As guests poured Willy Wonka creamer into their coffee and found a seat, little oompa loompas with green hair walked single file in a line led by Willy Wonka.
Between two giant lollipops under a purple arch, Willie Wonka and Violet Beauregarde stood at a podium decorated as a Wonka bar.
"Welcome to a land of pure imagination," the Gene-Wilder inspired Willy Wonka said as clips from "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" played to the song "Pure Imagination."
"Come with me to a world of pure imagination -- but it's not the world of chocolate eggs or everlasting gobstoppers or lickable wallpaper," said Willy Wonka, otherwise known as the 2022 United Way campaign co-chair Kyle Shimmens. "It's the United Way of Central Missouri campaign world, the world where dreamers of dreams like us can imagine a better world, and together, we work to make it happen."
United Way of Central Missouri held its annual campaign kickoff breakfast Thursday morning. The theme of this year's campaign is -- you guessed it -- Willy Wonka.
Campaign co-chair Cassandra Atchison (Violet) said she's honored and excited to play a role in making the community happier, healthier and stronger.
"The work of the United Way has a lot in common with 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' and our 2022 campaign," she said. "As Willy Wonka said, 'If you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it. Anything you want to, do it. Want to change the world? There's nothing to it.'"
"And although we know changing the whole world is not simple, change in our own little piece of the world is doable when we do it together," Shimmens added.
This year's campaign slogan is "So shines a good deed in a weary world," a Shakespeare quote recited by Willy Wonka at the end of "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" after Charlie returns the everlasting gobstopper.
"It was all that Mr. Wonka needed to inspire hope and to carry on," Atchison said. "We hope that's what this theme does for our campaign this year."
The United Way campaign kickoff breakfast is held every year to gather and inspire "pacesetters" and coordinate their funding efforts.
Pacesetters are a group of 30 businesses and agencies that typically raise about half the organization's annual goal. They conduct fundraising activities in July and August and complete their efforts before other businesses begin. The community campaign is usually done in September and October.
The United Way of Central Missouri raises money for 28 health and human service partner agencies every year. Last year, the organization exceeded its campaign goal of $2.2 million by $207,000. This year's campaign goal is $2.3 million.
"It's going to take all of us working together to change our world," Ann Bax, president of United Way of Central Missouri, said Thursday. "Together, we can break the cycle of poverty. Together, we can give everyone an equal chance at quality education. Together, we can meet our neighbors' basic needs."
During the past three years, through tornadoes, hailstorms, floods, a pandemic and recoveries, the United Way of Central Missouri has distributed $1.4 million through 154 grants to 64 local agencies.
"United Way was born out of tough, anxious, difficult times," Bax said. "It's in our DNA to be here for our community in the most difficult circumstances, or as we're saying this year, in a weary world. The United Way and our agency partners have been used to serving people in tough, anxious times, way before a tornado and a pandemic. And it's only been possible because of people like you who care so much about this community."
Some recommended campaign best practices, Atchison said, are to encourage visible support from the company's leader, kick off the campaign with a rally or fun event that includes verbal support for the United Way and its campaign, and to keep the campaign brief.
Shimmens emphasized the importance of holding rallies where agency representatives can talk about their agencies and tell the stories of the individuals they help. The rallies also help to educate people on what the United Way does.
"We can't stress enough how important these rallies are," he said. "We really do believe that face-to-face time is important."
Before the pandemic, the campaign team typically led more than 100 rallies in three months, Shimmens said.
"It was a pretty busy time," he said. "We'd love to get back to that, and we hope every business will allow us the opportunity to do that and help us."
Bax said she's hopeful the campaign timeline and traditions will look similar to how they did before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she said, she understands the pandemic has caused staffing shortages and other concerns, so the organization is ready to be flexible and work with the businesses to make it as easy as possible to have a campaign this year.
"Our goal is to bring the community together in a way no other single organization can to develop, find and execute solutions that address our community's most pressing issues at their base," she said. "And you are critical to the important work."
Julie Smith/News Tribune
Thursday morning saw the United Way of Central Missouri hoste the annual Pacesetters Breakfast at The Millbottom. The goal for this year's campaign was announced along with tips for fundraising events.
Julie Smith/News Tribune
Thursday morning saw the United Way of Central Missouri hoste the annual Pacesetters Breakfast at The Millbottom. The goal for this year's campaign was announced along with tips for fundraising events.
Julie Smith/News Tribune
In order to draw attention to the annual United Way Community Campaign, the agency started matching a plywood shape with each year's theme for partner agencies to decorate. They then place them outside of their agency or pacesetter business to remind the general public of the campaign. This year's theme is Willy Wonka so the item to be decorated is an oversized top hat. Mark Mueller, right, who is on the board of directors for Little Explorers Discovery Center, picks up the board from United Way's Hannah Gerard Thursday following the pacesetter breakfast.