United Way's Cool New Campaign Video: Do Something Big!

Doing something big takes many hands. It takes a community of people joining together to achieve a common goal. It means dividing big tasks into little tasks and having a big enough team to shoulder the load. Working together, we can accomplish more than any one of us could alone.

Doing something big requires a consistent effort and a shared sense of responsibility to care for each other. It’s exciting to be a part of, and it’s something the United Way team works toward every day.

Part of what United Way does is to identify pressing problems and then we bring the right people, businesses, and resources together to solve the problem. We’re a convener, sort of like the table people gather around except that we’re also an active participant in getting things done.

Such a philosophy is behind the 2012-13 Middlesex United Way campaign film – that idea of how many hands make light work.

We partnered on our film again this year with the very talented Taylor Warren of Yellowbarn Films. This is the fourth year he has produced and directed our campaign film, and they get better and more inspiring each time.

Taylor began working on our films in 2008 when we launched Live United, and it seems like he’s been on the journey with us to champion the brand, engage our friends and volunteers in meaningful ways, and inspire others to join the movement. And it’s all done with fantastic creativity and great professionalism.

I assure you our campaign film isn’t about bringing people together to meet around a table. Instead, we put out an open casting call across the community for anyone interested to join us on a warm, sunny August afternoon to participate in a film shoot. We gathered on the beautiful campus of Wesleyan University and worked together on a large-scale art project.

Unfortunately, our warm and sunny day turned into torrential downpours, blustery conditions, and the near-destruction of our “big” art project. Eventually the wind and rain did subside and the project was saved. It took all of us joining together to get the job done, and I was touched by how many of our friends stayed and finished the shoot. And in the end, it was spectacular!

My thanks to Wesleyan for the use of one of their fields, to MARC: Community Resources, Middletown Youth Services Bureau and Women & Families Center for their participation in the shoot as well as many others who volunteered, and to PriceChopper, Stop & Shop, Walmart, and Bakery on Main for donating snacks and beverages. The shoot was truly a combined effort, and we so grateful for everyone’s part in making it happen.

Working together we can achieve great things. We do this because we’re part of a caring community in Middlesex County. We do this because you make the decision to give. Your contribution does matter.

By the way, are you curious to see how the film turned out? Go to www.middlesexunitedway.org/video and see.

Live United!