Weyburn residents have long had a tradition of giving and their generosity is evident through the ongoing support of such charitable campaigns as the Weyburn and District United Way's Communithon fund-raiser.

The 2004 edition of Communithon is soon upon us, to take place over 33 hours on Friday, Oct. 22 and Saturday, Oct. 23 at the Legion Hall.

With an annual event such as this, it is easy to take it for granted or to let it slide when it comes to giving or volunteering one's time to help out at such an event; after all, it's there every year, right?

Residents should take a fresh look what the United Way is all about, and consider at a personal level, are these agencies important to me? Are they worthy of my support, of a portion of my hard-earned money?

There are 18 member agencies of the United Way, who as members of this umbrella group agree not to do other fund-raising throughout the year. With so many charities and worthy causes asking for our money and time, this is a perfect way to combine the efforts of the many groups who all work in some way with residents of the Weyburn area.

These agencies touch every aspect of life where people need a helping hand, from health care-related agencies that take in support of those afflicted with diseases or other ailments to those that assist and help the family in some way, to helping those less fortunate make their way in this world.

Weyburn area residents did quite well last year, exceeding the set target goal. This year the target has been raised to $120,004, as there are more agencies to lend support to and their needs have grown.

This level is do-able, as this is nearly the amount raised by Communithon last year. Saskatchewan residents are known for their generosity, as a national survey on giving and volunteering shows that 92 per cent of Saskatchewan residents make donations to charitable and non-profit organizations. The motivation cited in the survey says most give out of compassion towards those in need (96 per cent) and a belief in the cause of the organization (94 per cent).

There is room for improvement, of course; nationally, Saskatchewan ranks third for the amount donated each year, with Manitoba and Ontario ranking ahead of us. When compared with the U.S., the room for improvement is even more apparent: a Fraser Institute study ranks Saskatchewan as 44th out of the 61 states and provinces for charitable giving. In a ranking for percentage of income donated, Saskatchewan drops to 54th out of 61.

Weyburn has always been very strong in supporting local causes and agencies who help our local residents, and this trend ought to continue - not just to improve our standing in the country, but because it's the humane and compassionate thing to do.

These agencies of the United Way exist to help, but they cannot help if they do not have the support of the community. On Oct. 22-23, let's show Saskatchewan how it's done, and give the United Way. - G.N.