United response

Jay County’s superheroes answered the call.

United Way of Jay County — with its 2018-19 campaign theme of “calling all superheroes” — raised $163,967 in local pledges. Combined with a $29,954 matching grant from Lilly Endowment, that adds up to a campaign total of $193,921.

“Thank you for answering the call,” campaign co-chair Cindy Denney told those at United Way’s annual meeting Wednesday at John Jay Center for Learning. “I would like to give a special thanks to Vicki Tague. She and I have co-chaired this for three years. … She is definitely a superhero in my book.”

Tague has been ailing in recent months and is currently a patient at Indiana University Health Jay Hospital.

“We thought it would be appropriate to be thinking of her tonight,” former United Way officer and perennial United Way emcee Wes Schemenaur told volunteers and representatives of local United Way organizations. 

“We try to help as many people as we possibly can,” said United Way president John Boggs. “Unfortunately there’s never enough money to help everyone.”

Incoming president Drew Houck was honored with the Greg and Marianne Moser Volunteer of the Year Award.

United Way executive director Jane Ann Runyon noted, “This could go to a ton of different people,” but Houck had stepped up to serve as “Captain Jay,” the organization’s own superhero to promote the campaign in public appearances. 

Employees of MSSL Wiring Systems were honored with the Lee G. Hall Beneficence Award for their ongoing support to the United Way.

“They do it in a big way,” said Runyon.

Students at Redkey Elementary School received the Youth United Award and traveling trophy for the top participation in the campaign. Students raised $5.43 per student, the highest in Jay Schools, for a total of $1,027.

East Elementary School students raised $1,255, Westlawn Elementary School students raised $738, Bloomfield Elementary School students raised $650 and General Shanks Elementary students raised $421.

Division awards went to MSSL (industry), First Merchants Bank (professional), the City of Portland (government), Community and Family Services (service organizations) and Jay County REMC (small business).