At 28, Kim Preble of Auburn may be one of the youngest executive directors of a United Way agency. 

Overflowing with enthusiasm yet grounded to realistic expectations, she is determined to help the United Way of Oxford County become more relevant to people and businesses.

Preble graduated from the University of Maine in Orono with a Bachelor of Science  in marketing and management, with minors in French, Spanish and political science.

After college, she moved to Arizona and worked for a year in her chosen field. She returned Maine in 2012 and landed a position with Safe Voices as its fundraising and volunteer coordinator for two years. The Auburn agency supports and empowers those affected by domestic violence and engages the community in creating social change in Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties. 

Looking for career advancement, she moved to the executive director position with United Way of Oxford County, the smalles such agency in the state. She is its only employee.

Her three main priorities are education, meeting basic needs and improving health.

“Health is a big issue for all,” she said, “and we have become focused on health because of this.”

She cites Oxford being the least healthy county in the state in 2011 and the slow climb it is making up the ladder to good health.

“We have partnered with the Wellness Collaborative and the community safety group and,” she said.

She’s also focusing on fundraising.

“When I started, the (United Way) Campaign was struggling, still feeling the effects of the recession. I have to increase campaign accounts and recoup lost funding,” she said

Oxford Casino is the largest contributor to the local United Way through its employee campaigns and golf tournament, she said. She has brought in new funding sources with Mingle Analytics and Rumford Power, and has started a new small business circle with a donation for qualifying small businesses of $365 a year.

“We will share their Facebook page with ours and put a link to their website on our website,” she said. “We also include them in our newsletter. This enables us to support small business and them to be able to be part of us.”

United Way helped the education element of Aspire Higher at Oxford Hills Middle School, whose students build race cars.

It also helps fund Meals on Wheels, 2-1-1 statewide resource directory, FamilyWize prescription savings card, the Progress Center Community Kitchen, Rumford Group Homes, Community Rides, Oxford County 4-H scholarships, Community Dental and the Walking School Bus.

Preble brought the Triple Crown — Rock, Paper, Scissors — series of three races to the county as a fundraiser. They are the snowshoe race at Roberts Farm in February called the Cupid Dash; the cross-country ski race at Carter Ski Center in Bethel in March called Shamrock Shuffle; and the 5K run/walk in Fryeburg in April called the Spring Fling.

The entry fees and sponsorships pay for the races and help fund United Way supported programs and promote health.

The Rock represents Mt. Abram, Sunday River, Carter’s Cross Country Ski Center and various land trusts. Paper represents  Rumford Paper Mill and the history of the paper industry. Scissors represents New Balance and the county’s manufacturing history.

Looking ahead, Prebale said she is looking at transferring the AmeriCorp/Vista position from Healthy Oxford Hills to the United Way. The position focuses on food security and hunger relief and has, in the past, worked on the summer meals program which the agency sponsored last summer.

“We are also focusing on increasing the number of businesses in our camp so that we will have more money to invest in the community.”

“I would like to see two or three new accounts each year for the next few years,” Preble said.

“We want to start seeing more involvement with recipients of our funding instead of just saying, ‘Here’s the funding, good luck,'” she said.

United Way might be able to offer training in how to help teens experiencing trauma thereby supporting that effort both financially and through the training.

The United Way also coordinates food drives with local businesses and donates the items to local food pantries.

When not working, Preble said she enjoys kayaking, cross country skiing, crocheting and sports, especially the New England Patriots and the Red Sox.

She coaches the Everett Little swim team and Poland Regional High School junior varsity softball. She is a member of the Oxford Hills Rotary.

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