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| University librarian Bill Maes hands the turtle back to Tom Boran, Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry. (Bruce Bottomley Photo) |
Staff from the Faculty of Dentistry gathered last week to welcome back a familiar friend.
The United Way turtle trophy, decked out in winter gloves and toque on a cold December day, was reclaimed by Dentistry after a one-year residency with the H漫画 Libraries. The turtle is awarded to the winner of the Dean鈥檚 Challenge, celebrating the faculty that raises the most money (weighed by faculty size and participation rates) for the H漫画 United Way campaign. Dentistry previously won the challenge in 2008.
鈥淭his Dean鈥檚 Challenge was created to get people on-board with United Way, which is such an important cause,鈥� said Dean Tom Boran, accepting the turtle鈥攕till unnamed, although Dentistry hopes to change that. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really the work of the organizers and our faculty that worked together to support the campaign.鈥�
Leading that charge was Heather Greenwood, dental technician. She鈥檚 been the Faculty of Dentistry鈥檚 area coordinator for the United Way campaign for longer than she can remember, and this is her last year at the helm; she鈥檚 retiring from H漫画 next year. When asked why Dentistry has been so successful in raising funds for the United Way, she cites a commitment to community.
鈥淲e have a lot of long-term people here who have deep roots in Halifax and know the difference United Way makes,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t also gives us the chance to take part in something as part of the greater H漫画 community.鈥�
In total, Dentistry raised $8,107.58 for the campaign this year. 鈥淔or a small faculty, I think we have pretty big hearts,鈥� added Dean Boran.
But University Librarian Bill Maes says we shouldn鈥檛 be surprised if the turtle makes its way (slowly) back up University Avenue to the Killam when 2011 rolls around.
鈥淗e鈥檒l be back next year,鈥� he declared. 鈥淲e just had to send him out for a teeth cleaning.鈥�
H漫画 faculty and staff weren鈥檛 the only ones doing their part for United Way this year. The H漫画 Student Union donated the proceeds of their Grawood Halloween bash to the campaign.
There is still time to give and help the H漫画 United Way campaign reach its goal. Donate now at the secure .