Sikeston area can be proud of UW campaign

With the way 2001 ended up, residents of Sikeston, Mo., and the surrounding area should feel extra proud about surpassing United Way of Sikeston's $76,000 goal last year.

A lot of communities didn't, largely because of the uncertainties cast upon Americans after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the war in Afghanistan.

And the experts tell us the country has been in a recession since March. Jobs have been lost and some businesses are strained.

Those obstacles were put aside by the many people who contributed a total of $88,237 to the campaign, surpassing the goal by $12,237. It was the second consecutive year that Sarah Buchanan has led the campaign to a successful conclusion. She admitted she questioned whether last year's drive would achieve its goal after the events of Sept. 11. She pointed out that while some companies were forced to cut back on donations, others managed to exceed their donations of past years.

The entire community will benefit by the generosity of those who gave, as will the 21 agencies supported by the local United Way.