United Way Over the Top
ENID — With economic conditions not the greatest, perhaps it would have surprised no one if the United Way failed to reach this year’s fundraising goal.
Nevertheless, United Way of Enid and Northwest Oklahoma already has exceeded its target by nearly $45,000 — and that’s before final totals come in.
Campaign chairwoman Shaye Sheppard-Aman and board president Cindy Griesel announced at a Thursday luncheon the to-date total for the current United Way campaign is $799,969.
“Anyone want to give us $31?” Aman quipped.
It turned out differently from the way some predicted, Aman said. When it was announced Aman was the campaign chair for this year’s $755,000 United Way campaign, people started asking her what she was thinking, she said.
“It’s going to be a very stressful year, with companies moving out of the community,” Aman remembered them saying, referring to the news Continental Resources would be moving to Oklahoma City.
Executive Director Sean Byrne said the people of Enid care about one another.
“Once again Enid has stepped up and shown what a caring community they are,” Byrne said. “In Enid, people care about their neighbors. Even though I stress every year, every year the community steps up and we meet our goal.”
As the campaign has developed, the June golf tournament raised $8,719 with 100 people playing; the October chili cook-off raised $20,224; and the Second Chance Prom raised $2,900.
United Way of Enid has 16 member agencies: Booker T. Washington Community Center, Cimarron Council Boy Scouts, Cimarron Valley Chapter American Red Cross, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Central Oklahoma, Denny Price Family YMCA, Enid Community Clinic, Enid Metro Human Services Commission, Garfield County Child Advocacy, Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma Inc., Hedges Regional Speech and Hearing Center, Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Enid, Salvation Army, Community Development Support Association, YWCA of Enid and Youth and Family Services of North Central Oklahoma.