A large crowd was on hand at Presbyterian College for the annual United Way Campaign Kick-Off Luncheon Friday. Director Tara Glenn introduced a video featuring comments from staff, volunteers and clients served by a representative sample of the twenty partner agencies in Laurens County.
We asked United Way Director Tara Glenn about this year’s goal of $525,000. “We believe that this community can come together and raise that money and do even more than we’re able to do by raising that. So we’re excited about this year, new things going on, you’ll see lots of local faces on local material just like the video we showed today. So…we’re hoping to bring it home!”
As examples of what can be accomplished, she recognized seven business partners in Laurens County that had significant increases during their “Campaign with Excellence.”
She noted that Asten Johnson was up 28%, Belk was up 27%, the City of Clinton’s United Way campaign had a 41% increase and the Good Sheppard Free Medical Clinic’s Campaign with Excellence was up 42%! Glenn noted the local hospital has always been an important part of the United Way campaign, and announced that Laurens County Memorial Hospital’s campaign went up 20%. Other increases included a 26% increase for the Safe Home and a 62% increase for 1st Steps of Laurens County.
United Way Director Tara Glenn announced the winner of this year’s C. Bailey Dixon Volunteerism and Philanthropy Award is Ruth Rackley. We asked Ruth why she volunteers for the United Way: “Well I can see the difference that it does for our community, and it’s impacting here at home. It’s not something that you give to a nationwide program and you never get to see the effects of it. It happens right here, it changes lives here in Clinton and Laurens; all of Laurens County.”
Glenn said that the 20 partner agencies of the United Way serve thousands of people each year here in Laurens County. With some examples, she noted the United Way is helping 800 plus people who do not have health insurance receive medical care through the Good Sheppard Free Medical Clinic, helping over 80 homeless men through the Open Door Shelter and over 45 Disabilities and Special Needs people receive assistance through a Wellness Clinic twice a month. Other examples of meeting human needs were displayed in a video presentation at Friday’s United Way Kickoff Banquet.