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THIS IS YOUR UNITED WAY
(1987-1997)
1984 marked the 41st year of the United Way of Northwest Georgia
and the 100th year of the United Way movement. In celebration
of those milestones, the board of directors made a commitment
to double United Way’s capacity to serve in the next
five years. That would require not only doubling dollars but
doubling volunteer involvement and United Way’s responsiveness
to changing community needs. United Way plans to meet the challenge
of doubling its capacity to service by 1991.
Officers for 1987 included Denny Donegan, President; Maureen
Platt; Vice President - Allocations; Joe Stubbs, Campaign Chairman;
Ed Cooper, Vice President - Public Relations; Brooks Lansing,
Vice President - Planning; and Karl Jordan, Treasurer. Volunteers
involved in allocations were doubled and the process made more
year-round. Joe Stubbs conducted a most successful campaign,
raising a total of $1,430,688. A year-round communications
program was developed and a long-ranged plan was drafted. The
annual meeting was conducted as a rally for volunteerism, emphasizing
United Way’s commitment to double its capacity by 1991.
In 1988, under the leadership of Tom Ramsey, President; Maureen
Platt, Vice President - Allocations; Jim Jolly, Campaign Chairman;
Ronnie Nix, Vice President - Public Relations; Jim Hazel, Vice
President - Planning; Hank Dixon, Personnel and Facilities
Chairman; and Karl Jordan, Treasurer. United Way continued
its efforts to double its capacity to serve people of the Northwest
Georgia area. The annual report contained an update on the
five year goal.
Our annual campaign was on track to double with increases
of 25% in 1986, 14% in 1987 and 12% in 1988 -- an overall increase
of 58%. Most importantly, United Way member agencies reported
the number of people served in Northwest Georgia over the same
period had increased from 12,993 to 24,526 people -- an increase
of 89%.
Also in 1988, the United Way office was relocated to 214 W.
Gordon Street. A long term lease and commitment for in-kind
contributions greatly reduced the cost of the relocation and
enhancement of United Way’s facilities. Special donors
absorbed the total dollar outlay for the relocation.
Under the leadership of Karl Jordan, President; Tom Ramsey,
Campaign Chairman; Rick Klein, Vice President - Allocations;
Maureen Platt, Vice President - Planning; Jerry Sanford, Vice
President - Public Relations; and Hank Dixon, Vice President
- Personnel, an organizational analysis was conducted and long-range
goals established in 1989. These included:
o Be the recognized leader in Northwest Georgia for meeting
community needs. Shape Northwest Georgia’s community
human services delivery system by making informed decisions
about funding for non-profit human services.
o Be on our way to $3,000,000 in 5 years -- $2,000,000 in
2 years.
o Increase financial stability through decrease in uncollectibles
and increase in contributions to reserve as specified by the
board.
The campaign was successful in raising $125,000 new dollars
for human services, but fell short of an ambitious $1,800,001
goal.
The new decade began with United Way clearly on course to
reach long-range goals. Stanley Warren became President and
was supported by Scott Sellers, Treasurer; Elvin Farrar, Campaign
Chairman; Rick Klein, Vice President - Allocations; George
Sutherland, Vice President - Planning; Steve Adkins, Vice President
- Public Relations; Alex Morrow, Personnel Chairman, and Maureen
Platt, Area-wide Development Chairman; and hundreds of community
volunteers.
A comprehensive human service needs assessment was developed.
Five focus areas were identified as our community’s most
pressing human service needs. They include affordable health
care, alcohol and drug abuse prevention and intervention, education,
basic financial needs and information and referral.
The campaign was very successful, raising $1,888,670, even
as our community slipped into a recession. This success allowed
an increase in overall allocations of 9.6% as well as supplementing
reserves for financial stability.
