Posted: Sunday, March 8, 2009 8:38 am

In the face of the most difficult economic times since World War II, the success of the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties campaign stands as nothing less then phenomenal.

As announced at an annual campaign celebration Thursday at Park Place Conference and Banquet Facility, the 2008 campaign raised a record $2,734,206, more than $100,000 over last year’s campaign.

The drive missed its aggressive $3 million goal, but that does not make the record achievement any less incredible.

Campaign officials knew $3 million was a big reach when they committed to it. The increase would far exceed by almost triple any increase of previous years.

But, campaign officials recognized the immense potential and generosity of this community and knew you can only get what you ask for.

And even last summer when they set the goal, they were most aware of economic developments that were definitely troubling but at that time unclear as to extent and duration.

As the campaign progress from August on, the economy, locally and nationally, steadily got worse.

As campaign chairman Brian Hercules noted at Thursday’s luncheon, from the start of the campaign to the finish, unemployment here grew form 4.2 percent to 6.7 percent, housing starts dropped from 4,233 to 2.092 and the stock market dropped from 10,831 to 7,365.

All of those developments directly impacted the campaign negatively, reducing the number of potential donors through workplace drives, cutting the support available from the once robust housing industry here and challenging the giving ability of those, especially retirees, who depend to any extent on income from market developments.

Two of the stalwarts for United Way for decades, Nissan and Bridgestone, both were forced to implement major staff reductions in recent months, curtailing to some extent their annual contributions.

But, overall this community stepped up, recognizing that in these difficult times the human needs served by United Way’s many agencies would be greatly increased.

Leading the way in helping drive United Way to success was General Mills that contributed or pledged a staggering $472,332 to this year’s effort.

Hercules, bringing unique enthusiasm and new ideas to the campaign, deserves huge thanks from this community for an incredible performance at such an extraordinary time.

The vast majority of businesses around here would love to see on their own balance sheets right now the positive numbers registered by United Way.

While Hercules, his campaign staff, the hundreds of volunteers and others who led the campaign earned our immense gratitude, ultimately it is this community as a whole, represented by the thousands of individual donors, who made it possible to look to the upcoming year and its challenges and know we have helped provide for ourselves, our friends and neighbors by truly “Living United.”