Wiregrass United Way

Miss Alabama to attend Campaign Kickoff! August-24-2012

Miss Alabama to attend Wiregrass United Way Kickoff

Anna Laura Bryan, Miss Alabama 2012 will participate in the upcoming kickoff events for the Wiregrass United Way on Thursday, September 6^th. For the third consecutive year the local United Way is conducting a bus tour of the five counties they serve. Each stop will be at a United Way partnering agency. Miss Alabama will be on the bus along with United Way volunteers and staff.

Bryan is a 2012 graduate of Samford University. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in interior design. A native of Decatur she was a 2008 honors graduate from Decatur High School. Bryan will represent Alabama in the 2013 Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas in January. A talented vocalist she was the overall talent winner at the Miss Alabama Pageant in June.

At each of the five bus stop events Miss Alabama will be available for photographs and autographs. She will also speak to the attendees on the importance of volunteering and supporting non-profit organizations in our state.

The schedule for the county events and locations are: 10:00 a.m. – East Geneva Senior Citizens Center in Slocomb; 11:00 a.m. – Enterprise YMCA; 1:30 p.m. – Vivian B. Adams School in Ozark; 2:30 p.m. – SpectraCare Health Services in Abbeville and 3:30 p.m. – Boys and Girls Club of Dothan. The public is invited to each event.

Mary Beth Maddox with Personnel Resources is serving this year as the overall campaign chairman. There are volunteers across the five county area who are assisting Maddox with the campaign this year including county campaign chairs, board members, loaned executives and campaign coordinators within area businesses. The five county campaign chairs are: Coffee County – Mary Sue Cain, Alabama Power Company; Dale County – District Attorney Kirke Adams; Geneva County – Barbara Stripling, Wiregrass Medical Center & Nursing Home; Henry County – Headland Mayor Ray Marler and Houston County – Jeff Collins, Publix at Westway.

According to Walter Hill, Chief Executive Officer for the Wiregrass United Way there are approximately 90 area businesses who are Pacesetters this year. These are the companies that have been conducting their United Way campaign during the month of August. Those totals will be announced on September 6^th and some businesses will be recognized for increasing their campaigns over the previous year.

The Wiregrass United Way has served the Wiregrass area since 1938, currently funding 37 agencies serving Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Henry and Houston counties. Funds raised by Wiregrass United Way are utilized locally in the five county area. A committee of local volunteers determines how the funds are distributed among the member agencies. For more information call 792-9661or follow the Wiregrass United Way on twitter (@wuwnews) and on Facebook.

Wiregrass United Way Reaches Goal

The Wiregrass United Way has reached its’ fundraising goal of $2,345,678 that it set back in the summer. This amount represents a 4.17% increase over the previous year. The Wiregrass Foundation will add $400,000 to the amount raised by the United Way volunteers. The local foundation had pledged to give $400,000 if the organization reached its’ goal this year.

Judson Brooks, overall campaign chairman said that he was appreciative of the generosity of the residents and businesses throughout the Wiregrass region. He added, “The Wiregrass United Way continues to be blessed that people in our five county area are willing to help those in need even during tough economic times.”

Brooks added that there were more than 1,000 volunteers throughout the five county region who were active with the campaign efforts. “Our dedicated volunteers and staff worked since August to reach the goal. Too many people were depending on us and we could not let them down,” he added.

The volunteers across the five county area who assisted Brooks with the campaign this year included county campaign chairs, division chairs, loaned executives and campaign coordinators within area businesses. The five county campaign chairs were: Coffee County – Lisa Fenner; Dale County – Commissioner Kurt McDaniel; Geneva County – Joe Dalton; Henry County – Chere Johnson and Houston County – Charles Buntin.

According to Walter Hill, Chief Executive Officer for the Wiregrass United Way there are still some area businesses whose campaign results are not yet reported. Hill explained that some companies recently completed their United Way campaigns and will be reporting their results soon. He added that a final audited campaign total will be announced in January.

The Wiregrass United Way has served the Wiregrass area since 1938, currently funding 38 agencies serving Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Henry and Houston counties. Funds raised by Wiregrass United Way are utilized locally in the five county area. A committee of local volunteers determines how the funds are distributed among the member agencies. For more information call 792-9661.