A $160,000 goal is motivating volunteers as well as companies and individual donors in the 2015-2016 Hopkins County United Way drive now underway. Wednesday at noon, lead donors, company executives, and United Way committee-persons lunched at the Sulphur Spring Country Club to hear the inspiration of a letter written in 2001 by one of the county United Fund organizers, Bill Bradford, and guest speaker for the occasion, 1991 SSHS Graduate, Retired TOPGUN Pilot and United States Navy Commander Michael Horn. The campaign this year celebrates the 60th year for the drive in Hopkins County.
Chris Voorheese, Board Chair, thanked those who have served in the past and who currently serve on various United Way boards. Price Orwosky, Campaign Chairman, introduced Horn. Commander Horn (retired) reviewed the various influences in his life that motivated and motivate him toward servant leadership and excellence.
Voorheese noted that in the 1955 drive, the goal was $29,000, the equivalent of $180,000 today. It took a total of one month to secure the donated amount. In the first United Fund, Red Cross, Boy Scouts, Community Chest, USO, Girl Scouts, Salvation Army, Crippled Children and the Gonzales Foundation received the funds.
This campaign will fund 20 organizations including Boy Scouts of America, NeTseO Trails Council ($750), CANHelp ($8,250), East Texas Council on Alcohol/Drug Abuse ($750), Heritage Outreach Ministry Foundation ($8,000), Hopkins County 4-H ($2,500), Hopkins County Christian Alliance ($8,250), Hopkins County Community Chest ($70,000), Lake Country CASA ($9,000), MADD ($1,000), Meal-A-Day of Sulphur Springs ($7000), Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center Inc. ($3,250), Our Place/Lakes Regional MHMR ($6,000), SAFE-T (Shelter for Families in East Texas–$3,500), Shadow Ranch Therapeutic Riding Center ($3,500), Sulphur Springs Symphony League ($750), Teen Court ($4,250), The Dinner Bell ($3,650), Winnsboro Community Resource Center ($200), and United Way Worldwide ($1,600). Also included in the fund expenses is Administrative Expenses ($17,800).
