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Raffle of last Janesville-built Tahoe pushes United Way past goal

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JANESVILLE — Despite the sour economy, the United Way of North Rock County exceeded its 2008 campaign goal by more than 11 percent, raising more than $1.5 million.

The goal was $1.35 million, but $1,306,720 in campaign pledges plus $200,460 raised by a raffle featuring the last Tahoe built at the Janesville GM plant pushed the total to $1,507,180.

And the United Way expects to collect a little more.

“Historically, we receive 2 to 3 percent more in the months following the annual meeting,” said Linda Lyke, community relations manager.

The results please 2008 campaign co-chairs Mike O’Brien, vice president of sales at WCLO/WJVL radio, and Dave Johnson, general manager at The Janesville Gazette.

“Dave and I are extremely pleased with this community’s response to our fundraising efforts given the tumultuous climate we’ve been operating in,’’ O’Brien said.

“United Way has been in the eye of the storm in 2008. I think they’re coming out soaking wet and still smiling. They’re doing extremely well under these conditions given the economic climate, flood on the Rock (River), the political environment and the losing of GM. We’ve emerged with proceeds that exceed our goal and couldn’t be happier,” he added.

“When Mike and I agreed to do this and we stumped around the city asking for people to contribute and asked for volunteers, we said this was going to be a tough year, and it was,’’ Johnson said.

But the response from people was overwhelmingly positive, he said.

“Our volunteer level was up. Our contributor base increased. Yes, we had a significant downturn in the manufacturing division, but a lot of other people picked up the slack. It was extremely pleasing to me the number of businesses who immensely increased the number of people that became involved in United Way,’’ Johnson said.

Although the 2008 campaign exceeded its goal, the total raised is more than 10 percent less than the $1.67 million raised during the 2007 campaign.

To make up for the shortfall, the United Way board in October voted unanimously to cut grants to member agencies by $245,718. The reductions came on top of $33,350 in cutbacks announced in May.

Local United Way Present Gail Graham said Phoebe Tobias and John Pearse, co-chairs of the 2009 campaign, already are meeting and mapping a strategy.

“We know 2009 will be a difficult year, and we will have to be innovative in our approach to the campaign. We have talked about better year-round communications and developing a volunteer team to go into companies and set up first-time campaigns,” Graham said.

Elections also took place during Wednesday’s annual meeting and include these new board members, who will serve three-year terms: Todd Brien, UAW Local 95; Kate Fitzgerald, Mercy Hospital; Mike O’Brien, WCLO/WJVL; Steve Servantez, Badger Veterinary Clinic; Pat Leuzinger, AFSCME Local 2489 Rock County; and John Wickhem, Wickhem Agency. Mary Fanning-Penny, Southwest Wisconsin Workforce Development Board, was elected to fill the unexpired term of Laurel Canan through 2011.

Board officers, who will serve during 2009, are: Lynn Gardinier, chair; Barry Badertscher, vice chair; John Pearse, treasurer and immediate past chair; Gail Graham, secretary and president.

The executive committee is made up of officers of the board, the immediate past board chair and two board members at large, who are Mari Anne Warren and Wickhem.