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Mike Horne
Sets goal and theme for campaign
Wednesday, Hopkins County United Way held a lunch for their volunteers to share their goal for donations this year and to hand out campaign packets for volunteers to bring to businesses.
“Helping to build a better community” is the theme of this year’s campaign with a goal of $150,000 in donations that will be distributed to the Boy Scouts, Bright Star Baseball, CANHelp, East Texas Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Heritage Christian Counseling Center, Hopkins County 4-H, Community Chest, Jehovah Jireh Food Pantry, Lake Country CASA, Lakes Regional Community Center, Meal-A-Day, Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center, SAFE-T, Shadow Ranch Therapeutic Riding Center, Sulphur Springs Symphony League, Teen Court and the Dinner Bell meal program.
Some proceeds go to United Way Worldwide and administrative expenses such as paying a part time secretary, buying supplies, paying utilities and other expenses such as campaign materials.
Mike Horne, Hopkins County United Way president welcomed everyone and gave the invocation before opening the floor to Kristy Moseley, the campaign chair.
Moseley shared her gratitude to the volunteers for doing the leg work and taking time out of their days by volunteering to go around to local businesses and collect donations.
“From the bottom of my heart, I am truly grateful to be in the position I am and to be here with all of you” Moseley commented. “Thank you.”
Moseley shared that it was truly eye-opening for her to see how everyone in the community knows someone who has needed help or those who have been the one’s helping.
It is important to have these services and programs such as United Way that are the problem solvers, that fight for health, education and financial stability for every person in the community.
The mission of United Way is to improve the lives of everyone in the community by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good.
The United Way website shares that the solutions they create for communities goes beyond the short term charity by supporting parent education, adult job training, food pantries, after-school homework clubs and more.
Susan Berning, the executive secretary for Hopkins County United Way, shared that she has found that some people are unaware of exactly how the funds United Way receives are spent.
“Two percent goes to United Way Worldwide and the rest goes to charities and organizations in Hopkins County,” Berning said.
Included in the packets for volunteers to bring around to businesses is a list of the businesses previous year’s donation, a suggested amount, an envelope with a contact number and a date to revisit the business as well as a brochure with information showing where the money goes and how many are helped with the funds donated.
Companies can give donations by cash, check, PayPal or a mail in donation.
Volunteers are welcome to coordinate with Moseley, Berning or Hopkins County United Way president Mike Horne for help with contacting new businesses or businesses that had not donated before.
Special thanks went to Dina Ramirez of the Dairy Museum, Chris Vorheez, Emily Glass and Charla Campbell for their help setting up lunch and Sandy Wallace of Plain & Fancy for preparing boxed lunches.
Berning also recognized Carolyn McKinney who recently retired from the Dairy Museum and signed up to volunteer with the United Way.
Anyone interested in learning more or volunteering are welcome to visit the Hopkins County United Way Facebook page or the newly launched website,.