Last week, Oakland County Executive, L. Brooks Patterson, awarded fifteen charities and a veteran with $29,000 dollars in funds that were raised by Oakland County employees through their Casual Day Funds Program. The program allows employees in participating departments and divisions to wear jeans or dress casually on Thursdays or Fridays for a minimum donation of one dollar. Representatives from each charity gathered at the Oakland County Executive Office building in Waterford on Wednesday to receive their donation.

Patterson invited each representative up to the podium to share how their charities work to serve the community. After personally giving a check to each one, he emphasized that the funds were raised by the employees of the county. He spoke about distributing the funds to local charities and said, “We’re delighted to do so, all you do adds to the quality of life in Oakland County.”

This year’s recipients include:

• The American Diabetes Association – Bingham Farms
• The Baldwin Center – Pontiac
• The Child Abuse and Neglect Council (CARE House) – Pontiac
• The D-MAN Foundation – Rochester Hills
• The Donate Life Coalition of Michigan – Ann Arbor
• Give-A-Christmas Year Around – Royal Oak
• Grace Centers of Hope – Pontiac
• HAVEN – Bingham Farms
• Helping Hearts Helping Hands
• Kids Kicking Cancer – Detroit
• McLaren Children’s Clinic – Pontiac
• Oxford/Orion FISH – Orion Township
• The Rainbow Connection – Rochester
• Rebuilding Together Oakland County – Farmington Hills
• Walk the Line to Spinal Cord Injury Recovery – Southfield

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Patterson also spoke about a veteran that he recently helped and talked about the letter the vet wrote to him. He said, “You can’t read a letter like that and not react.” In addition to helping the veteran with costly septic system repairs, Patterson decided to donate $1,000 in Casual Day funds to him so that he would have enough money to buy Christmas presents for his grandchildren.

Since its inception 22 years ago, Oakland County employees have donated well over $700,000 dollars, touching the lives of thousands of people.