"United We Care...Together We Share" was the focus
of United Way in 1991 with Rick Klein as president. Stan Crawford
was campaign chair whose leadership inspired a goal of $2,000,000
PLUS in a very uncertain economy. Larry McNeilly led the planning
process with extensive work in each of the focus areas to develop
goals to solve identified community problems. Linda Blackman
further enhanced the fund distribution process and increased
agency allocations by 6.48%. David Joyner guided the marketing
committee. Other officers included Brad Rowe, treasurer; Fletcher
Dunn, personnel; and Maureen Platt, nominating committee. The
year culminated with a board retreat to reaffirm and further
define goals for the next five years.
As we celebrated the accomplishments of 1992, we were reminded
of the challenges and opportunities that this year held. The
national recession coupled with the controversy at United Way
of America certainly created major challenges. With strong
leadership David Joyner, chairman of the board; Linda Blackman,
chairman-elect and Charles Hendry, treasurer; the United Way "family
of volunteers" pulled together and saw the opportunities.
Other leadership included William Edwards, fund distribution;
Florence Brent, community problem solving; Lynn Cochran, personnel;
and Julie Harper, marketing. The campaign led by Sara. C. "Skeeter" Pierce
was most successful in raising more than $2,122,000 to meet
community needs.
At the beginning of 1993, with Linda Blackman as chairman
of the board, the United Way board of directors made a commitment
that "our focus would remain centered on the people of
our community - those who want to help and those who need help
- to ensure that the future of our community is brighter and
fuller for all of us."
Through the year, we focused on the real people in our community
who have found real solutions through our United Way agencies.
Many people shared their stories of hope and help, re-enforcing
to the rest of us that by supporting United Way, we are helping
others in our community. As a result, the campaign raised $223,975
new dollars for a total of $2,286,681 under the leadership
of Charles Hendry. Other United Way leadership included Karen
Brewer, fund distribution chair; Lynn Cochran, personnel chair;
William Edwards, chairman-elect; Louis Fordham, marketing chair;
John Tice, community problem solving chair; Rick Klein, treasurer
and Larry McNeilly chaired the nominating committee.
Early in 1994 our United Way began to work on a strategic
direction to guide United Way through its fiftieth year of
serving the community and beyond. The board of directors leadership
included William Edwards, chairman; Sara C. "Skeeter" Pierce,
chairman-elect and Max Blocker, treasurer; Committee chairs
were Brad Rowe, campaign; Gerald Merritt, community problem
solving; Peggy Lingle, fund distribution; Louis Fordham, marketing;
Linda Blackman, nominating; and Larry McNeilly, personnel.
The board reaffirmed our mission to increase the organized
capacity of the people of Northwest Georgia to care for one
another; established their vision to be the preferred and most
effective way to respond with human and financial resources
to build the most caring community. Our values include: be
volunteer driven and controlled, focus on results, measure
return on investment, complete accountability, develop total
financial resources and create focus for human services.
Other significant even during 1994 included establishing computer
network of agencies providing emergency food and shelter, the
celebration of 10 years of leadership giving and establishment
of the Morrison Society, the first annual United Games event,
and increasing the annual campaign to $2.4 million.
In 1995 the board of directors with the leadership of Sara
C. "Skeeter" Pierce, chairman, completed their plan
for strategic direction. The goals included:
o Maximize United Way’s ability to raise fund through
promotion of corporate citizenship and personal responsibility.
o Develop an effective year-round marketing plan to communicate
ongoing activities and results to selected audiences through
specific messages.
o Maximize volunteer leadership through recruitment, orientation,
education and active involvement of community leaders in United
Way.
o Fund services based on results and continuously refine the
fund distribution process from the perspective of donors, volunteers,
agency representatives and service recipients.
o Facilitate effective community response to help people be
the best they can be.
o Demonstrate commitment to measure and improve organizational
performance.
Volunteer leadership included Max Blocker, treasurer; Stan
Crawford, chairman-elect; Cleon Sumner, campaign chair; Earl
Ball, community problem solving chair; Mark Ketchem, fund distribution
chair; Deana Farmer, marketing chair; William Edwards, nominating
committee chair; and Gordon Morehouse, planned giving chair.
