As the 2009 United Way Campaign begins to take shape, I want you, the people of Freeborn County, to know just who the campaign chairman is and what my role is with the United Way.

My name is Steve Merfeld, and I have been a resident of Freeborn County for the past 20 years. My wife, Cindy, my two daughters Nicole and Danielle and I, moved here from Austin to begin work at Bonnerup Funeral Service. I have always been active in the community with church, service clubs and business associations. United Way was something that I was invited to participate in almost from the start. When you believe in something as important as the United Way in Freeborn County, it is easy to become involved and give it your best. Over the years I have worked mainly in the general business division and served as its chairman in the past.

This year I felt the need to take the next step to do what I can to help those less fortunate through tough economic times.

Being campaign chairman puts me in touch with many talented professionals who feel the same way I do about our community. My role is to help oversee the many different divisions that advocate for the United Way, help recruit people who can make the United Way realize its goal, help with and participate in many of the fundraising activities, and be a link between the United Way and you, the people who make the difference.

The United Way is so much more than just raising money. We are people making a difference in our community. We are people volunteering our time and talents to make our community a better place to live. We are people willing to help our neighbors, our friends and our co-workers. We are people just like you!

Over the next seven months you will see me and the many other familiar faces of the United Way telling our story and the stories of others who have been helped by one or more of the 19 agencies we support. I will be highlighting many of the people who make this program run like a well-oiled machine in my future articles.

Our recent annual golf outing was a success bringing friends together for a great cause. (My team should have won, we had the highest score!)

This year’s campaign slogan is again “Live United.” Watch for us at the Third of July Parade.

Steve Merfeld of Bonnerup Funeral Service is the campaign chairman for the 2009 drive of the United Way of Freeborn County.