SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - Schuylkill United Way reached its $1,025,000 fundraising goal Friday for its 2014 general campaign, an unexpected event that delighted both its officers and the leaders of the 15 human services agencies it aids.
"There are angels that walk among us," Schuylkill United Way President Patrick Kane said at the appreciation breakfast at Penn State Schuylkill after learning of the anonymous donation that enabled the group to raise $1,027,000. "It's been a surprisingly successful campaign."
The donation truly was a last-minute one: campaign Chairman Jeff Wessner said he walked into the breakfast convinced the agency would fall short of its goal.
"We were at about $992,000," he said.
The unexpected gift climaxed a campaign that had been extended three weeks and appeared destined not to meet its goal due to difficult economic circumstances.
"This is not the easiest year to have a campaign running," Wessner said. "The number of people we see using these agencies is going up."
The Tamaqua Area segment of the campaign contributed $125,000, exactly its goal, to the overall effort.
"You're always a rock for our campaign," Kane told Brian Connely, who chaired the Tamaqua Area effort.
Connely expressed appreciation for the volunteers who did a lot of work to raise as much as possible in the last days of the campaign.
"I thank everybody for that," he said.
After the announcement, agency leaders expressed gratitude and relief that United Way reached its goal, thereby enabling it to continue funding levels for groups that need the money.
"For our agency, meeting the goal is tremendous," said Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Schuylkill County Executive Director Douglas E. Allen.
Allen said his agency serves more than 300 youngsters across Schuylkill County and receives one-third of its funding from United Way.
"We're going to be able to continue these services and expand our program to other kids," he said.
Wayne L. Stump, executive director of Schuylkill YMCA, also said United Way's attainment of its goal was a wonderful thing.
"It was a relief. It was a pleasant surprise," he said. "The agencies were aware going into the breakfast that we might not reach the goal."