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Article published Nov 22, 2008 Topping last year: Last-minute gifts push total past $2.1M
From Staff Reports
Thanks to about $50,000 in last-minute donations, United Way of Blount County's 2008 campaign closed Friday after topping last year's total.
Campaign Co-Chairs Denny and Cindy Mayes announced at the Victory Celebration that the organization raised $2,159,233 for the community.
While the total was about $90,000 or 4 percent under the campaign goal, it surpassed last year's total by about $500.
Considering the economic downtown, campaign leaders were very happy and relieved to have raised more money than in any previous campaign.
"When we started this campaign, we all boarded this boat together with a destination in mind," Denny Mayes said. "Somewhere about mid-campaign we had some trouble. We had to get off the boat, and we got on life rafts."With record high gas prices, stock market woes and area layoffs starting in late September, the Mayeses and their cabinet recognized the need to reevaluate its fundraising strategy.
Mike Lewis, United Way of Blount County's board chairman, compared the Mayes' efforts to making lemons out of lemonade.
"I have dubbed them the King and Queen of Juice," Lewis said. "When the first wave of challenging news about the economy first started coming in, Denny and Cindy went out and began gathering lemons from the ground where they had fallen.
"As the economic news became more challenging ... they started picking them from the trees," Lewis said. "When it seemed there were more challenges than lemons, they began to squeeze, and squeeze, and squeeze."
More than 200 people attended the celebration at the Capitol Theatre as the Mayeses and their campaign cabinet reported totals for each division:
New Business, chaired by Larry Aldridge, announced 16 new companies became first-time United Way supporters and contributed $4,500.
Commerce, chaired by Andy White, raised $268,718.
Industry, chaired by Virginia Hardwick, $201,958.
General Business, chaired by David Conner, $153,514.
Public Service, chaired by Dr. Bill Seymour, $213,147.
Professional, chaired by Joy Bishop, $117,415.
Special Gifts/Residential, chaired by Dr. Jane Qualls, $169,635.
Major Firms, chaired by Greg Wilson, $955,694.Leadership giving
Leadership Giving, totaling $713,195, made up 33 percent of this year's United Way campaign. All leadership giving contributions are distributed into other divisions of the campaign.
The Pillars Society, chaired by Tish Hickman, raised $446,945, which includes individual or household contributions of $1,000 or more.
The Tocqueville Society, chaired by Kevin Clayton, raised $266,250 from 22 contributors of $10,000 or more each.
Denny and Cindy Mayes also recognized over 50 individuals and companies who gave the 2008 campaign a one-time gift over their regular pledge.
"Four weeks ago we realized we were going to have a significant shortfall with the economy the way it was," Cindy Mayes said. "Strategizing with our board of directors and campaign cabinet, we decided to go back to our key companies and leadership givers to ask for a one-time above and beyond gift."'Over and above' gifts
One-time "above and beyond" gifts for the campaign totaled $116,700, $50,000 of which was pledged by several anonymous donors mere minutes before the celebration began.
Cindy Mayes noted the importance of raising at least as much money as last year so that the organization will have the same amount of funds available to its community partners next year.
"There's no way we can begin to thank them for where we are today," she said.