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United Way Sets $3.1 Million Fundraising Goal (Sep 19, 2009)

By Melissa Mackey
Staff Writer, Delaware Gazette

The United Way of Delaware County announced Friday morning its fundraising goal of $3.1 million during its 2009 campaign season kickoff breakfast.

Although the economy has drastically changed from last year, United Way officials are confident that the goal will be met.

“Now is the time — not to pull back — but to double our efforts,” United Way president Brandon Feller said. The lofty goal will be completed not by 25 people each offering $125,000 donations, but by everyone doing a little bit, Feller said.

“We need to do everything we can this year to ensure we’re successful,” said Feller, adding that when speaking with member agencies, the organizations are seeing new people seeking services, some who are unexpected clients.

Feller told attendees that when filling out a pledge to remember that a name, story and face is attached to the other end of the form.

United Way campaign chairman Mark Bergstedt called the $3.1 million goal attainable.

“While I’m optimistic, it does represent a challenge,” Bergstedt said. “But it is certainly reachable.”

Friday’s kickoff breakfast was held at Brookshire Catering Facility in Greif Park and featured Columbus Zoo and Aquarium director emeritus Jack Hanna as guest speaker.

Hanna was named Columbus Zoo executive director in 1978. When he first started, the zoo had been through three directors in two years and was on the verge of being closed, he said.

Attendance was a paltry 155,000, compared to last year’s attendance of more than 1.9 million people.

This summer, the zoo was also named the No. 1 zoo by the United States Travel Guide.

Hanna helped transform the zoo by offering more educational exhibits and adding Zoombezi Bay, Jungle Jack’s Landing and the Safari Golf Club. The newest addition — a polar bear exhibit — should open in April or May next year, he said.

Although Hanna’s numerous media appearances take up a lot of time, he still is a director emeritus, a position he had held since 1992.

“You sit here because you know what matters in life,” Hanna told the audience.

The animal lover brought a few of his furry, feathered and slippery friends along, including “Jack” rabbit, a 23 1/2 pound hare; “Monty” python, an albino python; a Chilean pink flamingo; and two felines, a serval and caracal cat.

United Way’s mission is to unite and mobilize community resources that will sustain improvement in the lives of individuals in Delaware County by increasing access to child care and early childhood education, supporting youth mentoring programs, providing advocacy for abused and neglected children and improving Delaware County residents’ health.

United Way of Delaware County serves 20 member organizations: Action for Children; American Red Cross, Delaware County Chapter; Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Central Ohio; Boy Scouts of America, Simon Kenton Council; Central Ohio Mental Health Center; Community Action Organization; Concord Counseling; Council for Older Adults, home-delivered meals; Delaware Speech and Hearing Center; Girl Scouts, Ohio’s Heartland; Helpline of Delaware and Morrow Counties; Heritage Day Health Centers; Legal Aid Society; Liberty Community Center; Marion Shelter; Maryhaven; People In Need; Salvation Army; Senior Services for Independent Living; and Turning Point.

For more information about this year’s campaign, please contact United Way of Delaware County, 40 N. Sandusky St., P.O. Box 319, Delaware, at 740-369-9618 or visit the Web site at http://www.liveuniteddelawarecounty.org.

mmackey@delgazette.com