By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — John Struzick became a little choked up thinking about the people in need and how easy it would be to help them.
Struzick, an employee with Innospec Active Chemicals, formerly Finetex Inc., spoke during the first Rowan County United Way campaign report meeting Wednesday at Ben Mynatt Nissan.
In Innospec’s first year participating in United Way, Struzick said, the company set a goal of $5,000 and began its campaign Sept. 10. Employees exceeded the goal with $6,942 in pledges.
“You can determine people’s feelings by what they did. They recognized the need,” he said.
Innospec’s pledges have helped the Rowan County United Way reach nearly 20 percent of its $1.78 million campaign goal. During Wednesday’s meeting, officials reported the campaign has brought in $348,663 in donations and pledges, 19.52 percent of its goal.
The goal is about 1 percent more than the $1.7 million raised last year.
Struzick said he’s contributed to United Way campaigns in other regions.
“I see the work that gets done by the agencies it supports,” he said.
Dr. Jerry Chandler, who is a part of this year’s campaign cabinet, encouraged the audience to think about what the United Way has done for them and then share that with someone else.
Last year’s campaign chairman, Steve Fisher, president of F&M Bank, asked that everyone in the room be a friend, make a friend and bring that friend to the United Way as a way to spread the word and “bring more people into the fold.”
“The key is to share the story about how much good work our agencies are doing in this community,” said Denise Hallett, chairwoman of this year’s campaign.
She said the agencies are doing a good job of meeting the needs of the community.
Organizers will draw names of people who will be in the running to win a car at each meeting. Names drawn this week are James “Jimmy” Davis of Freightliner, Dorothy Williams of Abundant Living and Kelley Vinson of Millbridge Elementary School.
Four Salisbury automotive dealers – Ben Mynatt Nissan, Team Chevrolet, Gerry Wood Auto Group and Cloninger Ford/Toyota – team up to award a new car to a United Way contributor.
The division totals so far are:
• Presidents – $70,164 or 18.04 percent
• Chairman’s – $33,924 or 8.38 percent of goal
• Industrial 1 – $9,684 or 20.10 percent
• Industrial 2 – $33,566 or 69.93 percent
• Commercial 1 – $15,698 or 19.18 percent
• Commercial 2 – $1,960 or 2.06 percent
• Commercial 3 – $23,238 or 37.48 percent
• Public Employees – $55,070 or 35.53 percent
• Education – $4,876 or 2.50 percent
• Community Business – $100 or 2 percent
• Special Gifts – $15,525 or 10.71 percent• Professionals – $27,048 or 24.69 percent
• Miscellaneous – $57,806 or 122.10 percent
The next report meeting is noon on Oct. 10 at Gerry Wood Auto Group.
Contact reporter Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253.