The wrap-up event for the United Way Campaign will be from 3 – 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 1 in the Bradbury Thompson Alumni Center. Jerry Farley, university president, and Nancy Perry, president of United Way of Greater Topeka, will unveil the amount raised in the 2007 campaign. Students, faculty and staff will be welcomed by an ice cream social sponsored by Cold Stone Creamery as a thank you for their support of the campaign.

“The United Way campaign went very well this year,” said Amanda Millard, director of University Relations.

The attendance from last year’s events was doubled. Several people took advantage of the option to donate online, which will stay active all the time, so anyone can donate to Washburn’s United Way throughout the year. The Web site for donations is www.washburn.edu/unitedway.

Some of the new additions to the campaign – the money wishing well and the cups for sale – were successful, but Millard feels they will be able to expand and improve on those ideas within the years to come.

According to Millard, the best addition to this year’s campaign was the United Way agency off-site visit. This visit took those who signed up to the American Red Cross for a lunch and presentation from ARC.

“It was amazing to hear what the ARC does for our community and how many lives they impact each year,” said Millard. “I think it’s important to get out from behind your desk and see what is really going on in the community and this event allowed up to do that.”

The plan is for the campaign to offer more visits to other United Way agencies next year.

Goals were set at the beginning of the campaign for the amount of money that would be raised. The wrap-up event will be the moment of truth for Washburn and the United Way of Greater Topeka.

“I think that we are on pace to reach our fundraising goal,” said Millard.