Wiregrass United Way Announces Pacesetter Campaign

DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) - According to a press release, this year’s Wiregrass United Way campaign will begin with a fun kickoff complete with a service project. Volunteers from throughout the six county region will gather on Tuesday, August 2 at the Wiregrass Rehabilitation Center in Dothan with the program starting at 8:30 a.m.

After hearing from this year’s leadership team, viewing the new campaign video, and announcing the campaign goal, Troy Fountain, President of the Wiregrass Foundation, will be on hand to announce a challenge to the local United Way. Following this, everyone is encouraged to stay and participate in a service project.

Sources project approximately 100 area businesses and organizations are expected to participate as Pacesetters. They are getting a jump-start on the annual United Way campaign. Each year a number of area businesses agree to conduct their campaign for the Wiregrass United Way between early August and mid September. These businesses make up the Pacesetter campaign. It is not too late for other companies to register to be a Pacesetter.

Thanks to a grant from Alabama Power Company, the Wiregrass United Way will package 40,000 meals. These meals will be distributed locally by the Wiregrass Area Food Bank to those in need.

Volunteers will arrive early that morning to help set up and be trained to lead each of the 18 workstations.

This year’s campaign is focusing on the slogan, “For the Wiregrass.” During the campaign, the United Way will focus on the positive and the issues they are working for in our region. These include meeting basic needs of food and affordable housing, helping our youth succeed in life, providing services to those with special needs, strengthening families and breaking the cycle of child abuse.

Pacesetters are vital to the success of the overall campaign. First, by having a Pacesetter campaign, it enables the Wiregrass United Way to stretch the campaign another month but to do so on the front end. The United Way’s goal is to complete all employee campaigns by the end of October to avoid raising money during the holidays. In addition, by having a Pacesetter campaign there is already a significant amount of money raised when the official campaign kickoff is held on September 22.

There will be more than one thousand volunteers active with the Wiregrass United Way during the year. A volunteer Board of Trustees leads the local organization. Hope Johnson, President and CEO of Friend Bank, is this year’s Board Chair. Trent Dillard, Alabama Power Company, is serving as the overall Campaign Chair.

The Wiregrass United Way has served the Wiregrass area since 1938, currently funding 37 member agencies serving Barbour, Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Henry and Houston counties. Funds raised by Wiregrass United Way are utilized locally in the six county area. A committee of local volunteers determines how the funds are distributed among the member agencies.

For more information call 792-9661 or visit the website at www.wuw.org.

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