Spirit lives on

For the first time since 2015, a United Way of Jay County campaign started without Vicki Tague and Cindy Denney at the helm.

But their spirit continues on.

The organization held the kickoff for its annual campaign, themed “Superheroes United,” during halftime Friday of the Jay County High School football team’s season opener against the Norwell Knights.

“For me, the honor of following Vicki and Cindy is just a way to say thank you to both of those — Vicki in heaven and Cindy still on the cabinet,” said Barb Street, who is co-chairing this year’s campaign with her daughter, Angie Paxson.

Tague, who spent 21 years as executive director of Jay County Chamber of Commerce, died in April. She and Denney were campaign co-chairs for three years, which executive director Jane Ann Runyon said is “unheard of” in the United Way world.

“They were just awesome,” she said. “I can’t say enough about them. … We just have to figure out how we can follow Vicki and Cindy.”

The kickoff event at halftime included board members and campaign leaders, many dressed in superhero garb, tossing t-shirts and mini footballs to the crowd. And, of course, it also featured the arrival of local superhero Captain Jay.

The annual United Way campaign provides support to a variety of local organizations.

Partner agencies for 2019 are Anthony Wayne Boy Scouts, Jay County Association for Crippled Children and Adults, A Better Life – Brianna’s Hope, Bryant Community Center, Girl Scouts, Jay Community Center, Jay County Cancer Society, Jayland Rescue Mission, Jayland Partners, Jay-Randolph Developmental Services, Pennville Community Center, Second Harvest Food Bank, West Jay Community Center and Youth Service Bureau.

“There’s a big need to promote the United Way in the county,” said Paxson, noting its programs such as providing hygiene pouches to local students.

“The campaign is what United Way is all about,” said Runyon. “If we didn’t do the campaign there wouldn’t be any United Way and we wouldn’t be able to support the programs and agencies that we do. It’s what United Way is all about — raising money for others.”

Organizations participating in the Pacesetter campaign have already made $48,051 in pledges, with more yet to come. That represents more than 27 percent of the goal total of $175,000. Those pacesetters include Moser Engineering, Performance Tool, MSSL Wiring, POET Biorefining and Jay County REMC.

Runyon pointed out that Motherson Sumi Systems Limited (MSSL) employees pledged more than $16,000.

“MSSL did an absolutely astounding job,” she said. “Isn’t that amazing.

“Over 60 percent of their employees participated.”

Campaign cabinet members include industrial co-chairs Darrell Reeves and Cline Bryan, professional co-chairs Drew Houck and Rita Lutes, education chair Andy Schmidt, leadership co-chairs Pat and Pam Bennett, agriculture chair Mark Tillman, small business chair Jeanna Ford, service organization chair Traci Gross, government co-chairs Mike Weitzel and Don Denney, special events chair Cindy Denney, healthcare chair Vicki Delzeith and advertising chair John Boggs.

United Way board members are Houck (president), Gross (president elect), Weitzel (vice president), Emily Richards (treasurer), Kristen Gibson (secretary), Dave Hyatt, Tamara Kaufman, Brenda Funk, Tami Vormohr and Boggs.