VOLUNTEERS COME FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE

Doctors, lawyers and bank presidents ... housewives, educators and next-door neighbors ... retired people and plant managers.

"People from all walks of life are United Way volunteers," said Dorothy Klein, executive director of the Area Wide United Way, which officially kicks off its $470,000 fund-raising campaign today.

"These are people who care for other people and want to do something to help someone else," said Klein.

As many as 250 people are involved in the United Way campaign each year.

"This ranges from various division chairmen to the people who conduct in-house campaigns," said Klein. "We don't have many untapped sources for volunteers."

The volunteer job is a time-consuming one," said Klein. "But our volunteers just keeping coming back. In fact, the majority of our volunteers are repeat volunteers."

Harry Rediger, manager of JCPenney in West Park Mall, has been tapped for a third year as overall chairman of the campaign. "Rediger first served as chairman in 1980," said Klein. "He served as chairman again in 1986."

Craig Felzien is board chairman and John Mehner is recruitment chairman.

The Area Wide United Way is made up of divisions. The divisions and their chairpersons are:

Corporate: O.J. Miller and David Ross.

Employee: Sharon Drum and Ken Hosp.

Professional: Jeffrey Krantz and Peter Kinder.

Public Service: Robert Foster and Jo Peuckert.

Patron: Don Sherwood and Robyn Hosp.

Communications: Kim Groves and Peggy Scott.

"We can always use volunteers," said Klein. "Anyone wanting to volunteer should call our office at 334-9634 and we'll find a position for them."

The division chairmen agreed that the Area Wide United Way is "an agency that helps many people."

"I've always been involved in some sort of volunteer service," said Sherwood. "After becoming involved in United Way, I saw that this was one agency that helped so many. I felt that what little time I had to offer could be best used right here with the United Way."

Sherwood, who has worked at KFVS-TV for the past 40 years, has been involved in United Way for seven years. He has served on the board of directors and last year was campaign communication chairman.

Robyn Hosp became involved with United Way by helping her husband, Ken.

"This is something I'm real proud to be a part of," said Robyn Hosp. "It's exciting to see a community come together, and I really see that in Jackson. I guess for both of us our work with United Way springs from wanting to help others. I think the United Way is a wonderful organization."

Ken Hosp explained why he gets involved: "I really believe that people who have a lot of blessings have an obligation to help those who are less fortunate. The United Way is a nice way to collectively help a lot of people."

A manager at Procter and Gamble for 11 years, Ken Hosp is also a member of the United Way Board of Directors. In 1987, he served as associate campaign chairman.

Drum said: "This is my first involvement with United Way as a division chairman, but I have been involved with United Way within Southwestern Bell for the last eight years. United Way supports a lot of good organizations and helps provide a lot of services to people."

Drum is area manager of billing and collections for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co.

Krantz, director of planning at Southeast Missouri Hospital, has been active in United Way for several years. "I've been interested in United Way, and I believe in the process and the approach," Krantz said. "I encourage other people to participate."

Kinder, associate publisher of the Southeast Missourian, is in his first year as a volunteer. "I'm pleased to help out in any way I can," Kinder said. "I hope to better the performance of the professional division. Involvement in the United Way is super."

Robert W. Foster is no stranger to the United Way. He's been involved in the agency for the past 20 years and served as the campaign chairman last year.

"I'm a big believer in the United Way," he said. "This is an opportunity for us to give back to the community. When looking at the list of agencies to receive United Way funds this year, there isn't any way I could write separate checks to each of them. Yet I really believe in all of the agencies. I feel good that with one check to the United Way, I can support all these agencies."

This year's campaign marks Peukert's first involvement with the United Way. She is a sixth-grade teacher at May Greene Elementary School and is president of the local Community Teachers Association.

"Harry Rediger asked the schools to become a part of the campaign from more of a teacher and staff level," Peukert said. She said many of the 25 agencies United Way funds provide services to teachers, students and students' families.

Ross, who moved to Cape Girardeau in 1987 to manage the Show Me Center, was an active member of the University of Tennessee's United Way campaign while he was in Chattanooga. He participated in Southeast Missouri State University's internal United Way campaign his first two years here.

"It seems that every year there are just more needs to be met," said Ross. "Giving to United Way is one way that people can make an active difference in helping people less fortunate than themselves."

Miller, who moved to Cape Girardeau from St. Louis in June 1990 to lead Mercantile Bank here, volunteered for his position on the United Way cabinet.

"I've always been very supportive of the United Way personally," Miller said, "and I had worked for the United Way in St. Louis."

He said: "I agreed to help in any way I can. I think United Way is a great opportunity. Instead of supporting one worthy cause, by making one contribution to the United Way you can support 25 worthy causes."