UWAC announces 2012 campaign chair, fundraising goal

The United Way of Anderson County has named a chair for the 2012 fundraising campaign and announced a fundraising goal of $1.4 million.

Tom Hilton is the chair, and “Lives Touched Through Sustained Services” is the theme of this year’s fundraising campaign, a press release said.

“It will take about $1.4 million to sustain services and be there when people need us,” Hilton said. “With the dollars you donated last year, we were able to be there when someone needed help over 51,000 times.”

That is an increase from 46,000 lives “touched” the previous year, the release said. Lives touched is an important indicator of UWAC success, said Jimmy Stone, UWAC board chair.

“For years, people measured our success in dollars raised,” he said. “Yet our real work is supporting our community partners in providing services needed in our community.”

Sometimes, touching a life is having the Anderson County Rescue Squad showing up at the scene of an accident, the release said. At other times, it may be a well-stocked food pantry or a compassionate ear on the CONTACT Helpline.

In 2011, UWAC partnered with the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge and TNAchieves to help 137 high school seniors attend a local community college.

“Most people understand that as the economy gets more and more strained, demands for services rise,” UWAC Executive Director Rick Morrow said. “The pressure on the social service agencies is substantially increasing, and the resources are shrinking.”

Hilton said he is up to the challenge.

“We assembled an outstanding team this year,” he said.

Mike Belbeck serves as the Campaign Cabinet’s past chair, David Bradshaw chairs the Pillar Society, Brenda Curtis oversees the Loaned Executives, Jenny Freeman will lead the effort to reach new businesses, D. Ray Smith heads up the Major Donor initiative, and Jim and Marilyn Reafsynder act as the retiree liaisons.

Hilton, a graduate of Leadership Oak Ridge, served as president of the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge in 2004-2005, chair of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce in 2009, and president of the Methodist Medical Center Foundation. He now serves on the Methodist Medical Center Advisory Board.

Hilton also served as chair of the board of directors of the Tennessee Credit Union League from 2002- 2003.

UWAC and its 36 community partners with 65 vital programs address three core community needs: basic human needs, youth development, and the needs of seniors, the release said. For more information, call (865) 483-8431 or visit www.uwayac.org.