Campaign Wrap-up – Still time to give
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| Reem - 2008 Leader's Award |
More than 150 friends of United Way of
Fort Smith Area gathered to recognize those who have
participated and finalized their 2008 annual giving
campaigns. The campaign continues in a year-round effort
to serve the community. The Wrap-Up Party was held
during the lunch hour at the Holiday Inn.
“This has been a very challenging year. But we live in a
very generous community. In August our Pacesetter
companies helped generate excitement and optimism. Three
of our major supporters, Rheem Manufacturing, Hanna Oil
and Gas and Weldon, Williams and Lick had very
successful campaigns with an average 10% increase in
giving. Other businesses including several of our area
banks came in ahead of last year’s totals,” noted Susan
Grobmyer, 2008 United Way Campaign Chair.
“Unfortunately, other major contributors are down in
excess of 40 to 50% in their giving primarily due to
layoffs and uncertainty in the workplace.”
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| Arvest - 2008 Chairman's Award |
“Funding 33 community partners and
programs is a critical component and we hoped to raise
the same amount as last year. This would have continued
our support of our community partners that are providing
the programs and services to those who need them the
most,” continued Grobmyer. “I sincerely thank the
individuals and companies that are digging deeper into
their pockets this year to help those in need. However,
our fundraising efforts are falling short of our goal by
about $500,000.”
“It’s been wonderful being campaign chair and a joy
going out and meeting people you wouldn’t ordinarily
meet,” added Grobmyer. “What fun it has been!”
United Way of Fort Smith Area invests annually in a range of health and human service programs as well as broader strategic initiatives in partnership with others. These initiatives are designed to not only answer immediate needs and change lives, but also to address underlying causes and affect a lasting positive impact within the community as a whole. Initiatives include 2-1-1, National Association of Letter Carriers Postal Food Drive, Stuff the Bus, Day of Caring, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and the Holiday Giving Guide.
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| Janie and Tom Foltz |
Honored at the event was longtime
United Way supporter Tom P. Foltz. An award, the Thomas
Price Foltz, Jr. Award, was established to recognize
those who plan a key role in United Way campaigns and
donate their time throughout the year. In 1930, Foltz’s
great-uncle, the late Allan Kennedy, was named the first
chairman of Community Chest, which later became the
United Way.
“Tom’s family has a long history of caring for those in
the community,” said Tom Minton, United Way Executive
Director.
“I urge everyone to visit one or more of the agencies to
see what they do for the people in this area,” commented
Foltz on receiving the award.
Awards
Rheem Air Conditioning Division was presented the
2008 Leader’s Award – the highest honor given to a
company or organization recognizing the best in
corporate and volunteer support practices.
Other winners of awards at the Wrap-up Party include:
Another 17 companies and organizations
received division awards based on community outreach,
participation and giving within each division.
“We are going to continue to seek contributions during
2009. I am encouraged by the fact that even in this
challenging economic climate people still want to
contribute to United Way. Our response to that resolve
is: We will never quit; the work before us is just too
important to the future of this region. United Way and
our partner agencies remain committed to providing the
best programs that are able to deliver the most impact
in our communities,” added Grobmyer.
The United Way of Fort Smith Area serves Crawford,
Franklin, Logan and Sebastian counties in Arkansas and
LeFlore and Sequoyah counties in Oklahoma. United Way is
an organization that gets things done for the
communities we serve. Our goal is to create lasting
change that prevents problems from happening in the
first place.