BY BRIAN L. HUCHEL
DANVILLE — The first couple months of work have gone well for the annual United Way campaign in Vermilion County.
This year’s fundraising campaign began in early September with volunteers working toward a goal of $850,000 — about $50,000 more than last year.
With a little more than two months already gone, campaign co-chairman Mike Hulvey reported the effort is already halfway toward its goal. The campaign, which traditionally finished at the end of October years ago, now ends in the spring months.
The chapter announced in April that its 2008 campaign goal had been reached and surpassed.
Hulvey said volunteers are pleased with the returns so far, adding he is fully confident the campaign can get close if not exceed its goal “in spite of tough economic challenges.”
He noted the halfway point of the campaign goal was achieved despite given presentations to an employee base among local businesses that is down compared to previous years.
NACCO Materials Handling Group Inc. and Iroquois Federal set the tone for businesses at the beginning of the campaign with successful Pacesetter campaigns prior to the official fundraising effort.
NACCO, despite seeing a 40-employee reduction since last year, was still able to almost match the $30,000 it raised a year ago. Iroquois Federal also matched last year’s total.
Hulvey said the campaign success thus far leaves no concerns about setting a higher goal this year in the face of tougher economic times.
“It sends the right message that there is so much need in our community,” he said. “A goal is a goal. If you set it at less, it might diminish the idea of the amount of need in our community.”
The Danville Area United Way provides funding for specific programs in 17 local agencies throughout the Vermilion County and western Indiana area. That includes the Healthy Aging program at CRIS Senior Services, family counseling opportunities at Catholic Charities and substance abuse and violence prevention curriculum at Prairie Center Health Systems.
