The United Way Estevan continues to make progress in their effort to reach their goal for this year鈥檚 campaign.
The organization鈥檚 telethon, held Oct. 16 and 17, went off the air with a total of $321,357, which was more than $16,000 short of their $338,000 goal.
But in the two and a half weeks since the telethon, donations have continued to come in. President Wendy Gustafson didn鈥檛 reveal the exact amount, but she said they are now just a few thousand dollars short of their goal.
鈥淲e have been receiving quite a few donations, which is really neat,鈥� Gustafson told the聽惭别谤肠耻谤测.听鈥淧eople are still making donations at the banks, and we have been receiving some
in the mail.鈥�
People who were away during the weekend of the telethon have sent in donations because they wanted to support the United Way, which offers funding to 15 member agencies and three community partners. Some supporters have donated more than once, which Gustafson finds amazing.
The board of directors has been reminding people that they are still short of their goal, and it鈥檚 not too late to make a donation.
鈥淲e are hoping to get to that goal,鈥� said Gustafson. 鈥淲e are shooting for the end of November.鈥�
The latest that they would want to reach their goal would be Dec. 31, which coincides with the end of the local United Way鈥檚 fiscal year, but they don鈥檛 want it to happen at the last minute.
This year marked the second time in three years that the United Way has not reached their goal during the broadcast. Gustafson said it鈥檚 helpful that they went through the same experience in 2013, when the telethon went off the air with about $337,000 in donations, which was $13,000 short of their $350,000 goal. They reached their objective in late November, thanks to a variety of donations following the telethon.聽
鈥淥ur economy鈥檚 quite a bit different than it was two years ago, too, but people have stepped up and continued to support us,鈥� said Gustafson. 鈥淲hen we cracked the $300,000 mark, I was excited, because I know and I understand that the money is just not there this year, and it鈥檚 hard for people, and yet, for some reason, people have just dug deeper, and have come up with the money.聽
鈥淪o we are just more than grateful for what people have done in this community and in this area.鈥�
Local banks are still accepting donations. People who made pledges, but haven鈥檛 paid them yet, can drop by one of Estevan鈥檚 financial institutions to fulfill their pledge. The deadline to do so is Nov. 5.
鈥淲e want people to get them in before the banks (stop accepting donations),鈥� she said. 鈥淥therwise you鈥檒l have to contact the office and bring your donation down, or mail it in.鈥�
Gustafson reiterated her concluding statement from the telethon聽 that the event was a success the moment it went off the air, even though the United Way hadn鈥檛 reached its goal. People have been so generous, she said, and that鈥檚 the truest sign of success.
