By Nikki Ackerman
Staff Writer

The United Way of Washington County announced its 2011 campaign total of $1,130,018–the second highest amount raised in the non-profit organization’s 75-year history–at a baseball-themed luncheon at The Columbian/KC Hall in West Bend Jan. 11.
The United Way set an “ambitious goal” of $1,125,000, said campaign chair Michael Laird, President/CEO of Froedtert Health St. Joseph’s Hospital, not knowing how the state of the economy would affect the outcome.
Coming in over the goal was the icing on the cake of a great campaign, he said.
“I am truly honored to be here celebrating the success of the 2011 campaign and to recognize the individuals and organizations involved,” said Laird. “We achieved an awesome objective–not only was the goal reach, but surpassed, even in this economy. You have made a great difference.”
Kristin Brandner, in her first year as Executive Director of the United Way of Washington County, said it was an “amazing campaign.”
“I am in awe of the county,” she said. “It is a challenging time, but in the end true compassion came out and people gave, and they gave more.”
 The event featured impact stories from two area individuals who have personally benefited from United Way agencies: Annette Ferrante spoke on behalf of the Full Shelf Food Pantry and Stephanie Jacak praised the local Red Cross.
When her 87-year-old father needed heart valve surgery and had to move in with her, Ferrante said she had to make a choice between paying for his 14 prescriptions each month and buying groceries.
“I came very, very humbly, embarrassed and with humiliation, to the food pantry to ask for help for the first time in my life,” Ferrante said. “With heartfelt gratitude and thankfulness, I thank every single one of you for keeping us happy and healthy and at home with full tummies.”
Similarly, Jacak, a married mother of three daughters, said she was helped by the Red Cross in a time of great need.
“We had a house fire in 2009 and the Red Cross gave us immediate assistance,” she said. “They gave us care packages and also offered monetary help and housing.”
Laird said these are the faces behind the 31 agencies and programs supported by the county United Way.
“This is the power of United Way,” he said. “We have the ability to make a difference in people’s lives.”
A highlight of the event was the 2011 Ford Fiesta car giveaway–to winner Leon Schmidt of West Bend Mutual Insurance–which was set up as an incentive for individuals to increase their giving. Any new or increased donation of $75 made one eligible for the car. Accounting firm Kieckhafer Dietzler Hauser Hanson selected the winner through a random number drawing and the five finalists each opened a box at the luncheon with the winner’s box containing the keys to the vehicle.
Randy Spaulding, this year’s co-chair and next year’s chair, explained that the car giveaway was Brandner’s inspiration.
“It was clearly a winning idea,” he said, noting that giving had increased in donation categories across the board.
As Spaulding, CEO of Spaulding Clinical Research, prepares to take the helm for the 2012 campaign, he said he does so with a sense of pride in the county.
“I am truly passionate about what we do here for United Way and I think Washington County is capable of even more amazing things,” Spaulding said. “With the economy being down, we would go to businesses and see the job loss yet somehow people gave even more.”
“There is no math that describes that,” he said. “That’s not science, that’s heart.”
Photo caption:Leon Schmidt of West Bend Mutual Insurance (pictured at left) was the winner of the 2011 Ford Fiesta car giveaway.