Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, January 27, 1994                   TAG: 9401270090
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Kathy Loan Staff Writer
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                 LENGTH: Medium

UW SHORT OF GOAL, BUT RECORD FUNDS RAISED

The campaign raised more than $770,000 and while that amount fell about $10, 000 short of the goal, United Way officials stressed that the amount raised and the efforts involved surpassed previous campaigns.

The total represents a $22,000 increase over the amount raised in the 1992 campaign.

Outgoing President T.O. Williams III praised the contributions of Bonnie Svrcek, the 1993 campaign chairwoman. Svrcek juggled United Way commitments with her full-time job as Blacksburg's assistant town manager. "What a

tremendous job she's done," Williams said. "She's clearly a team leader. She's raised a record amount of money."

Svrcek said the thanks went to more people than she.

"This campaign wasn't done by Bonnie Svrcek. It was done by everybody in this room," she said.

Svrcek highlighted the work of volunteers such as Kevin Helms, Virginia Tech's student service council president, who headed up the first student campaign there; of Don Wells of Pargo's who oversaw the first organized Leadership Giving Program, where donors were asked to contribute $500 or more to the campaign; and of volunteers who participated in the first Day of Caring kick-off, working alongside agencies and individuals who benefit from money raised by United Way.

"This is the start of something great in terms of educating our community," about the needs of the 35 agencies served by United Way. Svrcek

pointed to several companies who surpassed previous campaigns, helping to meet the goal. Those included:

Employees at Federal Mogul, who had the largest employee campaign. Employees' contributions were matched by the company for a total of $92,778 contributed.

Central Fidelity Bank, which had the highest per employee donation of $250.

Wolverine Gasket, where employee giving increased 51 percent over 1992. Employees at Litton Poly-Scientific and New River Industries increased their donations by more than 40 percent.

Several business with 100 percent participation, including Electro-Tec Corp., Townside Realtors, L.L. Brown Insurance Agency, Wheat First Securities, Christiansburg Printing Co., First Union Bank and Central Fidelity Bank.

"I'm very excited, one, that it's over, and two, that we're celebrating success," Svrcek said.

Williams said that as the assistance needs of the Montgomery County-Radford area increase, he expects that the goals of future campaigns will also increase.

"I think we'll soon be looking a a million dollar campaign to help those who are less fortunate," Williams said.

With the 1993 campaign barely over, the United Way staff and volunteers are now gearing up for the 1994 campaign. James D. Cole, a controller for the Virginia Tech Foundation Inc., was introduced as the new local president replacing Williams. Jo Lynn Price, assistant vice president of the Radford office of the First National Bank of Christiansburg, has been named campaign chairman, replacing Svrcek.