Campaign 2007

Why should you support United Way? (click to find out)

The United Way of Broome County is presenting awards to the winning organizations in Broome County in 14 categories for their contributions to the 2007 United Way Campaign. These Corporate Challenge Awards are presented each year to the organizations with the highest per capita giving in each of the categories, considering both employee and corporate gifts. The winners for the 2007 Campaign are:

·         Small Businesses (24 or fewer employees) – Ind us trial Electroplaters

·         Mid-sized Businesses (25 to 99 employees) – Emerson Network Power

·         Large Businesses (100 to 499 employees) – UPS

·         Major Employers (more than 500 employees) - BAE Systems

·         Major Retailers – Macy’s

·         Auto Dealers - Miller Auto Team

·         Insurance, Brokers, and Finance – Mang Insurance Group

·         Large Banks and Insurance Organizations – NBT Bank

·         Professional Service Offices - Piaker & Lyons, P.C.

·         Food Sales and Distribution – Wegmans Food Market, Johnson City

·         Local Schools and Colleges – Broome Community College (employees)

·         Local Government Departments – Broome County Finance Department (employees)

·         Law Firms – Coughlin & Gerhart, L.L.P. and Levene, Gouldin & Thompson, L.L.P. (tie)

·         Not for Profit Organizations - United Way of Broome County

The Corporate Challenge Awards are being presented to each winning organization individually during March.

For the third year in a row, United Way of Broome County has raised more than $4 million in its annual fund drive. The total for 2007 is $4,000,487.

Campaign Chair John Leet said, “Thanks to the hard work of many volunteers, we have again raised more than $4 million this year, which will benefit 34 local member agencies and services as well as grant recipients during 2008.”

United Way continues to be the largest distributor of donated funds to health and human services programs in Broome County. Donations from the 2007 Campaign will go to more than 100 programs in six areas of community service: assisting older adults; responding to emergencies, including fighting hunger and homelessness; strengthening families; promoting health and wellness; helping young people succeed; and building a stronger community.

The residents of Broome County were served more than 190,000 times last year by United Way and its member agencies.

There were many examples this year of increased giving to United Way by both employees and organizations this year. For example, of 82 businesses engaged in manufacturing, service, and retail which conducted campaigns among their employees to benefit United Way, 30 achieved employee giving increases in 2007. These increases included one organization that achieved a 198 percent increase, and two others that reported increases of 80 percent and 42 percent, respectively. The increase to United Way from these three businesses totaled $11,910. In addition, seven businesses held employee campaigns to benefit United Way for the first time this year.

Similarly, 27 additional individual leadership donors (giving $1,000 or more) will be recognized with membership in the George F. Johnson Society for their pledges to United Way this year.

            Although the 2007 Campaign has ended, contributions to United Way of Broome County received through the end of the January will be credited to this year’s fund drive and will be distributed with the other Campaign funds beginning early next year. Donations can be mailed to United Way of Broome County, P.O. Box 550, Binghamton, NY  13902-0550.

Six Campaign Donors Win New Car, Other Incentive Prizes

The names of six winners of incentive prizes for donating to United Way’s 2007 Campaign were drawn at the Thank You/Awards Reception held at Terra Cotta on December 5. The winners were selected at a drawing during the event, which is held every year at the end of the Campaign season to thank participants.

The winners of the incentive prizes were:

•  Conner Deming of Apalachin, an employee of Wegmans won a 2007 Chevrolet Aveo from Gault Chevrolet in Endicott.

•  Charles S. Smith of  Johnson City, an employee of Lockheed Martin won a home theater system featuring a 42” plasma TV from Olum’s Furniture Co. of Vestal.

•  Gina Edgington of Conklin, an employee of United Health Services won $1,500 in Valero gasoline from Manley’s Mighty Mart.

•  Denise E. Carroll of Binghamton, an employee of Lockheen Martin; Tony Aikey of Vestal, an employee of Lockheed Martin; and Lou Gellatt, an employee of Frito-Lay each won a $1,000 gift card from Wegmans Food Market in Johnson City .

“We are grateful to Gault Chevrolet, Olum’s, Manley’s Might Mart, and Wegmans for graciously donating these items to help promote the Campaign in our community and reach more donors,” said John Leet, Chair of the 2007 Campaign. “Their generosity helped us to aid more people in Broome County during 2008.”

To be eligible for the drawing for the 2007 Chevrolet Aveo, a person must have pledged to contribute at least $3 per week to the 2007 United Way Campaign or volunteered as least 50 hours of time to an approved community project.

To be eligible for the drawing for the Home Theatre System, a person must have pledged to donate at least $2.50 per week to the 2007 United Way of Broome County Campaign or volunteered as least 10 hours of time to an approved community project.

