to bring people together in their memories of what goes on"
An evening of celebrating the 70 year of the United Way takes place November 10th at the Caboto Club.