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Three cheers for the United Way campaign
By Patrick Graham
The Paris News
Published November 1, 2009
I’ve been involved in a lot of United Way campaigns in a lot of different places, but I’ve never seen a campaign like the one conducted here in Lamar County this year.
When I first agreed to be a part of this year’s campaign, I have to admit I was a little concerned about being able to reach the $475,000 goal. After all, given the current economic climate it would only be natural for charitable giving to a hit as individuals and companies alike have tightened their collective belts.
I’m extremely pleased and proud my fears were completely unfounded.
Not only did the United Way of Lamar County beat the goal for this year’s campaign, it shattered it, generating a record $628,268 during the six-week fundraising effort.
“Our vision was a community where compassion, generosity and stewardship are intrinsic values,” United Way president Robert High told campaign volunteers during Friday’s final report meeting. “Our core purpose was positive community impact. Our core values were integrity, self-reliance, leadership and stewardship and collaboration. We believed we would be successful because Paris is a cohesive community whose residents have the tools and support necessary for living happy, healthy and productive lives.”
This year’s campaign is a real testament to the kind of support and generosity the community in general enjoys from its partners in business and industry.
Our local industry, in particular, should be recognized. Not only is industry vital to the economic well being of the community in terms of the jobs and taxes it provides, but it is also vital to the well-being of the many in need served by the 15 agencies who receive funding from the United Way.
In fact, the Industry Division alone surpassed this year’s total campaign goal on its own, coming in at $488,031 or 152.5 percent of its $320,000 goal.
Kimberly-Clark finished with the single largest campaign, generating $142,000 in pledges. Turner Industries followed closely with $140,288 in campaign pledges. Sara Lee reported $79,318 in pledges for United Way, again followed closely by Campbell Soup, which reported $77,000 in pledges.
All of these industry campaigns came in over their respective goals, which is incredible stuff when you again consider the current economic climate.
But this year’s record number could not have been reached without the efforts found in the campaign’s other divisions as well. The businesses and individuals involved in the Commercial, Government, Mail Contact, Professional, Schools and Small Business divisions were just as instrumental to the success of this year’s campaign.
All the divisions worked as a team, which is why the first paragraph of a poem read by Kelly Pickle, one of the chairs of the Schools Division, titled “The Winning Season” seemed so appropriate after the numbers were announced Friday.
“My coach always told me, ‘There is no I in TEAM.
“And what a great and committed team you are!
“You worked together in these times that are lean,
“And reached your goal that at the start seemed so far.”
I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate Robert, campaign chair Rudy Kessel and all of the other division chairs: Judge Chuck Superville, Kenny Daus, Vic Ressler, Dr. Bob Phillips, Stephen Walker, Stephen Gerrald, Kenneth Webb, Leslie Watson and Kelly on a record-setting effort during this year’s campaign.
And while it is nice to be able to say we achieved our goal and more, the real winners here are the 15 agencies funded through the United Way and those they serve. Remember, these agencies help the neediest among us, young and old alike, and at a time when their request for services are going up at a dramatic rate, the agencies will now have some additional funding with which to work.
Yep. The agencies and their clients are the real winners here.
And they should be.
Patrick Graham is publisher of The Paris News.
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