The Wadena Area United Way has passed the half-way mark of its 2007 fundraising goal of $27,000.
Marilyn Twete, the secretary for the organization, said as of last week, $14,837 had been received during this year's drive.
Two employee groups just donated large chunks of that total. The employee group of Tri-County Hospital exceeded its fundraising foal of $4,500 by a few dollars, Twete said. Meanwhile, the UPS employee group had nearly 100 percent participation and surpassed its $3,000 goal by 20 percent.
The drive runs at least through the end of December.
"We try to get the bulk of the drive over by the end of the year, but it's never too late to contribute," Twete said.
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Twete said the United Way is encouraging businesses this year to allow a United Way representative to speak directly to employee groups, rather than always hitting up the owner.
"They get hit up practically every day of the year," Twete said of local business owners. "We know that. And we sympathize. This takes some of the burden off the owner."
Contributions can be made in three forms, Twete said: a one-time gift, a pledge or a payroll deduction.
The Wadena Area United Way serves Wadena, Aldrich, Bertha, Deer Creek, Nimrod, Verndale, Hewitt, Menahga and Sebeka.
The organization funds these agencies locally: Boy Scouts, Children's Home Society, Habitat for Humanity, Kinship in Wadena, Girl Scouts, Madhatters, Rising Phoenix, Salvation Army, Tri-County Hospital, Wadena Meals from Wheels, Wadena RSVP, Wadena County DAC, Wadena County Crisis and Referral Program, Wadena Area Crisis Pregnancy Center, Wadena Senior Center and the Wadena/Verndale Food Shelf.
