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United Way of Pontiac sets biggest goal to date
By Tony Sapochetti
tsapochetti@pantagraph.com
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PONTIAC -- The 2008-09 United Way of Pontiac campaign goal may be the charity’s most ambitious one yet, but officials hope a kickoff breakfast will energize the effort.

The $215,000 goal, the biggest to date, and how to reach it will be the focus of the breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Sept. 16 at the Pontiac Elks Club. The event will bring together United Way contributors, officials and volunteers, and continue the tradition of featuring a former Chicago Bears football player as the keynote speaker.

The goal is a bold one, but the community has always pulled through, said Dee Ingles, coordinator of United Way of Pontiac.

“The need has increased tremendously due to the economic times,” Ingles said. “There are a lot of things involved as the job market is not good and people are still recovering from the flood (in January).”

Ingles also said that some of the agencies funded by United Way have also cut back due to state funding, which contributed to raising the Unit Way goal.

The goal last year was $202,000, and the organization slightly exceeded it, she said.

This year’s speaker will be Wendell Davis, currently ranked as the 13th best receiver in Bears history. Davis was a 1988 first-round NFL draft pick and played six years for the Bears, leading the team in receiving yards two years in a row.

He also played for the Indianapolis Colts.

Davis, who lives in Mundelein, recently received a college degree in organizational management from North Park University in Chicago and owns a sports-themed barbershop franchise called Big League Barbers in Riverwoods.

He is married and has three children.

“We have always had tremendous reception of the speakers,” Ingles said. “They are very supportive of the United Way … and the crowd likes to hear about their NFL days too.”

The United Way of Pontiac helps fund 18 Pontiac-based, not-for-profit organizations, including the Boys and Girls Club, Livingston County Care Center and the Livingston County Community Pantry.

The campaign will run from Sept. 16 to Nov. 15, but the United Way raises money year round, Ingles said. The total for the 2008-09 campaign will not be revealed until early 2009.

“I feel cautiously optimistic,” United Way of Pontiac President Brian Gabor said. “The concern is with the downturn of the economy” and possible closure of Pontiac Correctional Center.

“I am optimistic that Pontiac has always been a very generous town,” he said.

Those interested in attending the breakfast or donating can call the United Way of Pontiac at (815) 844-5131.

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