As preparations are under way for this year’s 2011 Annual Fundraising Campaign, the United Way is announcing the leadership group that will head up this year’s campaign. The Campaign Cabinet is the key group of volunteers that provides leadership and direction to the annual fund drive.

United Way helps the community by working collaboratively to address significant community needs and bringing resources and key people together to solve local problems. United Way works with business, government agencies, 25 partner agencies and other human service organizations to develop and fund programs that meet people’s basic needs today and create solutions for lasting change.

This year, the campaign also highlights the new Early Learning Initiative, focusing on helping parents to be the best first teacher of their children from their first days of life. This initiative is a joint project led by United Way with multiple other education and early learning organizations and is expected to launch this September.

This year’s Campaign Cabinet has set the goal for this year’s campaign at $1,002,011.

Tom Baermann, owner of Pacific Office Equipment, and his wife, Jackie, are chairing the 2011 Campaign. Baermann has participated in the Campaign Cabinet in years past.

“We think this year’s goal is realistic and yet enough of a stretch to motivate the community,” he said.

“Clallam County always has been generous and we’re sure this year will be the same.”

Kurt Anderson, of D.A. Davidson, leads the Port Angeles division of the campaign. Buck Gieseke, of Integrity One Home Mortgage, will lead the Employee Business Campaigns.

Stacie Neff and Bobby Beeman continue again as chairmen of the Olympic Medical Center Combined Fund Drive. Patty Rosand and Iva Burks lead the Clallam County employees effort. Stephen Rosales will chair the Sequim division and Brown M. Maloney, of Olympic View Publishing, provides direction to the Olympic Club (leadership giving) portion of the campaign. Patti Morris, of Jace Realty, has returned to chair the Corporate Gifts campaign. Karen Delano, with the State Attorney General’s Office, will chair the Washington State Combined Fund Drive.

The Annual Day of Caring event, which is the kick-off to the annual campaign, is scheduled for Sept. 10 and is being coordinated by Patrick Downie, a Port Angeles city councilman. Presently there are five work sites with 14 different service groups volunteering.

To volunteer as an individual or a group, contact the United Way Office.

This year, the needs continue to be great due to high unemployment and government cuts to education and many human service programs.

According to Tom Baermann, “Jackie and I look forward to working with local folks to provide an opportunity to give.

Together, we can make a difference.”

For information about this year’s campaign, contact Jody Moss or Karen Meyer at 457-3011.