Every year, Marshall University conducts the United Way of the River Cities fundraising campaign, which allows the organization to improve the lives of thousands in our community. The annual university campaign will begin Sept. 22.
Megan Archer, campaign coordinator, said the goal for this year’s university campaign is to provide the Marshall community with an incentive to participate.
“Instead of setting a monetary goal for our university campaign, we want to increase participation by 200 percent. We had 52 contributors give last year and with a university of this size, we hope to increase this number in the 2014 campaign,” Archer said. “To encourage our Marshall community to get involved, we have made it easier for them to give back. We will offer an e-pledge system, which will allow contributors to donate online directly from their e-mail account. We will also host a ‘United Way Day’ on campus with free health screenings provided to all faculty, staff and students.”
Archer said the United Way Day health fair on Oct. 1 will give participants the chance to receive pulmonary function tests, as well as blood glucose, blood pressure, BMI and flexibility screenings with opportunities to learn more about healthful living.
Laura Gilliam, executive director of United Way of River Cities, said she hopes the free screenings provided at the health fair will raise awareness about the campaign. However, ticket sales for the autographed football signed by Head Coach Doc Holliday and Heisman-candidate Rakeem Cato may be the special event that generates the most attention, according to Gilliam.
“We are so grateful to Marshall Athletics for graciously donating the autographed football to help us raise awareness and funds for this year’s campaign,” Gilliam said. “Our overall campaign goal is to change 30,000 lives in the River Cities region and in order to accomplish this, we need to raise $1.2 million. This would not be possible without the university’s support every year, which makes our fundraising campaign successful.”
For more than 20 years, the Marshall University community has supported United Way of the River Cities in a variety of ways. Faculty and staff contribute financially and serve on grants-review committees, as well as on the organization’s four coalitions. Students participate in forums on current issues, have provided useful tools through service learning projects and internships, and provide staff support to United Way as work-study placements.
This year’s university campaign concludes Friday, Oct. 3. Marshall community members interested in making a donation may go to www.unitedwayrivercities.org/give. Faculty and staff will have the choice to use the new e-pledge system via their e-mail account or the traditional paper pledge forms used in the past. Those completing the paper pledge can turn in their forms to the Marshall Recreation Center for a free week’s pass; to an individual’s departmental office; or to Archer via campus mail at Prichard Hall 317 or by faxing 304-696-6739. Pledge forms can be downloaded at http://www.unitedwayrivercities.org/docs/2014_updated_pledgeform_final_grayversion.pdf. To learn more about United Way of the River Cities, visit http://www.unitedwayrivercities.org.
Schedule of Special Events:
United Way Day
Wednesday, Oct. 1, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Free health screenings provided by Marshall Health, the St. Mary’s Schools of Respiratory Care, Medical Imaging and Nursing, Department of Athletic Training, PEIA Pathways to Wellness and many more;
- Fitness demonstrations and challenges with prizes provided by the Marshall Recreation Center;
- Entertainment provided by WMUL Radio Station with live remote conducted during the event;
- Drawing for autographed football signed by Holliday and Cato at 1:30 p.m.
Ticket Sales for Autographed Football
Sales will conclude Oct. 1
- 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. daily in the Memorial Student Center on Marshall’s Huntington campus;
- 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Barbells and Babes Crossfit Competition at Crossfit Thunder, 2516 5th Ave., Huntington, W.Va.;
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Sept. 24 in the Cabell Huntington Hospital atrium;
- For more information on how to purchase your ticket, contact campaign coordinator Megan Archer at archer15@marshall.edu.
All media are encouraged to cover the events of Marshall’s 2014 United Way fall campaign.
