This Year We Celebrate 75 Years!
United Way of Inner Wisconsin is proud to be celebrating 75 years of making a difference in our community! You can celebrate too!
- Visit our online museum (click here).
- Watch for our Flashback Fridays on social media.
- Check out our "75 Reasons to Give" page (click here).
Through The Years:
1942 - The South Wood County Community War Chest was incorporated.
1958 - Our named changed to the South Wood County United Fund.
1972 - We became the United Way of South Wood County.
1992 - We celebrated our 50th Anniversary.
2000 - We moved into our current location.
2007 - Our name changed to United Way of Inner Wisconsin when we added Adams County to our service area.
A Message From Our Former Leader, Jan Suzda:
To: United Way Friends
From: Jan Suzda (former United Way CEO - 1969-1999)
CONGRATULATIONS to our local United Way on 75 YEARS of service to our community!
- Putting on my thinking cap, here are some of the events in my 30 years:
- First public United Way Office
- Community Fund name-change to United Way
- Planned Giving Program introduced
- First computerization
- United Way US postal stamp issued
- Involved in introduction of Boys and Girls Club
- Involved in introduction of Wheels of Independence
- First United Way McDonald’s Day
- First Administrative Assistant, Carol Romanski
- First Volunteer Center Coordinator, Darlene Rause
- First Communications Director, Mary Casey Martin
My first office was in my upstairs bedroom. During campaign, the Wood County National Bank provided office space. Next move was to an upstairs office above Daly Appliance on West Grand Avenue, next to the - then - First National Bank. (Donated used desks, bookcases and shag carpeting. Carol Romanski and I painted the walls.) Last move during my years was to the lower level of the Chamber of Commerce building. (New desks and spray painted the used book cases.)
After my retirement in 1999, the banner was picked up by today’s capable leaders: effecting many positive changes to carry essential community services forward into United Way’s 76th year. THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU!
April 2, 2017