President Alastair Summerlee admits he thought this year’s goal of raising half a million dollars for the United Way was a big stretch.

They did far better.

At an appreciation event for campus volunteers last Wednesday, Summerlee announced that the University of Guelph raised more than $517, 000 for the United Way, surpassing last year’s total as well.

In the last decade the University of Guelph has donated more than $3.64 million through the annual campus campaign.

“As you may know we were identified by some academics in Europe as the world’s most caring university and I think this shows why,” Summerlee told the Ontarion.

“This is why we get this reputation as a university because as a community we do care and we care right across the board from all the incredible things the students do for both the United Way and other things, to faculty and staff involved in the United Way and other campaigns.”

Summerlee said that that campaign organizers intentionally moved this year’s goal up from $50,000 to make up for last year’s losses due to the economic situation.

“I thought that was a big stretch, but I’m bowled over by the success of the campaign and the willingness of people to participate,” he said.

The campus campaign saw students, faculty, staff and departments run a number of their own events.

On Wednesday, awards were presented in recognition of the individuals and groups who took part in the campaign. The President’s Award, an award given out by Summerlee and one that recognizes the campus unit with the highest increase in both participation and dollars raised, went to the Office of Open Learning. The Gabrielle Hubert Award for outstanding contributions by a single volunteer went to Prof. Peter Krell in Molecular and Cellular Biology. The Spirit Award, which goes to a unit that exceeds its goal, achieves a five-per-cent increase in participation and demonstrates enthusiasm and creativity in its fundraising effort, went to the Office of Registrarial Services. The Co-Chairs Award for special merit went to Rhonda Alger in Animal and Poultry Science.

A special highlight at the volunteer event was the announcement of the winner of the second College Idol competition organized by the Office of Research as a United Way fundraiser. Competitors performed at a noon luncheon event Oct. 30 and voting continued until Nov. 25. The 2009 winner was Robert Berger, a pianist and an Ontario Veterinary College student. College Idol raised more than $3,000.

Student co-coordinators for the 2009 campaign were Nathan Lachowsky, a fourth-year student in biological science, and Jason Greenberg, in his third year of a BA program in statistics.

“Our goal this year was to raise just over $2,500 and we raised $5, 362. So it was double of what we wanted to get,” said Lachowsky.   “We didn’t care so much about dollars. We wanted to make students more aware of what the United Way is and what they do.”

Lachowsky said students were involved in a number of events, including teaming up with sustainability week for the kickoff and Homecoming as well.

Eighty community programs in Guelph and Wellington County receive financial support from the United Way, and more than 60,000 people are helped every year.

The 2009 campaign enlisted 150 volunteers as co-coordinators and canvassers.