BUTLER TWP — The United Way of Butler County this morning celebrated raising more money than it expected during the 2011-12 campaign.

About 200 United Way members, Leadership Butler County members and this year’s Red Apple Award winners attended the 79th annual United Way meeting and breakfast in Founders Hall on Butler County Community College’s campus.

This year’s goal was set at $1.5 million, $200,000 more than the United Way chapter has been able to raise in any of the past five years, but in the end it exceeded the set goal, raising $1.7 million.

Leslie Osche, the United Way’s executive director, said the money will go to the group’s 23 health and human services member organizations, as well as an additional donation being made to the Center for Community Resources’ utility point of contact program, a possible donation to the Community Health Clinic of Butler County and to build up the United Way’s reserve fund.