United Way Sets $300,000 Campaign Goal

The Board of Directors of United Way of Effingham County has set the 2014 campaign fundraising goal at an even $300,000.

That amount is less than has been collected in recent years, but is the highest goal set in recent memory.

(UNITED WAY BOARD PRESIDENT MEL STOCK CHAIRED THE MEETING)

The goal was announced at a Tuesday kickoff luncheon. Ross Richardson of St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital is this year's campaign chairman. Richardson has served on the United Way board for several years. He said the goal is to educate citizen on the good done by United Way and the wisdom of giving the United Way to people-helping agencies rather than making individual contributions to a number of agencies. He encouraged others who believe in United Way by using an old story about an acrobat who was wheeling a wheelbarrow across a high wire. Saying he believed the acrobat could wheel the wheelbarrow across the tightrope successfully, the acrobat told a man watching to prove his trust and "get in the wheelbarrow".

(UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN ROSS RICHARDSON FIRED UP THE CROWD, ENCOURAGING THEM TO "GET IN THE WHEELBARROW")

21 agencies will receive funds from the 2014 United Way campaign. They are:

--Big Brothers/Big Sisters Mid Illinois of Effingham County

--Blessings in a Backpack

--Boy Scouts of America Lincoln Trails Council

--CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) of Effingham County

--Catholic Charities

--CEFS Golden Circle Nutition Program

--CEFS Literacy Program

--CEFS Retired Senior Volunteer Program

--Effingham Child Development Center

--Effingham County FISH Human Services

--Effingham County Search and Rescue Team

--Effingham County Youth Commission

--Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois

--Heartland Human Services

--One Hope United

--Oneighty

--SAFE (Sexual Assault and Family Emergencies)

--Senior Services of Effingham County

--STAR (Strategic Training and Restoration)

--SWAN (Stopping Woman Abuse Now)

--Unit 40 Mentoring Program

United Way board members and volunteers from the 21 partner agencies were in attendance at the luncheon, along with General Manager Bill Bock and Connie Lilly from Southeastern Container, one of the Pacesetter companies for this year's campaign. Bock explained that since they are a Pacesetter company for the campaign, they held their campaign, raising over $13,000 from their employees.

(BILL BOCK AND CONNIE LILLY FROM SOUTHEASTERN CONTAINER)

Those gathered also viewed a campaign video, featuring Leon Holschbach of Midland States Bank and Paul Koerner of Koerner Distributor, the companies that are serving as corporate sponsors for this year's campaign, and featuring representatives of some of the agencies that will receive funds from the campaign.