Making The Goal: It's a Team Effort

The United Way of Lawrence County recently celebrated raising $376,000, or 94% of its campaign goal of $400,000.00. As a community, we should give ourselves a collective pat on the back for raising the most dollars ever for our 15 member agencies. Yet we should also ask ourselves, "what about that additional 6%?" The campaign goal of $400,000 was not arbitrarily set, but was established based on the actual needs in our community. United Way member agencies are stretching their dollars as far as they can, but they can only stretch so far. To state it simply, the agencies desperately need the additional funding represented by the "missing 6%" in order to serve the people in need of vital services.

Coach Terry Hoeppner, in a sincere and passionate speech at our United Way annual meeting, challenged us not to give up on reaching 100% of our goal merely because the formal campaign is over. Coach Hoeppner also made it clear that he has adopted southern Indiana as his new home: Putting his money and actions behind his words, he pledged $1000 to help us reach our community goal. Coach Hep also promised to offer the time and talents of himself and his players for this spring's Youth Day of Caring (May 14) and Youth Day of Caring (May 19).

The Coach's surprise pledge led to an additional $1,000 contribution from campaign chairs Paul and Patty Ford, who have already given so much of themselves to make our campaign successful. (My husband Michael and I were so moved by our new coach's generosity and our campaign chairs' example that we, too, decided on the spot that we could and would increase our own donation. Amazing how contagious a great cause can be!)

Just as Coach Hoeppner pledged to achieve a 100% graduation rate for his players and to take his team all the way to the Rose Bowl, the United Way of Lawrence County is more committed than ever to reach its goal of 100%.

Here's my plea: If you haven't already made a contribution, please consider making a pledge or donation to the United Way of Lawrence County annual campaign. Checks can be mailed to United Way of Lawrence County, 1116 16th Street, Bedford, IN 47421. If installment payments are preferred, pledge forms can be obtained by calling the office at 277-0493. If you have already made a pledge or contribution, please consider kicking in a little bit more to help us reach our goal. If you don't want to mail your check, call the office and we'll come pick it up!

You may not think your contribution will make a difference. Yet a mere fifty cents a week ($26 total) can buy a 2-3 day supply of food for a family of three from the Salvation Army. $1 per week ($52 total) will keep a family's water turned on through LIFE. $2/week ($104 total) can send 50 children to a summer movie or a day at the pool through the Limestone Girls Club.