To be eligible for the drawing for the $1,500 in gasoline, a person must have pledged to contribute at least $2 per week to the 2007 United Way of Broome County Campaign or volunteered as least eight hours of time to an approved community project.

The names of the three winners of $1,000 each in groceries were drawn from among those who have pledged to give at least $1 per week to the 2007 United Way of Broome County Campaign or volunteered as least four hours of time to a community project.

United Way and four local Citadel Broadcasting radio stations are combining efforts on a five-day promotion of the 2007 United Way Campaign, its yearly fund drive. It is the United Way/Citadel Broadcasting Community Care Challenge.

For five days, from Thursday, November 8, through Monday, November 12, disc jockeys from four local Citadel radio stations, WAAL-FM “99.1 the Whale”, WHWK-FM “98.1 the Hawk”, WNBF-AM “News Radio 1290”, and WWYL-FM “Wild 104” will live in a trailer at center court in Oakdale Mall. The stations will compete against each other to see which one can raise the most money for the United Way Campaign.

In addition, United Way and its member agencies will sponsor a variety of activities at Oakdale Mall for participation by visitors to the mall. A small donation to the United Way Campaign is requested for participation in some of these activities.

More than 150 volunteers from both United Way member agencies and local businesses have signed on to take turns accepting donations and coordinating other activities. Donations can be brought to the mall or may be submitted by calling a special telephone number which the radio stations will mention during the five-day event.

Five donors will be selected at random to roll four dice on the final day of the Community Care Challenge. If the dice spell C-A-R-E, the donor will win $25,000.

The Can Man is the title sponsor for the Community Care Challenge. No donation to United Way will be used to sponsor this promotion.  

The goal for the 2007 Annual Campaign of United Way is $4,040,000. It was announced September 18 by Campaign Chair John Leet at the start of United Way’s annual fund drive.

The goal is about $19,000 more than the $4,021,020 raised in the 2006 Campaign. The 2007 United Way Campaign began September 18 and will run through November 9. The funds raised will be distributed to local member agencies and services, as well as grant recipients, in 2008.

 Last year’s Campaign exceeded its goal, raising the highest amount in the last 13 years.

Campaign Chair and Cabinet Chosen

        John Leet, general manager of WICZ-TV, FOX 40, and WBPN-TV, has been named Chair of the 2007 United Way of Broome County Campaign, the organization’s annual fund drive.

A resident of the Greater Binghamton area for more than three decades, Leet serves as a member of the Greater Binghamton Rotary Club, and is currently a member of its Public Relations Committee. He is also a member of the board of directors of the Mental Health Association of the Southern Tier. Previously he served on the boards of the Binghamton Rotary Club, United Health Services Foundation, Binghamton Kiwanis, Lupus Foundation, American Cancer Society, Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally, Triple Cities Golf Association, and the Binghamton Country Club.

Leet is a graduate of Steed College in Johnson City, Tennessee. Following a career in radio and television sales, he became general manager of WMGC-TV (now WIVT, News Channel 34), in 1992 and was hired as general manager of WICZ-TV in 1997.
 

The other volunteers who will serve as leaders on the Campaign Cabinet also have been announced. Mark Capobianco, Vestal Central School District, will serve as the Associate Chair. The six Vice Chairs are: Patrick Brennan, Broome County government; Thomas P. Hoke, Lourdes Hospital; Thomas J. Meade Jr., Sunstream Corporation; Michael Mercincavage, Binghamton University; David L. Neifer, Levene Gouldin & Thompson; and James Silkworth, Universal Instruments.

Division chairs include Jason Andrews, Windsor Central Schools; Oliver N. Blaise III, Coughlin & Gerhart; Brian R. DeBoyace, Partners Trust Bank; John Dzury, Partners Trust Bank; Cynthia Smith Gordineer, American Red Cross, Southern Tier Chapter; David Kwiatowski, M.D., Candor Family Care; Michael Klein, Broome County government; Peggy Miller, Strategic Computer Solutions, Inc; Mario Petta, Macy’s; Linda Sebesta, United Health Services; Michael Wardell, Northwest Mutual Financial Network; and LoriAnne Welch, Partners Trust Bank.

Gordineer also will represent United Way member agencies on the Campaign Cabinet. Jeffrey Shafer, D.V.M., Vestal Veterinary Hospital, will represent United Way’s Community Services Division, which is responsible for the allocation of the funds raised during the Campaign. Ann McNichols, United Way President, is an ex officio member of the Campaign Cabinet.

The funds raised in the 2007 United Way Campaign will be allocated to support community programs at 30 local member agencies and to Venture and Special Assistance Grant recipients in 2008.

Updated: March 6, 2008