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11_V1_WAT_Oct05.revised.indd Time is precious. So is your hearing. ©2017 HearCanada. All Rights Reserved.hearcanada.com 7 years. That's how long it takes for most people to finally do something about their hearing loss. At HearCanada, we're on a mission to change that statistic. Especially when there have been such amazing advancements in hearing aid technology. The options are almost limitless in terms of size, comfort, sleek styling and rechargeable technology. You can also try our most advanced hearing aids risk-free for up to 14 days with no money down! Call today to schedule a FREE hearing screening. Try before you buy! • Risk-free. Nomoney down. • Free 2Week Trial. • 255 King Street North, Suite 201, Waterloo 519-746-6940 • 34 Harvard Road, Suite 4, Guelph 519-837-1941 2 centres to serve you! Thursday, October 5, 2017 • WATERLOO CHRONICLE • 11Serving your community since 1856 By Lisa Rutledge For the Chronicle In a region hailed for its capacity for collabora-tion and innovation there should be no reason for 50,000 residents in Waterloo Region to have to live below the pov- erty line. There's also no excuse for those who can afford to donate time and money not to step up to help improve the quality of life for others strug- gling to thrive. Unlike the softer tones pro- jected during previous local United Way fundraisers, these strongly worded statements aim to define this year's cam- paign, taking a more assertive approach to tackling the all- encompassing issues of pov- erty in the region. And officials are counting on the new and bolder strat- egy to raise $7 million dur- ing this year's campaign to support programs across the region, upping that target to $10 million by 2019. The new approach reflects numerous changes happening at local United Way agencies, most notably an amalgama- tion of individual agencies last spring to form United Way Waterloo Region Communi- ties. Dubbed Change the Power of Poverty, this year's cam- paign, kicked off Sept. 22, is the first launched by the new regionwide entity, and key campaign members believe the new streamlined opera- tion will help meet fundrais- ing targets that have previous- ly missed the mark. It's also anticipated the new organi- zation will be more efficient, ensuring more dollars are directed to local charities, pro- grams and services. United Way Waterloo Region Communities chief executive officer Joan Fisk unapologetically vowed to leave no stone unturned to raise the money to help those living in poverty. "I am determined to make it successful," she said dur- ing the campaign's launch at Waterloo Regional Police headquarters in Cambridge. Fisk called on residents and businesses to donate and volunteer time to make the target a reality. "It's time to step up," she encouraged. "We need to rise to our biggest challenge. It's time to love where you live, and work together to change the power of poverty." This year's campaign cabi- net chair Samson Ling, presi- dent of Clarion Medical Tech- nologies Inc., told the crowd gathered for the fundraising drive's launch that address- ing poverty can begin with one simple act. She shared a story about how his wife met a man beg- ging for change outside a gro- cery store. While most people ignored his requests, he said his wife did not give him money, but instead took the hungry man into the store and filled a shopping card with food. She then gave him bus fare and sent him home to eat. "When she told me the story I was so proud because on that one day she made a difference to change the power of poverty," he said. "Now, you say that's just one guy, but that's how you build a strong and thriving community. It's one kind word at a time, one generous act at a time, one helping hand a time, serving one meal at a time." Organizers built momen- tum for Friday's launch by challenging teams of volun- teers to navigate a series of tasks at checkpoints through- out the region, collecting envelopes filled with clues at each stop. The teams met their final challenge during the cer- emony at the police station, ripping open their accumu- lated envelopes to find puzzle pieces, that when put together, formed the acronym for the new United Way partnership. For more information about this year's fundraising campaign, how to volunteer or donate, visit the United Way Waterloo Region Communi- ties website at http://www. uwaywrc.ca. New Waterloo Region United Way sets $7M campaign goal Lisa RutLedge Photo Pieces of the final puzzle were collected by teams who participated in a checkpoint challenge as part of the united Way Waterloo Region Communities fundraising campaign launch. "It's time to step up... It's time to love where you live, and work to change the power of poverty." Joan Fisk CEO of United Way Waterloo Region Communities