(Above, the all-time high new record total with fireworks as it appeared on the large screens of the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. More photos at the bottom of this page.)
MID-SOUTH AREA, MEMPHIS TN
FEBRUARY 28, 2008
Mid-South General Campaign Chairman Calvin Anderson of Blue Cross Blue Shield of TN announced that $26,542,051 was raised during the 2007-08 regional fundraising drive for United Way. This total surpasses the $26.5 million goal set in September 2007, represents the organization's eleventh consecutive goal-breaking drive and is an all-time high campaign result.
Anderson gave the announcement during the United Way Annual Meeting and Campaign Celebration on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at the historic Peabody Hotel in Memphis, TN in front of a crowd of 900 volunteers, board members and local media.
The event began with welcoming remarks from Ron Belz of Belz Enterprises, the 2006-07 United Way Chairman of the Board of Directors. During the course of the meeting, United Way's new Chairman of the Board, Charles Burkett of First Tennessee Bank, was formally installed into office during the Nominating Committee report presented by T. Michael Glenn from FedEx Corporation. Glenn is a past Chairman of the Board, and was the Nominating Commitee Chairman for 2007-08.
Belz's two years as Chairman were saluted with a humorous presentation of cartoon drawings which showed the crowd why the former chairman is truly considered a "United Way super hero," and also provided an informative look at the United Way's accomplishments for the Mid-South community under Belz's leadership.
Rabbi Shai Finkelstein of Baron Hirsh Synagogue led the crowd with an invocational prayer, and Larry Jackson of the National Letter Carriers of America led the crowd with the pledge of allegiance. Jackson is a new member of the United Way of the Mid-South Board of Directors.
Following the opening invocation and the pledge, Ron Belz told the crowd that the morning's meeting and the published United Way Annual Report were being dedicated to the memory of our honored friend, Jim Prentiss who passed away in February, 2008. Prentiss was a past recipient of United Way's Alexis deTocqueville award and helped the organization tremendously with his guidance and fundraising work.
On behalf of United Way, Ron Belz saluted the work of Tennessee State Senator Jim Kyle with a certificate of appreciation during the luncheon. On behalf of the Senator, his wife Sara Kyle (also an official with state govenment) graciously accepted the award and expressed her thanks to all United Way does for our region.
Martha Perine Beard of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Memphis Branch and John Crowe of Buckeye Technologies shared some of the $25,000 and above campaign results to begin the fundraising reports. Both Perine Beard and Crowe are members of the United Way of the Mid-South Board of Directors, and Perine Beard is the Community Impact Chairwoman for the organization.
Walt Drissel of St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital in Arkansas presented the prestigious G. Bradley Wanzer Award For Excellence to this year's chosen United Way partner agency, the Memphis Child Advocacy Center. The Memphis Child Advocacy Center received a trophy and $25,000 stipend to help continue their excellent work for the Mid-South. Walt Drissel was a judge on this year's Wanzer Award committee, and is a past Chairman of the Board of Directors for United Way of the Mid-South. Before presenting the award, Drissel acknowledged and thanked members of the Wanzer Family who were in attendance for the occasion.
Calvin Anderson presented the highly-anticipated Top 30 Campaigns Report, highlighting the thirty largest United Way fundraising campaigns in the Mid-South. After saluting these very generous companies, Anderson revealed the final total and the entire room stood up and applauded the new record total.
After Anderson was thanked for his hard work and friendly leadership, Chairman of the Board Charles Burkett introduced the crowd to the new General Campaign Chairwoman for the 2008-09 United Way fundraising campaign, Kathy Buckman Gibson of Bulab Holdings, the parent company of Buckman Laboratories. Buckman-Gibson reminded the crowd that just as our region's needs are always growing, the United Way campaign never reaches a final end, and said she hopes to see everyone ready to once again help people in need when the new campaign fully launches later this summer.
- end - photos below -
(Above, from left: Calvin Anderson, Ron Belz, Charles Burkett, Kathy Buckman Gibson)
(Above, from left, Ron Belz, Sara Kyle, United Way President Harry Shaw)
(Above, Rose Jackson Flenorl and Vicki Carayiannis from FedEx celebrate this year's amazing $5 million - plus FedEx campaign with United Way Sr. VP Fundraising Bryce Haugsdahl.)
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