Campaign 2008


Campaign 2008

2008 Campaign goal: $4.01 million

Campaign Events	Donor Incentive Prizes	How to Donate
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Annual Campaign Reached 43 Percent of Its Goal

As the 2008 Campaign of United Way of Broome County entered its second month in mid-October, the annual fund drive reached the 43 percent mark on the way toward its goal of $4.01 million.

Mark Capobianco, 2008 United Way Campaign Chair, and superintendent of the Vestal Central School District, announced that pledges totaling $1,728,102 has been received by Tuesday, October 21, in this year’s Campaign, which is 43 percent of the goal. The announcement was made at the luncheon meeting of the Binghamton Rotary Club #64 held at Terra Cotta in Binghamton. The Campaign is scheduled to end on Friday, November 14.

"Traditionally, a lot of Campaign progress reports do not arrive until late in the Campaign," said Capobianco, "and information has been slow coming in this year, but we are all pushing to meet the goal."

He added that based on reported results to date, "we are cautiously optimistic about this year’s Campaign." Among the organization reporting the results from employee campaigns completed thus far, Capobianco said that Broome-Tioga BOCES is up by 30 percent compared to 2007, and Deposit Central Schools is up by 14 percent. Among retailers, the employee campaign at Macy’s increased by 8 percent.

Reviewing gifts from individuals received to date, 32 percent are showing an increase compared to last year and only 7 percent are lower than 2007. However, Capobianco pointed out that of the Campaign returns that have not yet been reported, 80 percent of these are organization campaigns, which is the Campaign segment most difficult to forecast.

The funds raised in previous United Way campaigns assisted more than 100 health and human service programs at United Way’s 29 local member agencies. More than 150,000 times last year, individuals in our community benefited from the programs of these agencies. This is thousands more local people than were served by any other charitable fund raising effort conducted in Broome County. United Way continues to be the best way to help the most people in our community.

The funds raised in this year’s Campaign will benefit these local member agency programs, plus services and grant recipients during 2008. This year’s goal is about $9,500 more than the $4,000,487 raised in the 2007 United Way Campaign.

Six donors to United Way’s 2008 Campaign will win one of these incentive prizes: a 2008 Chevrolet Aveo donated by Gault Chevrolet; home furniture with a value up to $3,000 from Olum’s; a $2,500 Valero gasoline gift card from Manley’s Might Marts; and three $1,000 grocery gift cards donated by Wegmans.

Campaign Goal Set at $4.01 Million

The goal for the 2008 Annual Campaign of United Way of Broome County is $4,010,000. This was announced on September 18 at the kickoff of United Way’s annual fund drive held at the Broome County YMCA in Binghamton. Campaign Chair Mark Capobianco made the announcement.

“There is no question that in the current economic environment, the goal is challenging,” said Capobianco. “ But United Way staff and the Campaign Cabinet have developed a very comprehensive plan to take maximum advantage of opportunities that we believe are available.”

This year’s goal is about $9,500 more than the $4,000,487 raised in the 2007 Campaign. The 2008 United Way Campaign will run through November 14. The funds raised will be distributed to local member agencies and services, as well as grant recipients, in 2009.

Capobianco concluded the meeting by reminding everyone, “Underneath everything we are, underneath everything we do, we are all people--connected, interdependent, and united. When we reach out a hand to one, we influence the conditional of all. That’s what it means to Live United.”

Campaign Chair and Cabinet Chosen

Mark A. Capobianco, superintendent of Vestal Central Schools, has been named Chair of the 2008 United Way of Broome County Campaign, the organization’s annual fund drive.

Capobianco was Associate Chair of the 2007 United Way fund drive and Education Division chair for the 2004 through 2006 fund drives. The 2008 Campaign will begin in mid-September and run through early November.

A resident of the Greater Binghamton area since 1989, Capobianco joined the Vestal Central School District that year as Director of Public Personnel Services. He advanced to the position of Assistant Superintendent for Instruction in 1996, and to his current position of Superintendent of Schools in 2001.

Capobianco earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at State University of New York College at Cortland in secondary social studies and a Master of Science degree at State University of New York College at Oswego in counseling services. Prior to coming to Vestal he taught at the Oswego County BOCES, worked as a school counselor for Port Byron Central Schools in Cayuga County, and in school administration for the Hannibal Central Schools in Oswego CountyUnion Youth Soccer programs, as a member of the board of directors of Vestal Dollars for Scholars, the Vestal School Foundation, the Greater Binghamton Education Outreach Program, and St. Anthony’s Learning Center. He is also a member of the Vestal Rotary and the Broome Family Violence Prevention Council.

The other volunteers who will serve as leaders on the Campaign Cabinet also have been announced. Michael Mercincavage, Binghamton University, will serve as the Associate Chair. The six Vice Chairs are: David Culbertson, National Pipe and Plastics; Michael Klein, Broome County government; John Leet, WICZ - Fox 40; Thomas J. Meade Jr., Sunstream Corporation; David L. Neifer, Levene Gouldin & Thompson; and James Silkworth, Universal Instruments.

Division chairs include Jason Andrews, Windsor Central Schools; Allen Buyck, Broome-Tioga BOCES; Oliver N. Blaise III, Coughlin & Gerhart; Brian R. DeBoyace, Tioga State Bank; Cynthia Smith Gordineer, American Red Cross, Southern Tier Chapter; Joli Juodaitis, HealthNow New York; David Kwiatowski, M.D., Candor Family Care; Peggy Miller, Strategic Computer Solutions, Inc; Mario Petta, Macy’s Department Store; Leigh Ann Scheider, Broome County government; Linda Sebesta, United Health Services; Michael Wardell, Northwest Mutual Financial Network; and LoriAnne Welch, M&T Bank.

Gordineer also will represent United Way member agencies on the Campaign Cabinet. Jeffrey Shafer, D.V.M., Vestal Veterinary Hospital, will represent United Way’s Community Services Division, which is responsible for the allocation of the funds raised during the Campaign. Ann McNichols, United Way President, is an ex officio member of the Campaign Cabinet.

The funds raised in the 2008 United Way Campaign will be allocated to support community programs at 29 local member agencies and to Venture and Special Assistance Grant recipients in 2009.

Updated: Oct. 21, 2008