The Peru Gazette

John Bernardi, United Way Ex. Director/CEO & Campaign Co-chairs

            The United Way of the Adirondack Region, Inc. has met the 2015 campaign goal of $725,000. The annual campaign is conducted primarily during the fall months and concludes in February of each year. This year’s campaign raised a total of $725,413.00 which includes proceeds from special events. Bruce Garcia of JCEO was the co-chair of this years drive and has been a long time supporter and partner of the local United Way organization. He said “we are so delighted to deliver this exciting news to our three county region. It is once again a testament to the generosity and caring nature of the North Country. It was very challenging this year and we are proud of what we have been able to achieve”. Marge Garcia of Adirondack Community Action Programs, Inc. was the co-chair of this year’s drive and has also volunteered on the campaign team for several years. She said, “It was a valiant team effort among campaign team volunteers, United Way staff and employee campaign representatives, but most of all, it was the generosity of businesses, organizations and individuals that made it successful.

I am always so impressed to see how people in our region come together for their friends and neighbors.” Other campaign team members included: Julie Kramer, Tony Searing, Jamie Basiliere, Lisa VanNatten, Jerry Morrow, Bruce Gray, Deena McCullough, Amy Kretser, Gayle Alexander, Dan Alexander, Ginger Phinney, Ellen Gordon, DaleAnne Wolter, Joelle Lamica, Jennifer Ward and staff members Marion Daniels, Kathy Snow, Rachel Brown, Leona Andrews, Mary Gibbs and John Bernardi, Executive Director/CEO.

The State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA) also wrapped up recently. The regional committee, led by Chair, Cherice Granger of SUNY Plattsburgh and Vice Chair, Bill Ferguson of Empire State Development, raised $110,000.00 among state employees across the region. $43,000.00 of that total was designated to United Way Partner Agencies and is therefore included in the campaign total. John Bernardi, Executive Director/CEO said, “The SEFA Committee is a great group of people and they make a big difference in our community”.

The mission of the United Way, which serves Clinton, Essex and Franklin Counties, is to be a leader in community partnership building and to increase the organized capacity of people to care for one another. The funds raised from this campaign will be allocated to local community partner agencies based on donor designations and agency applications for additional funds. A committee of community members will review requests for undesignated funds and recommend to the board of directors the awarding of grants based upon prioritized community needs throughout the region. Jerry Morrow, President of the United Way Board of Directors said, “All the funds stay local and go toward supporting critical services for our friends and neighbors here in the North Country”. Last year, the health and human service network supported by the United Way provided service to nearly eighty thousand people throughout Clinton, Essex and Franklin Counties.