A program of measuring results to support funding human services
was implemented and the campaign was successful in raising
more than $2,440,000.
In December of 1995, an ad hoc Strategic Marketing Committee
under the volunteer leadership of Clint Eason and George Woodward
was formed to develop a long-range marketing plan.
In the 1996-97 campaign year, under the leadership of Stan
Crawford as board chair; Earl Ball, community problem solving
chair; Karen Brewer, treasurer; Clint Eason, marketing chair;
Chuck Gavin, personnel chair; Bryan Macon, fund distribution
chair; Gordon Morehouse, chair-elect; Sara C. "Skeeter" Pierce,
nominating chair; and Doug Squillario, campaign chair, the
goal was set at $2,475,000. With this driven group, the goal
was met and surpassed raising $2,540,473.
It was also a year of major change for the organization. President,
Nancy Hilley, resigned in April after 14 years of service.
During her tenure, she increased the campaign from $250,000
to almost $2.5 million. Under her leadership the staff increased
from two to seven and the volunteer base increased to almost
1,000.
A search committee was formed to find a replacement. It was
chaired by Sara C. "Skeeter" Pierce. Other members
included: Linda Blackman, William Edwards, Jim Jolly and Gordon
Morehouse. Stan Crawford and Chuck Gavin, IV served as ex officio
members.
On July 1, 1996, David Aft was named President and Chief Professional
Officer. Mr. Aft was selected from a pool of 65 applicants.
He came from Little Rock, Arkansas, where he served as Vice
President, Resource Development for the United Way of Pulaski
County.
The 1996 campaign, chaired by Doug Squillario, will be remembered
as one that brought new
focus and enthusiasm to the United Way. Under Squillario’s
leadership, growth was seen in all sectors of the annual drive.
Knowing that the effort would need support from all elements
of our community, Squillario recruited Julian Saul to chair
a new program called the Alexis de Tocqueville Society. The
Society, which provides both local and national recognition
to individuals contributing $10,000 or more to the annual campaign,
represented an aggressive approach to involving business and
industrial leaders in the annual fundraising effort. With Squillario’s
support and the tremendous personal investment of Julian Saul,
our society attracted 23 founding members and was recognized
nationally with the Fleur de Lis award for the "most outstanding
new society". The award was presented at the Community
Leaders Conference in Chicago, Illinois.
In 1997, with Gordon Morehouse as chairman; Mike Andersen,
fund distribution; Karen Brewer, treasurer; Stan Crawford, nominating chair; David
Jolly, marketing chair; Jim Jolly, major gifts chair, Drayton Sanders, community initiatives
chair; Doug Squillario, chair-elect, and Frank Thomason, campaign chair, the campaign goal was
set at $2,575,000. We met our goal and raised $2,635,000.
In 1997, United Way served 30 agencies, as listed below:
- Alzheimer’s Association of NWGA American Red Cross-Dalton
- American Red Cross-Murray County Big Brothers Big Sisters
- Boehm Birth Defects Center Boy Scouts, NWGA
- Cheerhaven Dalton/Whitfield Group Home
- Epilepsy Foundation of NWGA FCSC-Consumer Credit Counseling
- FCS-School Outreach Program 4-H Clubs of Murray County
- 4-H Clubs of Whitfield County Friendship House
- Girl Scouts of NWGA Hamilton Home Health
- Infant Preschool Council Looper Speech & Hearing Center
- Murray Co. Developmental Center NGCAA Elderly Meals Program
- NWGA Council on Child Abuse NWGA Family Crisis Center
- Northwest Home Health Agency Salvation Army
- STAR House State YMCA
- Valuable Industrial Producers Voluntary Action Center
- Whitfield Commons Whitfield-Dalton Day Care
The Tocqueville Society increased membership to twenty-nine.
The community also came together at our Kickoff to celebrate
Lulu Westcott’s 100th birthday.
The celebration included a video focusing on Mrs. Westcott’s
contributions to United Way and our community.
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