September 9, 2017 at 5:06 a.m.
Showing the way
Captain J leads charity kickoff event
Showing the way
Friendlier than the closest ally.
More generous than any benefactor.
Able attract large donations with a single wave.
It’s Captain J!
The charitable superhero swooped in to Harold E. Schutz Memorial Stadium seeking to spur support Friday night as United Way of Jay County kicked off its annual campaign during halftime of Jay County High School’s football game Friday against Adams Central.
“The county needed me,” said Captain J, clad in his powder blue suit and gold shorts with a yellow cape and a “J” on his chest. “United Way is a great organization that makes a lot of philanthropic efforts, and I wanted to be a part of that and head the campaign.”
Captain J’s arrival culminated the kickoff event for the campaign, which is themed “Superheroes Unite.”
After WPGW’s Rob Weaver announced the list of board members, partner agencies, campaign participants and pacesetters, the Jay County Marching Patriots began to play and Captain J zoomed onto the football field carrying the blue and white United Way flag. He rushed up and down the sideline behind the campaign members and JCHS cheerleaders before climbing atop a bench and waving his flag to exhort the crowd.
He then joined the rest of the group gathered on the track in tossing mini footballs into the stands.
“I think this is the best kickoff we’ve ever had,” said Vicki Tague, who is co-chairing the campaign for the second consecutive year along with Cindy Denney. “There was a lot of enthusiasm. Captain J made the difference. We’re so glad he made an appearance in Jay County.
“It was so fun.”
The annual United Way campaign provides support to a variety of local organizations. Partner agencies for 2017 are Anthony Wayne Boy Scouts, Bryant Community Center, Jay County Association for Crippled Children and Adults, Jay County Cancer Society, Jay County Boys and Girls Clubs, Jayland Homeless Shelter, Jay-Randolph Developmental Services, Pennville Community Center, Second Harvest Food Bank, West Jay Community Center, Youth Service Bureau’s Born to Learn camp and KARRS program.
“There are 14 members agencies that we support in Jay County, touching a lot of lives,” said Tague.
“A lot of United Way agencies depend on this money,” added Denney. “If they didn’t have this money, they couldn’t put on the programs.”
Also this year, all of the funds donated during Friday’s kickoff will go to the United Way Harvey Recovery Fund — it was launched with a $1 million donation from Leonardo DiCaprio and more than $25 million has already been raised — to help the victims of last week’s hurricane that hit Houston and the surrounding area. Those interested in helping that cause with additional funding, which will go to recovery efforts through local United Way organizations in the affected areas, can do so by visiting unitedway.org/hurricane-harvey.
Organizations participating in the Pacesetter campaign have already made about $27,000 in pledges toward the local campaign goal of raising $175,000. They include Moser Engineering, Performance Tool, POET Biorefining, Graphic Printing Company, First Merchants Bank, MainSource Bank and Jay School Corporation.
United Way reached its goal of $175,000 last year after bringing in $166,170 during the 2015 campaign.
“I think it speaks so well of this county,” said Tague. “We have 19 people on our campaign cabinet, and I don’t think there was anyone that we asked that said no. They were just anxious to do it.”
Other members of the campaign cabinet along with Denney and Tague are board of directors liaison John Boggs, education division chair Andy Schmit, commerce/professional co-chairs Drew Houck and Rita Lutes, industrial division co-chairs Darrell Reeves and Cline Bryan, small business chair Jeanna Ford, agricultural chair Mark Tillman, leadership and giving co-chairs Pat and Pam Bennett, health care division chair Vickie Delzeith, services organization chair Traci Gross, government division co-chairs Mike Leonhard, Mike Weitzel,Kathy James and Don Denney, and special events chair Josh Gibson.
In addition to local donations this year, United Way of Jay County will continue to get help via a matching grant from Indiana Association of United Ways that was awarded in 2016. The state association agreed to match any new pledge of at least $100 or any pledge that is increased by at least $100 up to a total of $37,674 over two years. Jay County United Way executive director Jane Ann Runyon said there is about $15,000 remaining in available matching funds.
While Captain J’s appearance Friday night was brief, Runyon, Tague and Denney are crossing their fingers that the community will get to see him again, perhaps at some local elementary schools and business, or for a parade.
“We hope to see more of Captain J if we can summon him,” said Tague. “He’s a busy man.”
