United Way kicks off Annual Week of Caring
The United Way of Butler County on Friday kicked off its annual Week of Caring, its 2009-10 annual fundraising campaign, and remembered the events of Sept. 11, 2001.
The events occurred in the morning in Diamond Park on Main Street.
Leslie Osche, the United Way executive director, said this year's campaign goal is $1.3 million, $200,000 less than in the previous five years.
The money will go to county nonprofit agencies approved by the United Way through an application of funds program. No agency or project is guaranteed money through a new funding distribution program.
There are about two dozen member agencies.
Vic Rozic of Calumet-Penreco in Karns City said he is honored to have been chosen to serve as campaign chairman this year.
"We are facing some challenges from the economy to not having a (state) budget and the organizations hurting, we have to do the best we can," he said, adding that he hopes to educate more people about what the United Way does for county residents.
The United Way then held a remembrance for the victims of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, including a wreath-laying ceremony and a flag ceremony by the Butler High School Junior ROTC.
At the end of the event, the flag was folded and handed to Henry Dimmick, chief executive officer of AGR International, who led a group of bicyclists to Northpointe in Seven Fields, where a luncheon was held along with another flag ceremony by the Seneca Valley High School Junior ROTC. The cyclists were escorted by the state police.
Friday also marked the kickoff of the United Way's Week of Caring, in which more than 390 workers and individuals will work on about 35 projects. Many of those volunteers will come from businesses, agencies and labor unions.
That work continues next week.
