By By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
Sept. 14, 2002
United Way of East Mississippi received its first contribution from one of its Pace-Setter companies on Friday: $10,000 from the Boeing Co.
Leslie York, safety manager of Boeing, is an organizer of the company's Employee Community Fund Boosters which inspires employees to contribute part of their paychecks to United Way.
The Pace-Setter Campaign is made up of companies that begin their annual United Way fund-raising efforts Aug. 2 to set the pace for the organization's formal fund-raising campaign.
The formal campaign begins Tuesday with a breakfast at Kahlmus Auditorium on the Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus. There, Pace-Setter companies will announce the amount their employee contributions will raise for United Way.
United Way officials hope the Pace-Setter campaign will raise about 25 percent of the organization's total goal of $800,000.
Besides the Boeing Co., this year's Pace-Setter companies are Alliance Health Center; Citizens National Bank; Dillard's; East Mississippi Correctional Facility; J.C. Penney; Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center; Meridian Coca-Cola; The Mitchell Companies; and Mississippi Power Co.
Last year United Way of East Mississippi raised $765,000 to help fund several agencies and programs including the American Red Cross, the Boy Scouts of America, the Boys and Girls Club, the Care Lodge, Community of Hope Tutoring, Foster Grandparents, Friendship Center, Meridale Girl Scout Service Center and Hope Village for Children.
Other agencies that received funds included Meals on Wheels, Mental Health Association, Meridian Speech and Hearing Center, Peavey House, Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, Salvation Army; Wesley House and the Youth Excitement Program.