United Way in the News

United Way marks 50 years of charity  

Article published on October 10, 2007
By ALICE WALLACE
Sun staff writer       
       
It started out as the brainchild of about 15 dedicated local residents, and in that first year they raised about $80,000.   
         
Now known as the United Way of North Central Florida, the organization has raised about $63 million during the 50 years of its existence.       
    
A couple hundred people gathered at the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom on Tuesday night to celebrate the golden anniversary of the charitable agency that was founded in 1957.            

“We’ve raised 20 percent of that $63 million in the last four years,” said Karen Bricklemyer, United Way president and chief executive officer, as she addressed the crowd at the Reitz Union on Tuesday.            

Speakers during the event Tuesday included two men who were among the original founders of what was called the United Fund of Alachua County in the early days.            

Howard Hall, who was one of the founding members and then served as campaign chair in 1961 and president in 1964, said it was a labor of love that got the United Way started.            

“We spent months and months of planning,” he said.  “We had doctors and lawyers, and CPAs and planners.  And as I recall, we raised a little over $80,000 that first year, which was a lot of money in those days.”            

Bill Pepper, who was the editor of The Gainesville Sun at the time, said he was proud that when he served as campaign chair in 1960, they broke their own fundraising record.            

“It was the very first time we raised what seemed to be a great barrier, can you believe $100,000?” he said.            

Now that United Way has broken the $3 million mark, Hall said it’s up to the future generations to keep setting the bar higher.            

“Here we are today, and what is our future?  It’s up to you folks,” he said.            

The night’s events also included a homemade version of “The Price is Right” game show, but titled “The United Way is Right.”            

The contestants in the game didn’t walk away with new cars, but United Way T-shirts.             

The final winners of the showcase showdown — there was a tie — were offered a brand-new Cadillac Escalade.            

The Escalade, however, was battery-powered and only a few inches tall.