By By Adam Prestridge
Without funding from the United Fund several agencies throughout Atmore and Escambia County couldn't provide the assistance and benefits they have to offer.
That's especially true this year.
"It's varying degrees of percentage of revenue for the different agencies, but it's critical to every one of them," United Fund president Shep Marsh said. "There are several of them that have got a lot of stress put on them right now because of Katrina. We didn't get a direct hit from that hurricane, but we're getting some really heavy indirect hits in terms of some of the agencies, Red Cross is one that certainly jumps out and Christian Care Ministries is another one. Agencies like that have demands on them from evacuees who are coming here needing help. In a time when there's an added demand on people's resources there's also an added demand on the agencies that United Fund supports. It's critical more than ever that we meet our goal."
This year the United Fund's goal is $75,000. Agencies throughout the area submit request for financial assistance in July and depending on how much is raised determines how much each of the agencies request are met.
The United Fund will host its kick off luncheon at noon today (Wednesday) at the Atmore Lions Community Center. Marsh said preparations for the event are going well.
"It's all coming together, we're going to get there," Marsh said. "We had about six of the ladies get together and pulled it off. So the luncheon's going to happen and we're going to make the drive happen too. I just want to get beyond the luncheon. We'll meet later this month to focus on the drive and make sure we get all the businesses contacted because that's where the bulk of the money comes from the business itself or from payroll deduction from the employees of the businesses. That's where it really happens."
McElhaney's will be catering the luncheon, which will feature Thomasville mayor Sheldon A. Day as the guest speaker.
Day has served as mayor of the City of Thomasville since 1996. He is currently serving his third term. Sheldon graduated from Thomasville High School in 1978 and attended Patrick Henry Junior College (now Alabama Southern Community College) in Monroeville before beginning a career in retail management.
Sheldon has a long list of accolades and serves on several boards and committees throughout the state. He has served for 24 years as a volunteer firefighter and is an active member in Pineview Baptist Church. He has been married for 20 years to Carol Ann and they have three children, Allison; 18, Kaitlin, 14; and Zachary, 12.