The serious business of raising money for people in need took a light turn Friday morning as a cardboard cut out of Billy Blanchard — chairman of the 2009 United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley campaign — was carried into a breakfast meeting at the W.C. Bradley Co.
Donning a “Live United” T-shirt and plastic guitar, the life-size model resembled a rock star. The words “Y’all rock!” were written on the display.
The cut out stayed in the room as about 30 people gave their bimonthly reports of fundraising progress.
So far, the annual campaign has raised $3.7 million, or 58.7 percent, of its $6.4 million goal.
“You would not know that times are tough from the outstanding campaign results we have seen from this past week,” Blanchard said in a prepared statement.
Blanchard is the new president of CB&T, and is also the third generation in his family to head the local campaign.
“The outpouring of support so far in this campaign is a proud tradition of the people of the Chattahoochee Valley,” added Scott Ferguson, president and CEO of United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley.
Meeting highlights
Among the highlights on Friday:
Region’s Bank doubled its employee pledges this year; SunTrust exceeded its goal by 10 percent; and Kellogg’s surpassed its goal by $10,000. The Columbus Cottonmouths, a hockey team, also donated the proceeds from a recent exhibition game, and the Hilton Garden Inn kicked off its first campaign.
United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley serves 56 area programs and 26 agencies in Chattahoochee, Harris, Marion, Muscogee, Russell, Stewart, Talbot and Taylor counties in Georgia and Russell County in Alabama.
Lynn Hart, raising money for local agencies, gave a testimony Friday about United Way recently coming to her aid. Two days after a car break-in, her family’s home burned.
“I am very humbled by the community that has come forth for me,” said Hart, who received vouchers for clothing.
She tried to imagine people without homeowners’ insurance, or people without a home at all, who also benefit from United Way programs.
“You don’t know when it’s going to be you needing to call people for help,” she said.
The next update meeting will be Nov. 19 8:15 a.m. at the W.C. Bradley Co. For more information, call 706-327-3255.
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