DOROTHY KLEIN: JOB WELL KNOWN

Dorothy Klein will retire at year's end as executive director of the Area Wide United Way. She has served this organization and the region tirelessly for 18 years.

She directs hundreds of volunteers each year, which in itself is no small task.

Klein also coordinated the combination of the Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City campaigns into a single, massive fund-raising effort that benefits the entire area.

Klein joined United Way in 1977 as a part-time secretary. She succeeded the late Hugh Logan as executive director in 1977. The fund-raising effort has exhibited remarkable enhancement in that time, growing from $154,900 in 1977 to an amazing half a million dollars today. The $500,000 includes $269,000 in employee contributions and another $177,000 in corporate funds.

As the dollars grew, so did the organizational effort. In 1977, United Way operated only three months a year. Now it is a year-round effort to coordinate fund raising and the 24 agencies the goal helps supports.

The region and numerous public service agencies owe Klein a debt of gratitude for a job well done.