A small crowd of board members and supporters gathered on the Callaway County Courthouse lawn Monday to celebrate another milestone year for the Callaway County United Way.
The United Way secured the donations that put it at its 2013 Fall Campaign goal of $265,000, as Honorary Campaign Chairs Barney and Jane Forsythe ceremonially marked the top of the thermometer chart that tallied the charitable group's progress.
"I would like to thank all the business, employees and individuals that contributed to the campaign this year," said Executive Director Kathy Richey Liddle in a statement released before the ceremony. "Our partner agencies provide more than 200 programs and services and nearly 20,000 people in Callaway County benefited from these services last year."
The United Way annually funds a number of agencies throughout Callaway County devoted to meeting health and human services needs. This year, the United Way will fund 13 partner agencies: the Boy Scouts Great Rivers Council, 4-H, the Callaway County Senior Center, Head Start, CARDV, the Family Counseling Center of Missouri, Girl Scouts, CASA, Phoenix Home Care, Kingdom Projects, Mid-Missouri Legal Services, Our House and SERVE, Inc.
Despite raising its campaign goal from $261,000 to $265,000, the United Way broke last year's record for the shortest amount of time it raised it's goal amount. Board President Glenn Harris said it's also on its way to being the group's most successful fundraising year overall.
"The campaign isn't over yet," Harris said. "The more funds we secure, the more we're able to raise to make Callaway a better place."