Frank and Diane Weitekamper Choose United Way of Lake County
Donors and volunteers shared with us why they choose to give to United Way of Lake County. We hope their stories motivate you to continue (or begin!) to choose United Way when you are asked to participate in your workplace giving campaign. 
What inspired you to become involved with United Way of Lake County?
I became more aware of the work of United Way of Lake County through my work at Abbott, which supports United Way through company contributions as well as offers a way for employees to contribute through an annual employee giving campaign. I was looking for other ways to get involved beyond financial support. One of the things that resonates with me is United Way’s fundamental purpose of helping people in our communities who are in need, which in turn, strengthens our communities overall. And, in my work with United Way, I am always inspired by the passionate staff and energetic volunteers who are tirelessly committed to helping people live better lives.
What aspect of United Way’s work do you connect most with and why?
I have a personal passion for the work aimed at preparing children to reach their full potential. I had the opportunity to help get the Reading Success program off the ground about 10 years ago. It was an eye-opening and rewarding experience to work alongside the staff at United Way, local school administrators, and other volunteers to ensure the schools were equipped with books, backpacks, tutors and other resources to set up children for reading and learning success.
Why do you think it is important to support United Way’s mission?
It’s important to me to support United Way’s mission because we all benefit when we have strong communities. Lake County is a great place to live, work and raise a family. In a sense, I feel each of us is a steward of our community and can do our part by offering some of our time and resources to make it better for our neighbors who may not be as fortunate.
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