Good people, good works
By Patrick Kelley
Originally published 01:34 p.m., January 10, 2008
Updated 01:34 p.m., January 10, 2008
It was a bit late, but Emporia got a nice Christmas present Wednesday when the United Way of the Flint Hills revealed that the annual fund drive had not only reached its $610,000 goal, but surpassed it. As The Gazette reported on Wednesday’s front page, the drive raised $617,000.
The money will be be used to help many people in Lyon and surrounding counties. The United Way is a conduit from its donors to 23 social-service agencies in Emporia and the Flint Hills. Those agencies help protect children and families, give support to people with chronic diseases and provide services to people who need them the most. Sometimes, those services can make the difference between despair and hope — sometimes, they can make the difference between death and life.
There is certainly no shortage of people to congratulate for the sterling success of this year’s United Way drive. Thousands of people gave generously to the campaign and dozens of businesses went out of their way to make it easy for their employees to give money or to donate their time as campaign volunteers.
But nobody deserves more credit that Larie Schoap. As drive chairman, she set the goal and organized the campaign capable of meeting the goal. Schoap, who has done so much in and for the community in past years, has earned another gold star by her name on the list of people who care about their neighbors.
Duane Dreiling deserves praise, too. As executive director of the United Way, he keeps the organization — and the agencies it helps support — operating 12 months a year.
But all of Schoap and Dreiling’s good intentions and hard work would have counted for nothing if there were not so many good-hearted people willing to listen, to give and to help.
jibberish66 (anonymous) says...
Where can a person find an accurate listing of the agencies United way supports?
January 10, 2008 at 6:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gr8ggogli (anonymous) says...
Not just _which_ agencies, but also _how much_ support each agency gets.
The Gazette used to publish this each year, but not the last several years. Why not? What are they hiding?
January 12, 2008 at 5:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
admireed (anonymous) says...
Go to the United Way office in the Kress Bldg. Figures always available and published
January 12, 2008 at 6:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gr8ggogli (anonymous) says...
Should each person who is interested go visit the Kress Building? or should the Gazette publish the breakdown of allocations when they come out? like they used to.
The figures may be _available_, but they have not been published in recent years. Why not?
January 13, 2008 at 7:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
admireed (anonymous) says...
gr8 would you want to bet on figures not being published in the Gazette in years?
January 13, 2008 at 10:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gr8ggogli (anonymous) says...
I have searched this website and could not find a story that includes the info I'm taking about:
Which agencies get how much money, and how much is spent on overhead.
If it has been published in _recent_ years, I have not seen it, nor have I been able to find it on this website.
I don't believe in gambling. And I don't feel like playing games with you, admireed. If you know where I (and others) can find this info, please do inform us.
January 14, 2008 at 8:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )