UNITED WAY TOPS GOAL THANKS TO GENEROSITY OF COMMUNITY

Last Wednesday was a happy day in Cape Girardeau. The largest-ever goal of the Area Wide United Way $500,000 was overtopped, with an astonishing $506,833.44 raised by President Ollie Miller, Campaign Chairman Dennis Marchi and their small staff, backed up by a large cadre of enthusiastic volunteers, and through the generosity of the Cape Girardeau area.

That sum of more than one-half million dollars is all the more remarkable when one considers the challenges our community and region have already met this year. 1993, of course, will go down as the year of the Great Flood. The flood had already taxed civic and charitable resources nearly to the limit when the United Way campaign began in September. Churches, businesses and individuals had already given to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army again and again, not to mention direct relief donations to flood victims that did not go through these agencies.

Another example: the Heartland Telethon, conducted late this summer by KFVS-TV yielded an astonishing outpouring of generosity, raising $319,000 for flood relief. 1993 was also the year that saw a successful conclusion to the Salvation Army's $1 million capital drive for a new headquarters building now under construction.

As befitted the United Way's upbeat announcement, staff and volunteers arranged a festive reception late Wednesday, complete with balloons, light refreshments and live music from the superb Central High Jazz band. A good time was had by all.

Successful campaigns such as this year's United Way effort do not just happen. As with any other major challenge, success usually hinges on a single individual or small group of individuals whose efforts are decisive. Hundreds of volunteers gave tirelessly of themselves, but Ollie Miller and Dennis Marchi provided this year's United Way sparkplug leadership, and we salute them.

At last week's reception, Miller observed, "Early in the year we had some serious concerns about the goal for '93. We thought with all the appeals there was only so much money to be given."

That was the best guess of campaign leaders going into the campaign's beginning. After this fall saw a continuation of our neighbors' astonishing outpouring of generosity, Miller had this to say: "It seems the appeals to help flood victims just helped and created greater awareness in the community."

That is true, and it's as good an explanation as any. But it leaves out the kind of cheerful determination expressed by campaign chairman Dennis Marchi. Marchi told the crowd gathered at last week's reception that he had been involved in previous campaigns that did not meet their goals, and then faced the dreaded task of notifying worthy agency heads of lower funding levels. "I hated that more than anything, and so I was determined more than anything that this year we would meet our goal, so that we wouldn't have to say that to any of our recipient agencies."

That such a winning attitude came from these leaders should surprise no one. Miller pitched in immediately upon arriving in Cape Girardeau a few years ago. Marchi, especially, has been involved in countless civic and charitable causes since his arrival here in 1985. It's hard to name a worthy community cause that has not received his dedicated attention. He's a guy who cares deeply about his community. When things look bleak, instead of getting discouraged and quitting, he gets back on the telephone to make those extra calls. It shows.

We would be remiss if we didn't mention the remaining work to be done to top out the annual Salvation Army Tree of Lights campaign. This year's goal is $115,000; at last report, the effort stood at $85,000 and climbing. We are confident that a generous community can achieve this goal, as we have so many others. But it hasn't been reached yet.

From the labor unions who pitched in, to the hundreds of volunteers who participated, to the small but priceless staff of Dorothy Klein, Jean Shipman and Calvin Chapman, to every single donor who gave a nickel, we can all be proud of the support expressed for the United Way. Other communities have had trouble meeting their goals this year in charitable and relief efforts. To them, and to the world, we proudly say: the Christian spirit of peace and giving is alive and well in this little corner of America, not just at Christmastime, but throughout the year.