N. MERCER COUNTY

United Way sets slightly lower goal

With an eye toward a local economic downturn, Northern Mercer County United Way Wednesday set its sights on a slightly less ambitious goal than it had a year ago.

During a campaign kick-off luncheon in Greenville Country Club, Sue Anderson Nicklin, campaign vice chairwoman, announced a $240,000 goal for the 2000 effort. Campaign chairman is Chris Loutzenhiser, a local funeral director.

"We’ve been told this is realistic, but it may be a struggle," Mrs. Nicklin said.

The 2000 goal is $5,000 less than the 1999 goal., which the campaign met.

"Because there’s been a little economic downturn, we thought it may be more realistic," said Diana Huff, United Way executive director, after the luncheon.

The Greenville area’s major employer, Trinity Industries -- Greenville Rail Car Division, has been practically idle for nearly a year.

With the major industrial employer down, the campaign will have to look for new opportunities, Mrs. Huff said.

If opportunities for help are closed, campaign volunteers need to find other opportunities, said Larry Haynes, executive director of the Shenango Valley Foundation.

Haynes is working with the Northern Mercer County United Way to establish a Northern Mercer County Community Foundation.

"If we try, we can succeed. If we don’t try, we won’t accomplish anything," Haynes said.

The United Way changed the way it does business, said Todd Hittle, United Way board president. Instead of just giving money to agencies, allocations will be based on the agency’s success or outcomes.

Along with the county’s other United Way chapters, Northern Mercer County Area United Way is asking about the results their agencies have had with the clients they serve, Mrs. Huff said. Although it is a change from the past, the agencies appear to have accepted the outcome- based allocations, Hittle said.

Working on allocations made Mrs. Nicklin realize how important United Way funds are to people in the community, the campaign vice chairwoman said.

"Without these agencies, there are living, breathing, real life human beings who would have no where to go," she said.

"All 16 agencies together comprise a circle of love," she said.