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THIS IS YOUR UNITED WAY
(1977-1986)
Entering the fourth decade of our United Way, volunteers contributed
to accept the challenge. Allocations volunteers continued to
propose budgets based on the most immediate needs of our community.
Campaign leadership continued to raise increased amount to
meet these needs. And volunteers leadership continued to perfect
the system of "people helping people."
In 1977, Daylon Williams served as president and campaign
chairman. $188,121 was allocated for local human services.
Doug McElhinney was president in 1978 with Gordon Sweenie
serving as campaign chairman and Al Follachio as vice chairman.
$190,811 was allocated to local agencies.
In 1979, Gordon Sweenie became president and Joe Szollosi
campaign chairman. For the first time, our community topped
the $200,000 mark. $200,992 was allocated for local services.
With Mr. Szollosi as president in 1980, Richard Eldridge was
recruited as campaign chairman. Mr. Eldridge was an inspiring
leader and motivated many volunteers as the community prepared
for the annual United Way campaign. Illness prevented him from
leading the campaign volunteers, but an equally enthusiastic
young man, David Price, accepted the challenged. Thebudget
review and allocation committee, chaired by Steve Pennington,
had set minimum needs for local agencies of $246,867. The campaign
succeeded in raising over $240,000.
In 1981, Al Follachio served as president and Mr. Price was
again campaign chairman, with Charles Allgood serving as vice
president. John Campbell and his allocations volunteers determined
$272,073 as minimum needs for local human services. Over $253,000
was appropriated to local agencies.
Times were tough in 1981 in our area -- and tougher in 1982
when David Price became president of our United Way. The allocations
committee struggled, weighing the community’s need for
services caused by loss of jobs and federal cutbacks and our
area’s ability to respond to those needs in a depressed
economy. According to John Campbell, chairman of the budget
and allocations committee, "My group had to recommend
$311,000 as minimum needs for our area. We were unsure about
the community’s ability to respond but knew the needs
were there."
The challenge was met by Charles Allgood, 1982 campaign chairman;
his vice chairmen Carole Jones, Ken Kyle, Chip Nix and Chip
Sellers; and over 200 volunteers in our community.
Lynn Cochran accepted the challenge to involve Murray County
residents, businesses and service providers in our United Way.
Mrs. Cochran, Tom Ramsey and members of the Police Auxiliary
spear-headed this effort. Funding for the Murray County Community
Action Agency (Meals on Wheels and Outreach Family Development
programs), Murray County Developmental Center and Cherokee
Area Boy Scouts Council was proposed.
Under Mr. Allgood’s leadership, the combined effort
resulted in $334,081 to support human services in Northwest
Georgia.
At the Annual Membership meeting that year, Charles Allgood
became president and Carole Jones, vice president and campaign
chairman. A motion was carried that the name of the Whitfield
County Community Chest/United Appeal/United Way of Whitfield
County be changed to United Way of Northwest Georgia.
In 1983, the United Way of Northwest Georgia worked more than
ever. More than twenty volunteers reviewed budgets requested
by local agencies of over $500,000. A goal of $425,000 for
services in our area was set by the United Way board of directors.
Under the leadership of
Carole Jones and her vice chairmen Earl Ball, Lynn Cochran,
Chip Sellers and O’Neal Shaw, hundred of volunteers were
prepared to meet the challenge. Were they ever successful!
Over half a million dollars were pledged to support the services
of 22 local agencies.
In 1984, with Carole Jones as president, the by-laws were
revised to provide for four vice presidents, thereby giving
equal emphasis to all major functions of our United Way. Vice
president of fund raising was S.L. "Chip" Sellers;
budget and allocations chairman Dr. Frank Patterson, Jr.; planning
and agency relations chairman John Campbell; and public relations
chairman Shirley Lorberbaum.
Under the able leadership of Dr. Patterson, 25 volunteers
were recruited to evaluate agency budgets and requests for
support which were expected to be over $700,000. Chip Sellers
developed a winning team of campaign volunteers to meet the
challenge and our United Way kept on working.
A growing and confident group of volunteers, led by Chip Sellers
as president, was on its way to becoming a full service United
Way in 1985. Betty Mavity chaired the planning committee, which
set out to develop the first human services needs assessment
for Whitfield and Murray counties. The allocations committee,
under the leadership of Randy Bates, determined minimum needs
to fund member agencies and for United Way to respond to emerging
needs at $950,000. Bud Morrison led an extremely successful
campaign to over $1,000,000.
In 1986, in appreciation of each and every person who needed
or provided service and of the hundreds of volunteers and contributors,
United Way proclaimed the theme "The Magic is You...Thanks
a Million." Chip Sellers continued as president. The human
service needs assessment was released, providing a base of
planning information for community problem-solving. An ambitious
campaign goal of $1,250,000 was set and surpassed by Trammell
Scott and his campaign leadership.
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