United Way Announces Successful Campaign at Annual Meeting

The United Way for Cortland County held its Annual Campaign and Volunteer Recognition Meeting Wednesday, April 12. Over 100 people gathered to celebrate and recognize the success of the campaign.

William J. Pomeroy, Esq., 2006 Campaign Chair, announced the campaign results of $602,000.

Cynthia Y. Eberhart, Executive Director of United Way for Cortland County introduced representatives from 13 United Way member agencies, which benefit from the United Way campaign. Each agency gave a brief story of how United Way Community Impact Funding assisted one of their recipients.

Bill Pomeroy, 2006 Campaign Chair, expressed gratitude to the community. The dollars raised in the United Way campaign work in our community all year providing services and agency support.

Awards were given to corporations who contributed over $10,000 to the campaign. Gold awards were presented to Gutchess Lumber, Albany International, Dryden Mutual Insurance, Alliance Bank, N.A., Ames Linen Service, and First Niagara Bank.

The Top Giver Award for the highest corporate gift went to Pall Cortland, accepted by Stephen Giebel.

In addition corporations received silver awards for recognition of corporate gifts of $5,000 to $9,999 and Bronze awards for corporate gifts of $1,000 to $4,999.

The gold awards for per capita gifts by employees went to J.H. During, Jr. CPA, PC, Pomeroy, Armstrong, and Casullo, Cortland Cable Company, Albany International, Cortland Youth Bureau, and NYS Department of Labor.

The silver awards for employee giving went to United Way for Cortland County, First Pioneer Farm Credit, Wendcentral Corp., Family Health Network, County Employment and Training and NYS Department of Transportation.

The bronze awards for employee giving went to Cortland County Business Development Corp., KeyBank National, Alliance Bank, N.A., Gutchess Lumber, City Building and Maintenance, and NYS Unified Court – Supreme and County.

After presenting these campaign honors Bill Pomeroy and Julie Bodën Schmidt presented Special Awards for the year.

The 2006 Andy Sonnek Memorial Award was given to Tarla Arnold. Andy Sonnek, a former Cortland Line employee, lost his battle with cancer in 1998. This award is given in his memory honoring a person who exhibits his qualities and leadership abilities.

The 2006 Volunteer of the Year Award was given to Millicent Williams. Millie has been a volunteer at Cortland County Child Development Center for 12 years visiting the infant room.

The Community Service Award was given to Mark and Bernadette Travis, Good News Computing for their technical assistance during the past two years for the United Way Auction.

The Community Service Award was given to Jim Forshee, Cortland Jr. Sr. High School Video Club, for his technical assistance during the past two years for the United Way Auction.

Sue Reynolds received the Community Service Award for her continued assistance in designing and updating the United Way website.

United Way for Cortland County recognized this year’s sponsor, Cortland Chrysler Dodge Jeep, for this year’s $1 Challenge. Winners of this year’s $1 Challenge grand prize, a 2005 Dodge Neon, are Donald and Bea Lammers.

Cortland Regional Medical Center, Cortland Line Company, Royal Auto Complex and Tompkins Trust Company, were recognized this year as sponsors of the 2006 United Way Second Annual Auction. The auction was simulcast on Time Warner Cable 6 with the technical support of the Cortland Video Club and WXHC. The Second Annual Auction contributed approximately $27,000 to this year’s campaign.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Board of Directors elected members to the United Way Board of Directors and to the Allocations Committee for a three-year term ending in 2009.

Julie Bodën Schmidt, Nancy DeNardo, Tom Gallagher, Elaine Lambert, Lynn New, Jennifer Turck, and Garry VanGorder were announced as Board members with a term expiring in 2009. Andy Lundeen and Martha Hubbard were announced as Board members with a term expiring in 2007.

The group honored Steve Breen, Cortland Line Company, for his years of dedicated service on the Board of Directors, and Nancy Kroot, Manny Lann, and Mason Morenus for their service as Allocation Committee members.

New members of the Allocations Committee elected for a term expiring in 2009 were Steve Breen, John Shirley, Julie Bodën Schmidt, JoAnn Wickman, Matt Neuman, and Gary Nelson. Teri Arnold was elected for a term expiring in 2007.

Bill Pomeroy was recognized as the 2006 Campaign Chair

John Eves was recognized as the 2007 Campaign Chair

The meeting began and ended with remarks by Julie Bodën Schmidt, Board President.