North Georgia Sets Record
United Way Campaign in Walker, Catoosa & Dade Counties Sets New Record

2011 NORTH GEORGIA CAMPAIGN SETS NEW RECORD

The 2011 Campaign Chair for Walker, Catoosa and Dade Counties, Mary Carpenter, announced that United Way’s Campaign in North Georgia raised $650,551 – a $70,000 increase over the tri-county area’s goal. Of the 2011 total, 100 percent of donations not designated will be used for services delivered in these three counties.

Mrs. Carpenter credits this success not only to her campaign committee, but to the generosity of area donors and businesses.

“The goal of $580,000 seemed unapproachable,” said Mrs. Carpenter, “But with hard work, a great campaign committee and perseverance – it paid off.”

Mrs. Carpenter thanked donors who responded overwhelmingly. “I have heard of so many personal stories and attributes of United Way. United Way is a wonderful outreach to so many deserving organizations that provide much needed services in our three counties. I feel like we have planted many seeds this year and I look forward to a bigger and better campaign next year. God Bless all of those who gave.”

It was also announced that Shaw Industries, located in Catoosa and Walker Counties, won the 2011 Large Company of the Year Award. Shaw’s team of volunteers who lead their campaign were selected as the 2011 Campaign Volunteers of the Year for their many hours of work on meetings and events at Shaw Plants across the region.  

Mrs. Carpenter’s campaign team members were Leonard Fant, Catoosa County School Board member Jane Everett, Susan Gibson with Shaw Industries, Mark Hartline with Shaw Industries, Robert Hitchcox with Coca-Cola Bottling, Bob Naughton with First Tennessee Bank, Jeff Riddlebarger with Shaw Industries, John Shadden with Starkey Printing, Michael Signiski with Roper Corporation, Eddie Upshaw, and Doris White. Mrs. Carpenter, who is Vice-President of Marketing at Gateway Bank in Ringgold, Georgia, has been selected to serve again as the 2012 Campaign Chair for United Way in Walker, Catoosa and Dade Counties.

The following programs in Walker, Catoosa and Dade Counties are funded by contributions to United Way: 

• Adult/Child Mentoring (Big Brothers Big Sisters)
• Comprehensive Youth Services (Boy Scouts)
• Parents are Teachers (Catoosa Co. Communities in Schools)
• Legal Advocacy (Family Crisis Center)
• Supervised Visitation (Four Points)
• Comprehensive Youth Services (Girl Scouts)
• Puppetry Education (Kids on the Block)
• Christmas Assistance (Lafayette Empty Stocking Fund)
• Adult Services (Orange Grove Center)
• Deaf Services (Partnership FCA)
• Oral Health Services (Primary Health Care Center)
• Emergency Services (Salvation Army)
• Speech and Hearing Services (Speech and Hearing Center)
• Food Pantry (Tri-State Food Pantry)
• United Way Project Ready for School (Ferst Foundation)
• Walker County 4-H (Walker Extension Services)
• Before/After School Programs (YMCA)
• Summer Day Camp (YMCA)

United Way in Walker, Catoosa and Dade Counties funds local programs that create opportunities for people to care for themselves and each other, making our community the best at helping people achieve their potential. Thanks to an endowment fund that covers all overhead and administrative expenses, all contributions (100 percent) go directly to services that help individuals and families in Walker, Catoosa and Dade Counties. Unless the donor designates their gift outside North Georgia, all funds raised in North Georgia through United Way’s annual campaign are used in North Georgia to ensure that residents will directly benefit from local dollars contributed to the campaign.

Call United Way at 423-752-0300 or go to www.LiveUnitedWCD.org for more information or to get involved.