École secondaire catholique de Pain Court student Caterina Dawson will head up the United Way of Chatham-Kent’s (UWoCK) campaign this year.
UWoCK CEO Karen Kirkwood-Whyte made the announcement at the high school on Friday.
Dawson will succeed the 2017 campaign chair, Elizabeth Downey-Sunnen.
Dawson is a Grade 12 student on the brink of graduation.
She has spent her life growing up in Chatham-Kent with her two brothers and six sisters. During her youth, Dawson made use of some of United Way’s funded services, primarily services with Family Service Kent and the Chatham-Kent Women’s Centre.
Because of her positive experiences with these United Way-funded programs, she has devoted herself to giving back to her community.
When it came time for her to select a Grade 12 co-op assignment, she quickly applied for a placement with United Way.
“When I was told my co-op placement at United Way was approved, my thought was ‘yes!’ If anybody can help people, it’s these guys,” she said in a media release. “I had only been there a few days and I could already feel myself falling in love with it. The passion and hard work that goes into their work everyday is astounding. I had no idea that last year they supported over 30 programs and more than 45,000 lives have been changed because of a program that gets its money from United Way.”
Tom Slager, Director of Resource Development for UWoCK, said Dawson will have some excellent support.
“United Way attracts and works with the very best community leaders in Chatham-Kent. These leaders have expressed interest in helping to develop the leadership skills of our youth – through mentorship. So, this opened up an opportunity for United Way to partner an emerging community leader with a team of seasoned professionals who are at the top of their game in their respective fields,” he said. “So while this experience will be unlike anything Caterina has yet to take on in her life, the support of our community leaders is fully behind her.”
Dawson said that she wants to pursue a career as a Child and Youth Worker because of her experience with Brad Davis when she was accessing services as a child at Family Service Kent.
“I know people who are hurting. I have seen kids and adults struggle. Sometimes it is tough to make ends meet; stress gets to be too much. People don’t know where to turn,” she said. “I want them to know they are not alone, and I want them to know where to go … where they get can get counselling, where they can find help with a learning disability, where they can be part of a community of people that supports them, keeps them going, and helps get them through their tough times to the better life on the other side.”
