NORMAL - United Way of McLean County on Wednesday announced a "bold" 2008 fundraising campaign goal of $4,638,000, a 3 percent increase over the $4,490,675 raised last year. | Archive: United Way to skip 'pacesetter' campaign this year

Campaign Chairman Alan Chapman conceded during United Way's campaign kickoff event at Fairview Park in Normal that times are tough for some people with rising costs for food, fuel and health care.

Despite the economic challenges, most McLean County businesses are doing well, said Chapman, a retired Unit 5 superintendent. Chapman challenged the 75 community leaders at the kickoff - and other county residents who are doing well financially - to consider a modest increase in their United Way giving to help those who cannot pledge this year.

The United Way campaign runs through Dec. 31.

"All of us are interlinked and interdependent," he said. United Way is about advancing the common good and investing in the community, he said.

"This goal is bold, aggressive and achievable," Chapman said. "We don't achieve bold results without setting bold goals."

Chapman told The Pantagraph after the event that United Way volunteers and staff came up with the $4.6 million goal after meeting with corporate leaders throughout the summer.

"I think it's realistic. We've talked with a lot of people to get their views of what their employees can do," he said. "There's universal recognition that this is a challenging time for many. But many of our businesses are doing well, and we think there's a lot of potential for continued support of United Way."

Money raised supports programs trying to solve root causes of problems involving families, children, the elderly, people with disabilities, the homeless and people in need of health care. This year, United Way is helping to fund 46 programs at 29 local social service agencies.

United Way President Greg Cott and United Way volunteers Larry Nolan and Steve Beasley spoke about four new countywide initiatives involving United Way:

• United Way 211, a crisis information hotline, is scheduled to be piloted by PATH (Providing Access To Help) in McLean, Livingston and DeWitt counties in October.

• United Way's Web site (www.uwaymc.org) has been updated with a volunteer page where organizations may post their volunteer needs and individuals may search for volunteer opportunities.

• An Education Vision Council, chaired by Nolan, director of customer service operations at Country Financial, is meeting to determine how to help youth with school readiness and academic achievement. Nolan said this year the council will focus on how to help high school freshmen.

• An Income Vision Council, chaired by Beasley, account support consultant with Hewlett Packard, is working on how to promote financial stability and independence among individuals. The council's first effort, in conjunction with volunteers from the Illinois Farm Bureau family of companies, will be to help 1,000 families who haven't yet filed federal tax forms so they can obtain stimulus payments. Results would be $300 or more for each family and $300,000 or more for the community, Beasley said.

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Loaned executives

United Way of McLean County introduced its 2008 loaned executives at the campaign kickoff on Wednesday. Loaned executives are loaned by their companies through mid-November to work with United Way staff and volunteers to help manage company employee campaigns and secure corporate gifts.

Loaned executives from State Farm Insurance Cos. are Suzanne Frey, Dustin Goodrich, Nicholas Johnston, Cheri Lynn Oakley, Mike Pool and David Tyler. Joann Reidy is the loaned executive from Country Financial.

SOURCES: Greg Cott, United Way of McLean County