One more gift to give: A United Way contribution
By Jim Cox
Clarke campaign about $6,000 short of goal

Angelo Miller of the United Way of Southwest Alabama, Julia Ann Deas and Kate Jordan, campaign chairs for the Clarke County effort.

This is the giving time of the year and local United Way volunteers have a great suggestion for a Christmas gift that can make a difference in a lot of people’s lives.

The Clarke County United Way has consistently met or exceeded its goal in recent years but this year is coming up short.

Still, Jackson Mayor Richard Long and campaign leaders Julia Ann Deas and Kate Jordan are confidant that the 2006 goal will be reached.

At the campaign thank you luncheon at the Grove Hill United Methodist Church last Friday, Deas noted that $143,941 in contributions and pledges had been submitted. This year’s goal was $150,000.

“We are not yet where we need to be but I truly believe there are people who can help and will help but we have not made the connection,” Deas said.

She said the campaign is not ending and will continue after Christmas and into the new year until the goal is reached.

This is her third year to head the local campaign and she explained how confident she was that United Way’s contributions do help improve the quality of life for people who need help, or, as she put it, have been faced with “personal hurricanes.”

Deas and Angelo Miller, executive director of the United Way of Southwest Alabama, both noted after the meeting that charitable giving everywhere is down this year. The decline has been blamed

on extended giving in the last two years due to Hurricanes Ivan and Katrina, to a downturn in some parts of the economy and other factors. Deas noted that one Clarke County industry has cut back its operations this year, costing the local effort about $5,000 when compared to previous giving. That amount would have put the local campaign right at its goal.

Clarke, along with Mobile and Washington counties, make up the United Way of Southwest Alabama.

Anyone who would like to contribute to the Clarke County campaign may contact Deas or Jordan or the office in Mobile, 251-433- 3624. More information and contacts are also available through the website, www.uwswa.org.

You don’t have to gift wrap it either, Deas and Jordan added.

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