During the season of Thanksgiving, a time for reflection of the community’s blessings, the United Way of Portage County is seeking a final push from the community to reach this year’s Campaign Drive goal of $2.8 million, which will directly benefit its vast network of community-aid programs and services.

Right now, the campaign sits at $2,771,428, with only about $28,000 left to go.

“It’s always the last 10 percent that’s the hardest,” said Fred Hebblewhite, United Way director of Resource Development.

“We’re getting that close and we understand it’s possible now (to make goal) and it’s just trying to get that last amount we need,” said Sue Wilcox, United Way executive director.

A few weeks ago, United Way Campaign organizers were worried about not making their goal for the year.

But that worry was lessened when Sentry announced its total donation for the year, from employee contributions to corporate matching funds, would total $1 million.

“It was a huge surprise and a really wonderful gift from both the employees and the corporation, because it really came from both,” said Sue Wilcox, United Way executive director. “And we really did not expect that, so that’s what made it even more fun.”

With so many years of success in reaching its goal, it’s natural for the public eye to simply assume its success. But each year’s success is achieved through the hard work and dedication of a whole host of volunteers, United Way employees and Campaign Drive chairpersons.

“This year is no different from any other. Every year we have a little bit of a bumpy ride with the campaigns, then we get surprises like Sentry. There’s always plusses and minuses going on all the way through,” said Hebblewhite.

The United Way of Portage County has done a good job making the positives outweigh the negatives for many years, but it doesn’t get easier, he said.

The United Way has made its goal every year since 1992.

“A lot of times people don’t take into consideration the consistency of this United Way. Back in the 2008-2010, when a lot of United Ways were having a real difficult time with their campaigns, one thing we were able to do – and that was when our programs were definitely in need as well because some of their funding was going away – we were able to actually increase the funding,” said Hebblewhite. “So, consistency is something that we try to watch carefully, that we’re providing (the programs) the dollars they need to help the community.”

“We do often make it … but we’re always, at the end, reaching out and asking the community to respond because we are that close to goal,” said Wilcox. “We certainly never take it for granted that we’re going to reach goal, but remain hopeful that people truly understand we really do need those dollars. And we are that close.”

“The reason it is so important is because our budget is based on that goal number, so all the programs we help fund rely on that,” said Scott Steuck, United Way director of Communications and Marketing.

“It’s all about raising dollars on behalf and for the community, and for the 31 different programs,” said Wilcox. “It’s really is about taking those dollars and putting it right back into the community, supporting services that aid families, individuals, children, people with disabilities, and the most vulnerable of our community.”

“I think the biggest increase we’re seeing right now is in the mental health (areas) and the Family Crisis Center,” said London Cooper, co-drive chair for the 2015 United Way Campaign. “The shelters are all full and have people sleeping on the couches. The numbers have just been going up like crazy this year.

The United Way is able to partially fund both the Salvation Army of Portage County and the Family Crisis Center with the money it raises during its annual campaign.

“We were able to allocate $30,000 because the Family Crisis Center was seeing a shortfall, along with $20,000 to the Boys and Girls Club in Rosholt, and $10,000 for the In a Fix program – and that’s over and above,” said Wilcox.

Cooper, whose family is co-chairing the 2015 Campaign, said working on the campaign has been a life-changing experience.

“Someone asked us if we’d do it again next year, and I said ‘maybe not next year, but we’d definitely do it again,’” Cooper said. “It’s been such a great experience for our children. We have three kids, 12, 9 and 5, and for the 12- and 9-year-olds, it has been an eye-opening (experience).

“They’ve been volunteering at everything, they’ve done lemonade stands to raise money, they did the Project Fresh Start in their schools, they’ve been speaking at Sentry, they’ve gone on CEO calls, spoke to the sheriff,” she said. “For us, we wouldn’t have traded it for anything. It’s been a lot of work.”

Cooper said some of the work she and her family have put in for the campaign includes going on CEO calls to promote the campaign to company leaders, a significant amount of public speaking and a lot of various volunteer work.

“(We) get the community engaged,” she said. “I think the community likes to see a family involved. When kids speak at Sentry, they get much more of a response than Tim (her husband) or I.”

“It’s been an absolute joy to work with the Coopers, because they have taken this project on and have made it personal,” said Wilcox. “They have the compassion for the community. They have been incredibly generous with their time and you just couldn’t find a nicer family. And they truly do care.”

For example, the Cooper’s 9-year-old daughter was worried not all the yards were raked during this year’s Rake-a-Thon, they were up late that night texting their friends to see if anybody else needed help, Wilcox said.

“It’s just that generous spirit they have, and it runs through the adults as well,” she said.

“I think one of the other things why the United Way is so special is because they helped us, our middle daughter is dyslexic and she, last year, got a tutor through their Learn for Life program,” Cooper said. “They gave to us, we gave back.”

To help the United Way raise the last $28,000 of its $2.8 million goal, people can go online to www.unitedwaypoco.org/, call United Way at 715-341-6740 or stop in at the office, 1100 Center Point Drive, Stevens Point, WI 54481.