Posted: Sunday, January 10, 2010 7:57 am

With three weeks to go in its annual campaign, United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties needs our help. The campaign stands at $1,893,016 in a quest to raise $2.8 million before Jan. 31. At 67.6 percent of its goal, United Way needs some		More info … United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties P.O. Box 330056 Murfreesboro, Tenn. 37133 893-7303 www.uwrutherford.org

$900,000 to make up that final third.

In view of the economic difficulties that were solidly in effect since well before the campaign began, the success to date is remarkable.

Some 10 percent of our community’s workers aren’t working, and folks that aren’t working are likely unable to help United Way.

In fact, they are quite likely receiving some form of help from United Way.

Because that’s what United Way does – help people.

Mostly it does that by helping a large number of community agencies provide their wide array of services, including helping children with special health problems, seniors to stay in their homes and hungry people to be fed.

That help went to 93,000 people in Rutherford and Cannon counties last year. That’s basically one in three of us, an amazing number that means each of us can literally look around and usually see someone United Way assisted last year.

How well United Way agencies will be able to assist our community, through the Boys and Girls Club, through a Red Cross prepared to roll out when twirling winds drop from the sky, through Alive Hospice’s end of life compassion, will ultimately be dependent upon us.

Tough times bring unique opportunities to make a difference, to lend a hand to a neighbor, to ease a burden just a bit.

A lot of our friends, family and neighbors unfortunately learned the other side of United Way last year – the receiving side. Most would have likely never thought that possible but life holds no guarantees.

United Way tries to guarantee that help will be there for all of us and our many and diverse times of need.

The campaign faces an uphill struggle to make its goal this year by the end of the month.

But, a community United can and hopefully will make it happen for all of us.