GENEROSITY, GOOD DEEDS AND A LOT OF HOT AIR: UNITED WAY SERVES COMMUNITY IN MANY IMPORTANT WAYS

The generosity in all of us is expressed in many ways throughout the course of each year, but particularly when the Area Wide United Way comes calling for support. With all of the good United Way money accomplishes, we're confident that the people who live and work in the area will rise to the occasion again this year.

On Tuesday, Area Wide United Way general chairman Ron Hopkins announced the kick-off of the 1994 campaign on Aug. 31, when a luncheon for United Way volunteers will be held at Drury Lodge. This year's goal is $520,000. To the credit of all those who gave, more than $508,000 was donated last year, topping the 1993 goal of $500,000.

Twenty-six charitable organizations will share the money raised during this year's campaign. The Red Cross, which found itself to be in urgent demand during last year's Mississippi River flooding, will receive the most: $60,000; some smaller organizations will get $500.

FISH, which provides emergency assistance such as food, lodging, medicine, gasoline, bus transportation and money to pay for utilities of low-income people, has been added to this year's list of support organizations. FISH will get about $5,000 from the campaign, or about 10 percent of its $50,000 annual budget. It needs the money, too, because each year about this time its food pantry begins to run low.

Regardless of the amounts United Way bestows upon each of the organizations, you can rest assured that the funds are always needed to help carry out all of the worthwhile projects to which they go. This year's United Way drive is as equally important to the organizations as previous campaigns, and it can be just as successful if we all give generously.