For the past year, seven philanthropic divisions have been emotionally charged — pushing toward an admirable goal in the 2021 United Way of the Pennyrile “Baking A Difference” fundraising campaign.
Thursday morning during the celebration breakfast at the Christian County Senior Citizens Center, co-chairs Dan Kemp and Brooke Jung revealed the cash cake: $726,743 generously given toward the benefit of 19 regional non-profit organizations.
Last September, Kemp and Jung announced a target of $750,000 — which was more than $140,000 north of 2020’s efforts.
So to come up less than $24,000 short, isn’t coming up short at all. With local needs high, scores of individuals and businesses accepted the challenge for a successful drive.
Fortera Credit Union brought in the small business division “People Helping People” award.
Siemer Milling Company snagged the medium business division “People Helping People” award.
And Jennie Stuart Health earned the large business division “People Helping People” award.
This year’s overall winner of the “People Helping People” award went out to Planters Bank — especially after its one-year giving increase of more than 80%.
Nancy Flick, widow of previous posthumous winner Robert Flick, presented the Beverly Whitfield Award — given to someone in outstanding service of a United Way agency.
The J. William Flowers Award, given to someone who goes “above and beyond to support the community and the United Way in perpetuity,” was presented by previous winner Dan Stahl. And it had already been announced at the Latham Society Dinner, when recipient and Planters Bank CEO Elizabeth McCoy could be present.
Several organizations had 100% employee participation this past campaign, including: Aaron McNeil House, Christian County Literary Council, the Dyslexia Association of the Pennyrile, Hopkinsville Electric Systems, Hopkinsville Solid Waste Enterprise, Hopkinsville Water Environment Authority, Pennyrile Children’s Advocacy Center, the South Western Kentucky Economic Development Council, Trace Industries and St. Luke Free Clinic.
Chairman’s Awards, given to top contributors in each division, included Pennyrile Electric (Industrial, +$37,000), City of Hopkinsville Fire Department (Government, +39,000), Christian County Public Schools (Education), Jennie Stuart Health (Professional, +$50,000) and Planters Bank (Commercial, +$56,000).
The “Residential” division brought in more than $69,000 during the campaign, while the newest “Small Business” division saw a one-year increases from just over $1,000 to more than $3,200.
