City Workers To Shell Out Serious Dough

You won't read this story in the Herald.

City Hall definitely does this one right. Around this time every year, the City of Calgary starts a fundraising blitz with her own City Workers right in her cross-hairs. It's the same thing every year: a financial goal is announced, City Workers dole out, the goal is reached, press conference held with big cheque.

You would think that City Hall people would roll their eyes or collectively wince at the thought of yet another United Way campaign. But here's where City workers thumb their nose at the popular belief that Calgary is all about tight-fisted greed. Here's where City Hall puts on its thinking cap and organizes a whole bunch of fun little events, each with its own subtle little fee.

There's bake sales, raffles, pot-luck lunches, tickets which allow you to wear blue jeans to work, and an array of other crafty strategies to have you cheerfully part with your dough. Surprisingly, there's no pressure to donate a cent, since you're donating by buying a thing or a service, but people at City Hall will stubbornly give anyway.

To be honest, I have no idea what the financial goal is, where my money goes, or what the United Way's mission statement is. I merely like the cookies at the bake sale, the potluck lunches, and the blue-jean badge. I'm probably good for about $60 - $80, and I'm just one guy. There's probably 2,300 or so more just like me.

But as I say, you won't read about this in the Herald.