Seward County United Way to kick off 50 th Anniversary Campaign Sept. 9

The Seward County United Way will be kicking off its 50 ^th Anniversary Campaign at a Liberal Chamber of Commerce Breakfast at 7 a.m. Friday, Sept. 9, at Seward County Community College. This year, the goal is $325,000, the highest goal ever set for the local United Way.

“According to our IRS letter, the Seward County United Way was given its official non-profit status in 1961,” said Kay Burtzloff, executive director of the Seward County United Way. “While it might have had some earlier beginnings as a community chest, we know that is when it officially become a United Way. For 50 years we’ve been supporting non-profits in this community and it adds up to literally millions of dollars of support.”

Burtzloff said that the United Way increased its funding to the agencies more than $30,000 in the past year. “My board made the decision to provide additional funds to the agencies this year. Many of our agencies, like the Stepping Stone Shelter and the Liberal Area Rape Crisis and Domestic Violence Center, have had their grants cut this year. We haven’t been able to replace all the lost funding but we have been able to help.”

Rather than picking one campaign chair, this year there will be a 50 ^th Anniversary Campaign Committee. “We’ve invited chairs from the last 10 years who are still in the community to serve on the committee and I’m happy to say we have a strong team of seven members,” Burtzloff said. Member of the 50 ^th Anniversary Campaign Committee include Alicia Bird, Jack Cooley, Henry Helmke, Enrique Franz, Michele Gillespie, Jana Jantzen and Tony McKee.

In 2011, the Seward County United Way is funding 28 agencies, 20 of which provide services beyond Seward County. The 28 agencies include American Red Cross, Arthritis Foundation, Big Brother Big Sister, Boy Scouts, Crossroads, Girl Scouts, Homecare, Inc. (Liberal Food Cupboard), Kansas Children’s Service League, KIDS Inc., Kansas Legal Services, Liberal Area Rape Crisis & Domestic Violence Services, Liberal Care Center, Liberal Latchkey, Liberal Weissel Boxing Club, LINK, Parents and Children Together (PACT), Salvation Army, Senior Citizen Friendship Meals, Seward County Safety Council, Seward County Senior Care, Seward County Veterans Services, SKADAF (Drug and Alcohol Treatment), Smart Start, Stepping Stone Shelter, Southwest Aquatics Team (SWAT), Southwest Guidance Center, United Cerebral Palsy and a new start-up agency, the Whirlwind Career Counseling and Guidance Center for Veterans and First Responders.

“We have some great door prizes and we’re planning a dynamic start to our 2012 Campaign. We will be announcing some of the events we already have set up to help make this a fun campaign year,” Burtzloff said. Cost for the breakfast is $7.50 and reservations may be made with the Chamber at 624-3855. Reservations need to be made by noon, Thursday, Sept. 8.