Golfers tee off to start United Way campaign

Many Harrison Countians got out their golf clubs Friday afternoon to help support their community. The occasion was the kick-off event for the yearly Metro United Way campaign held at Old Capital Golf Club in Corydon. The golf scramble proceeds went to Harrison County’s Metro United Way for its many agencies.
A light rain later in the afternoon did not dampen the money raised by the 12 teams in the event.
Since restarting the benefit scramble in 2004, it has generated more than $22,000 for United Way. The scramble was put together by Larry Bennett of Corydon.
Metro United Way is a local, independent nonprofit organization that helps support numerous health and human service agencies and programs serving residents of Harrison County. Last year in Harrison County, United Way raised $299,667.
‘While we are talking about increasing dollars, it really comes back to helping people here in Harrison County’ said Carole Apple, the 2007 campaign chair. ‘The more money we raise, the more people we can serve through the dollars allocated to programs within agencies and the exciting work that is being done in our Community Impact area.’
Apple has volunteered with the Community Solutions Committee, which focuses on issues in the county. She addressed the golfers prior to the 1 p.m. tee time.
‘Recently, our focus has been WHAM! (War in Harrison County Against Meth),’ she said.
WHAM! was started in 2005 with the purpose of reducing by 50 percent the negative impacts of methamphetamine on Harrison County residents by Dec. 31 of this year. This includes educating the public by organizing community seminars; increasing communication between the community, law enforcement and service providers; and creating media awareness.
Another program aided by United Way funds assists young children.
‘Our Success by Six focus in Harrison County is to make sure all children are ready to succeed in school when they start kindergarten,’ said Apple, who has worked many years in education.
Metro United Way’s campaign theme this year is ‘It All Starts Here.’
‘I think this is appropriate for the group of community leaders that are here today,’ Apple said. ‘It really does start here.’
Metro United Way agencies that serve Harrison Countians include Blue River Services Inc., Boys and Girls Club of Harrison County (the Gerdon Youth Center), Harrison County Community Services, Hoosier Hills PACT, The Next Step, Salvation Army, Hospice, Big Brothers Big Sisters, American Cancer Society, American Red Cross, LifeSpan Resources and Interfaith Community Council.
Apple and Sam Uhl, the Southern Indiana MUW campaign chair, encourage people to see first-hand how the dollars are being used by visiting one of these agencies.
The 2007 campaign ends in early November.