Donna Hamilton, assistant principal at Hanford Dole Elementary School, had a reason to be excited at Wednesday’s Rowan United Way campaign report meeting.
Her school exceeded its individual campaign goal of $2,500 and raised $2,940, she told a group of United Way supporters.
The school was just one of dozens of successful fundraising efforts toward this year’s $1.825 million goal. The first campaign totals show the money raised so far comes just under the half million mark with $455,103.69 or 25 percent of the campaign goal.
The money raised through the campaign supports 15 agencies, many of whom were represented at the report meeting, held at Ben Mynatt Nissan. Every two weeks, a report meeting is held at a different location where individuals report on the goals up to that point and discuss their campaigns.
Hamilton said she wasn’t stopping and promised the school would come up with $60 so they could make it an even $3,000. Everyone participated at the school, she said.
Campaign chair Dr. Jim Duncan asked the supporters to reach out to those businesses and individuals who may have not have joined the campaign.
“Everybody should be able to say yes or no,” he said of donating to the campaign.
Duncan said there are many who are retired who are no longer with a company who have not been approached about giving. He said retired residents could call Rufty-Holmes Senior Center at 704-216-7714 or the Rowan County United Way Office at 704-633-1802.
This year’s theme is “Raised Here. Stays Here.” During the meeting members of the campaign cabinet donned “farm wear” with straw hats, boots and jeans.
“Our citizens always rise to the occasion when they know the cause. The cause is great and we need your help more than ever,” Duncan said.
At the end of each meeting, three names will be chosen from anyone who donates at least $52 to the campaign. The names are placed in a drawing of 12 finalists who will be in the running to win a car from one of four automotive dealers — Ben Mynatt Nissan, Gerry Wood Auto Group, Cloninger Ford, Toyota, Scion and Team Chevrolet.
The three names chosen were Jim Horton of Freightliner, Kurt Richardson, also of Freightliner and Mark Childers of Piedmont Natural Gas.
The 2013-2014 campaign totals thus far are:
• Presidents — $75,911.91 or 19.3 percent
• Chairmans — $25,776.18 or 8.7 percent
• Industrial 1 — $505.83 or 0.9 percent
• Industrial 2 — $31,705 or 52 percent
• Commercial 1 — $9,820.59 or 13.5 percent
• Commercial 2 — $17,813 or 19.3 percent
• Commercial 3 — $30,559.14 or 42.7 percent
• Public Employees — $45,714 or 33.4 percent
• Education — $33,418 or 18 percent
• Community Business — $1,622 or 20.3 percent
• Special Gifts — $76,955 or 49.6 percent
• UW Agencies — $29,439.68 or 101.3 percent
• Professionals — $18,407 or 22.6 percent
• Miscellaneous — $57,456.36 or 30.9 percent
The next report meeting will be held at noon Oct. 9 at Gerry Wood Auto Group.
Contact reporter Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253. Twitter: www.twitter.com/salpostpotts Facebook: www.facebook.com/Shavonne.SalisburyPost.