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United Way closes in on ambitious campaign goal
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Bonnie Dixon, Allen Middleton, Stan Sparks, Amy Rogers, David Smith, Carolyn Sanders, Adam Kobek and Cheryl Neidlinger display the amounts raised by the pacesetters and how close the United Way of Effingham County is to its goal. - photo by Photo by Pat Donahue

The United Way of Effingham County is getting closer and closer to its goal — and there’s still plenty of time left on the clock.

The United Way celebrated reaching the halfway point of its fundraising campaign Tuesday and its volunteers already have hit 93 percent of the $250,000 goal, or about $232,500. United Way of Effingham County Executive Director Bonnie Dixon called the total to date “phenomenal.”

“We owe a great thanks to Georgia-Pacific and our two loaned associates,” Dixon said. “But just as important is the community and their generosity.”

Said Carolyn Sanders of First Effingham Bank: “It makes you real proud of Effingham County, and we’re far ahead of where everyone else is.”

Campaign co-chairman Stan Sparks of Georgia Power said the response from the community so far has surprised him.
“It’s been amazing,” he said.

Campaign co-chairman Adam Kobek, project manager for the Effingham County Board of Commissioners, noted how important the campaign is, given the services United Way provides.

“With the (economic) downturn, our services are going to be utilized more,” he said.

The Effingham County Board of Education, one of the biggest contributors to the campaign, has increased its donations by more than $9,000 from last year, Dixon said. School employees have given more than $49,000.

Georgia-Pacific’s Savannah River Mill, one of the pacesetters for the campaign, has topped $130,000 in donations, holding raffles and a womanless beauty pageant to help spur the fundraising.

“They have gone above and beyond,” said Cheryl Neidlinger.

Amy Rogers said Effingham Hospital officials were proud of their staff’s contributions, now at more than $10,000.

“They continue to step up and give,” she said.

But the drive isn’t done yet — the campaign ends Nov. 21 — and the United Way still has some work to do. The goal for the United Way of the Coastal Empire, which includes Bryan, Chatham, Liberty and Effingham counties, is $8,288,888.

“We have a number of accounts we have not yet contacted,” Dixon said.

“It’s great to come out and work in the community,” said Allen Middleton, one of the loaned executives.

Also, two of the names for the Critz GMC truck to be given away have been drawn from Effingham County.