“I just can’t think of anything better than, ‘Captain J, the United Way,’” added Denney.
More generous than any benefactor.
Able attract large donations with a single wave.
It’s Captain J!
The charitable superhero swooped in to Harold E. Schutz Memorial Stadium seeking to spur support Friday night as United Way of Jay County kicked off its annual campaign during halftime of Jay County High School’s football game Friday against Adams Central.
“The county needed me,” said Captain J, clad in his powder blue suit and gold shorts with a yellow cape and a “J” on his chest. “United Way is a great organization that makes a lot of philanthropic efforts, and I wanted to be a part of that and head the campaign.”
Captain J’s arrival culminated the kickoff event for the campaign, which is themed “Superheroes Unite.”
After WPGW’s Rob Weaver announced the list of board members, partner agencies, campaign participants and pacesetters, the Jay County Marching Patriots began to play and Captain J zoomed onto the football field carrying the blue and white United Way flag. He rushed up and down the sideline behind the campaign members and JCHS cheerleaders before climbing atop a bench and waving his flag to exhort the crowd.
He then joined the rest of the group gathered on the track in tossing mini footballs into the stands.
“I think this is the best kickoff we’ve ever had,” said Vicki Tague, who is co-chairing the campaign for the second consecutive year along with Cindy Denney. “There was a lot of enthusiasm. Captain J made the difference. We’re so glad he made an appearance in Jay County.
“It was so fun.”
The annual United Way campaign provides support to a variety of local organizations. Partner agencies for 2017 are Anthony Wayne Boy Scouts, Bryant Community Center, Jay County Association for Crippled Children and Adults, Jay County Cancer Society, Jay County Boys and Girls Clubs, Jayland Homeless Shelter, Jay-Randolph Developmental Services, Pennville Community Center, Second Harvest Food Bank, West Jay Community Center, Youth Service Bureau’s Born to Learn camp and KARRS program.
“There are 14 members agencies that we support in Jay County, touching a lot of lives,” said Tague.
“A lot of United Way agencies depend on this money,” added Denney. “If they didn’t have this money, they couldn’t put on the programs.”
Also this year, all of the funds donated during Friday’s kickoff will go to the United Way Harvey Recovery Fund — it was launched with a $1 million donation from Leonardo DiCaprio and more than $25 million has already been raised — to help the victims of last week’s hurricane that hit Houston and the surrounding area. Those interested in helping that cause with additional funding, which will go to recovery efforts through local United Way organizations in the affected areas, can do so by visiting unitedway.org/hurricane-harvey.
Organizations participating in the Pacesetter campaign have already made about $27,000 in pledges toward the local campaign goal of raising $175,000. They include Moser Engineering, Performance Tool, POET Biorefining, Graphic Printing Company, First Merchants Bank, MainSource Bank and Jay School Corporation.
United Way reached its goal of $175,000 last year after bringing in $166,170 during the 2015 campaign.
“I think it speaks so well of this county,” said Tague. “We have 19 people on our campaign cabinet, and I don’t think there was anyone that we asked that said no. They were just anxious to do it.”
Other members of the campaign cabinet along with Denney and Tague are board of directors liaison John Boggs, education division chair Andy Schmit, commerce/professional co-chairs Drew Houck and Rita Lutes, industrial division co-chairs Darrell Reeves and Cline Bryan, small business chair Jeanna Ford, agricultural chair Mark Tillman, leadership and giving co-chairs Pat and Pam Bennett, health care division chair Vickie Delzeith, services organization chair Traci Gross, government division co-chairs Mike Leonhard, Mike Weitzel,Kathy James and Don Denney, and special events chair Josh Gibson.
In addition to local donations this year, United Way of Jay County will continue to get help via a matching grant from Indiana Association of United Ways that was awarded in 2016. The state association agreed to match any new pledge of at least $100 or any pledge that is increased by at least $100 up to a total of $37,674 over two years. Jay County United Way executive director Jane Ann Runyon said there is about $15,000 remaining in available matching funds.
While Captain J’s appearance Friday night was brief, Runyon, Tague and Denney are crossing their fingers that the community will get to see him again, perhaps at some local elementary schools and business, or for a parade.
“We hope to see more of Captain J if we can summon him,” said Tague. “He’s a busy man.”
“I just can’t think of anything better than, ‘Captain J, the United Way,’” added Denney.
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