UNITED WAY REDUCES GOAL FOR THIS YEAR

The Area Wide United Way hopes to raise half a million dollars during the annual campaign announced Thursday.

The $500,000 is down from last year's goal. In 1994, the United Way fell short of raising $520,000.

Hanschen said, "We feel this goal is reasonable and attainable," said Donna Hanschen, manager of Ameritech and general chairman of the campaign. "We hope to surpass it."

The campaign raises money to help fund 24 service agencies in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City. A new agency added to the United Way roster this year is CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Southeast Missouri.

CASA's mission is to provide trained, court-appointed volunteers to serve as advocates for abused and neglected children.

The campaign already has collected more than $1,000.

The official kickoff for fund-raising is Sept. 6.

In addition to the traditional methods of raising money and awareness, the United Way has planned a new activity this year.

The first Day of Caring will be held Sept. 20. Volunteers will spend the day helping the staffs of United Way agencies.

Hanschen said, "We will be asking companies to loan folks from their staff to work for a day or part of a day. Through that work, people will have a better idea of what's needed and why United Way is so important."

The agencies are already compiling lists of tasks they need help with ranging from painting picnic tables to organizing new accounting systems.

Dorothy Klein, executive director of the Area Wide United Way, said Days of Caring are held in Columbia, St. Louis, Springfield and Kansas City and are very successful.

Hanschen said the United Way campaign allows people to make a single donation that benefits 24 different agencies in the community.

"It's a unified campaign," she said. "And donations of a dollar or five dollars can help tremendously."

Members of the campaign cabinet are Narvol A. Randol Jr., chairman-elect; Mike Bender, Kevin Ford and Michele Tomlinson, corporate co-chairmen; Mike Drew, Jeff Krantz and Ann Poston, employee co-chairmen; Ennis Hinkebein and Denise Stewart, patron co-chairmen; and Gera LeGrand, communications.

Benefiting from the campaign in 1996 will be the American Red Cross, Association for Retarded Citizens, Boy Scouts, cancer research, Cape Girardeau Senior Center, Cape Girardeau County 4-H Council, Cape Civic Center, Easter Seal Society-Early Learning Center, Family Learning Center, FISH Volunteers, Gibson Recovery Center, Girl Scouts-Otahki Council and Habitat for Humanity.

Also receiving funding will be Hoover Eldercare Center, Jackson Ministerial Alliance, Jackson R-2 Children's Fund, Jackson Senior Center, Lutheran Family and Children's Services, Radio Information Service, Safe House for Women, Salvation Army, USO, VIP Industries and CASA.

An informational video about the United Way and its agencies will be available soon for groups or businesses.

For more information, call Klein at 334-9634.