Angie Eggum, Touch a Life

Ready, hike! Let the games begin! It is time, once again, for the annual United Way kickoff. The 2007 United Way campaign kicked off bright and early at 7 a.m. Thursday morning with the horns blowing, and the fans cheering at the Albert Lea Days Inn. The party officially started!

The kickoff comprised people who have agreed to be directly related to raising money for the 2007 campaign. They were Heart Club members (anyone who has given $500 or more toward the campaign in the past), cabinet members (anyone who has agreed to run a certain portion of the campaign), and key members of the community who have pledged to do what they can to help us reach our goal. As I said, we met bright and early to celebrate the beginning of the 2007 United Way campaign. Our goal over the next three months is to raise $562,000. So, we served a handful of people breakfast and sent them on their way to do just that &8212; raise a bunch of money.

As I&8217;ve stated before, my mom (Karol Held) and I (Angie Eggum) are the 2007 campaign co-chairwomen. We knew we were getting involved in something big when we agreed to take on the job, but wow, the support we&8217;ve seen has been breathtaking!

So far along our journey we&8217;ve talked to service clubs, women&8217;s clubs, men&8217;s clubs, school boards, and people on the street. Basically we have talked to anyone who will listen, and our message is clear. Learn the United Way! We have a &8212; for lack of a better word &8212; thought.

It goes something like this: If the people of Freeborn County understood what the United Way is, and where the money goes, they&8217;d all be happy to participate in reaching our goal. If they actually had a person stand (or sit) in front of them and explain the different programs and needs that the United Way helps to support, they would give every penny they could to help support them. So, we are dedicating as much time as we can get to doing just that. Educating.

That&8217;s not all, though. We are also doing everything we can to raise money by having fun! On Sept. 22 Hanson Tire will be hosting a Lube-A-Thon where you can bring your vehicle in to Hanson Tire, have your oil changed for $20, and the proceeds will be donated to the United Way. On Oct. 13, the Family Fun Fair will be at the Northbridge Mall, and the United Way will have a booth in support of families who come for a fun day together.

Mark your calendars for the Grand Wine Tasting at the Ramada Inn on Nov. 2. Fountain Warehouse Liquor will have many different wine distributors with many different wines to sample, as well as a silent auction, and lots of fun to be had!

Keep the Fires Burning will be held on Bridge Street again, near Northpark Plaza, on November 16th. Stop by, and have a log put on the fire in your name by simply donating to the campaign!

And if that wasn&8217;t enough, come to the KIMT/AL Tribune sponsored Bowl-A-Thon on Dec. 9 at Holiday Lanes! Talk about a rockin&8217; and rollin&8217; good time!

So, as you can see, we are going to do all that we can to inform our friends and neighbors of the benefits of the United Way. Do your part by learning everything you can, and then share that knowledge with a friend. Touch a Life, learn the United Way.

Angie Eggum is a co-chairwoman for the United of Freeborn County 2007 campaign.