| United Way fast approaching goal of $75,000 in Obion County | | Posted: Thursday, February 16, 2012 10:00 pm
| By KEVIN BOWDEN
Staff Reporter
United Way of Obion County has nearly reached its 2011-12 fund-raising goal of $75,000.
The local agency has been focused on fund raising since this past fall, when the $75,000 goal was announced and a trio of giant thermometers were strategically placed around Union City.
In fact, it was when an anonymous donor saw one of the signature thermometers that he contacted United Way executive Michelle Creswell and donated $12,000 to the agency.
“As a result of the thermometers, I got a phone call,” Mrs. Creswell told the United Way board earlier this week.
“That’s great,” United Way chairman David Harris said in response to the donation.
The local United Way has raised about $72,000 toward its $75,000 goal, according to Mrs. Creswell. All the money raised by United Way of Obion County will be awarded to local agencies this summer.
Harris has already made presentations to the Union City Rotary Club and the Union City Kiwanis Club, using a newly-designed PowerPoint presentation promoting the United Way mission. Mrs. Creswell has also spoken at the Philian Review Club about United Way and plans are being finalized to have United Way officials make a presentation to the local Civitan Club.
The local United Way has also relied on tennis and golf tournaments to help raise funds, and a “Jeans Day for United Way” is planned for April 20. The “Jeans Day for United Way” will ask businesses to allow their employees to wear jeans that Friday for a $1 donation to United Way. A total of 4,000 United Way stickers promoting the event will be used to designate those participating in the jeans day.
This week’s local United Way board meeting was Harris’ last as chairman of the organization. He will be succeeded at next month’s meeting by incoming chairman Jeff Bennett. The 2012-13 slate of officers includes first chairman Lesley Anderson and second chairman Seth Rhenberg. Mrs. Creswell will take over as secretary and treasurer for the agency.
Staff Reporter Kevin Bowden may be contacted by email at kmbowden@ ucmessenger.com.
Published in The Messenger 2.16.12 | | | | |
