M&W, P&G HELP SEND UNITED WAY OVER GOAL

A $20,000 contribution from M&W Packaging pushed the Area Wide United Way's 1999 campaign over its $750,000 goal.

On Monday afternoon representatives from M&W and Procter & Gamble Co., which minutes earlier announced its donation of $252,015, filled in the red on a United Way thermometer sign to signify reaching 100 percent of this year's goal."We're very exited about reaching the goal," said Craig Wells of Crain Enterprises and this year's campaign chairman. Contributions as of Monday afternoon totaled $751,257, and there are a few campaigns still being run and several campaigns that haven't reported their totals yet.

Narvol Randol Jr. of Bank of Missouri and co-chairman of the corporate-employee division of the 1999 campaign, said a strong economy helped in the effort to reach this year's goal. But also important, he said, was awareness in what United Way does and where the money goes."The United Way has a local board and we fund local agencies," Randol said. "When people give to United Way they know it stays in the community."Wells said people were extremely generous in their contributions this year."We had several companies that had reduced their staffs, but the remaining employees gave more to make up the difference. And we had a number of places that had incredible increases," Wells said.

St. Francis Medical Center raised $57,532, a 61 percent increase over 1998. Schnucks raised $28,637, an 85 percent increase over last year. Cape Girardeau public schools raised $9,717, a 447 percent increase over 1998. Jackson School District raised $6,060, a 135 percent increase.

A victory party to celebrate surpassing the goal will be held at 3 p.m. Friday at Dempster Hall on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University, where special recognition will be given to outstanding campaigns and volunteers."We've been able to get out and better explain the story of how the money is used, what the agencies we fund do and who they serve," Wells said.

He said an effort was made this year to get those heading the campaigns at individual companies to visit United Way-funded agencies to see how the money is spent. They, in turn, did more to convince their fellow workers about the value of United Way contributions, Wells said."When people see the money at work they are more willing to contribute," said Nancy Jernigan, executive director of the Area Wide United Way."Nearly everyone has been touched by one of the agencies United Way funds," said John M. Thompson of Bank of Missouri and the other co-chairman of the corporate-employee division. That includes everyone from children in Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts to the senior citizens helped by programs like APPLE.The United Way funds raised in the 1999 campaign will be divided among 42 programs run by 25 local organizations. An allocation meeting to decide how much each agency will receive will be held Dec. 16, Jernigan said.

The organizations, which were chosen during a review process last spring, are American Red Cross, APPLE, Association for Retarded Citizens, Boy Scouts, Cancer Research, Cape Civic Center, Cape County 4-H Council, Cape Public School Children's Fund, Cape Senior Center, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Easter Seal Society, First Call for Help, Gibson Recovery Center, Girl Scout Council, Habitat for Humanity, Hoover Eldercare, Jackson Ministerial Alliance, Jackson R-2 Children's Fund, Jackson Senior Center, Lutheran Family and Children's Services, Retired Seniors Volunteer Program, SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence, Safe House for Women, Salvation Army and Scott City Nutrition Center.

Surpassing the $750,000 goal this year has United Way officials setting their sights on even larger goals in the future."I think we can raise $1 million," Jernigan said. "Maybe not next year, but that's the figure we'll be aiming for in the future."