There’s only one other day of the campaign that’s more exciting than announcing we’ve met goal and that is when we have reached the halfway point.

Monday, October 22, 2001

There’s only one other day of the campaign that’s more exciting than announcing we’ve met goal and that is when we have reached the halfway point. And yes we have! Hooray! After only five weeks into the United Way of Freeborn County 2001 campaign, we can be proud to say we have reached 51 percent of our $500,000 goal. To date, $253,896.18 has been pledged. Let me note the outstanding accomplishments to date particularly in our county residential division, where 71 percent of the goal has been reached, and in our residential area, where 68 percent of the goal has been achieved.

We also know that many of our corporate and major firm drives are underway or wrapping up and those total dollars will be calculated soon. It’s certainly a reason to celebrate, pay recognition to our many, many volunteers and to feel good about living in a county that takes such good care of our own.

Still, though, there’s work to be done. This continues through the activities of October, Retail Month, and in November, Youth Month. By the first week of December we hope to be able to acknowledge and recognize everyone for their campaign efforts.

Thanks to the workplace campaigns, which in many cases are exceeding their goals and in some cases are participating in their first campaign. It’s when we come together, sharing and providing in what we can give personally to the campaign, no matter how small or big, that truly we see the real results that occur in the lives of people who live and work in Freeborn County.

I challenge everyone to keep up the momentum of what we’ve seen to date in the campaign, so we can celebrate proudly by December for the fulfillment of the goal we set out to reach together.

Pam Bishop is the 2001 campaign chairwoman for the United Way of Freeborn County. Her column appears Mondays.