UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN AT 95% OF GOAL

The Area Wide United Way campaign has reached 95 percent of its goal of $470,000, the campaign chairman said Thursday.

Harry Rediger said the organization hopes to announce it has reached its goal by late next week.

"We are approaching half a million dollars," he said. "It would be the biggest campaign we've had in the city."

The campaign began Sept. 5. Twenty-four charitable organizations will benefit from this year's campaign.

It was originally hoped that the campaign would reach its goal by early November. But Rediger said it should be wrapped up by mid-December.

"It's been fairly typical over the last few years that our campaign has drug on a little longer than we would have liked," he said. Allocation time is scheduled for Dec. 18.

There are several thousand dollars in outstanding contributions that will hopefully be collected soon, he said.

"We are contacting those who have not yet met their goals, particularly in the professional division; they are farthest from their goal right now," he said. "I feel there's a lot of opportunity left to collect our goal."

Rediger said a recent donation of about $150,000 by Proctor & Gamble helped boost the campaign.

The $470,000 goal is 5.5 percent more than the United Way attempted to raise last year. But Rediger said he is confident the goal is attainable.

"It's quite a stretch from last year, but I think judging from what's happened in the community so far" the campaign will be successful, he said.

Many individual companies contributed to the campaign, and most donations increased from last year, he said.