West Virginia University’s United Way Campaign has surpassed the midway point and more than 450 Mountaineers have pledged $164,494 – 58 percent of the $285,000 goal.

The campaign, which lasts eight weeks, will wrap up on Nov. 7. President E. Gordon Gee is serving as the honorary chair.

“Many great supporters have pushed us this far, but we need to keep up momentum and continue to encourage donations,” said Brett White, United Way director of development and marketing. “WVU has never let our community down and I’m confident we won’t this year either!”

Employees are able to pledge via paper forms available in each unit. Many units across campus are also sponsoring special events and activities to raise funds.

Students have raised more than $15,000 for the campaign after selling more than 4,000 Gold Rush t-shirts prior to the WVU football game vs. Kansas this month.

Employees who contribute $72 or more are eligible to win two tickets to an arts series performance. Those who donate $120 or more are eligible to win a yearly parking permit or men’s basketball tickets. Those who donate $240 or more are eligible to win a single, yearlong membership to the WVU Recreation Center. First-time givers who give at least $72 can win a gift certificate to dinner for two.

All contributions for WVU’s United Way campaign stay local, as the money is donated to 29 different organizations in Monongalia and Preston Counties that assist people with healthcare, childcare, youth mentoring, senior programs, mental health programs, disaster response initiatives and healthy lifestyle initiatives, among others. These agencies, however, do not have the resources for large fundraising campaigns and rely on WVU’s United Way campaign each year for additional funding

Employees interested in making a contribution should complete their pledge form and return it to their unit team captain or email unitedway@mail.wvu.edu. For more information, log onto http://unitedway.wvu.edu/.

The entire campaign’s goal In Monongalia and Preston counties is more than $1.5 million. WVU would like to gather about one-fifth of the funds with the $285,000 goal.

WVU’s United Way campaign began in 1982, White said, and has been conducted each year since.

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cn/10/14/14

CONTACT: Brett White, WVU United Way Campaign
304.296.7525, Brett.White@mail.wvu.edu

Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.