By Gary L. Graham

I am pleased to announce the city's 2009 United Way campaign was a huge success. The city is fortunate to have so many caring employees and elected officials working for us. It is through their generosity that we were once again able to raise significant dollars and provide critical funding to the United Way and the agencies they serve.

This is the seventh year the city has conducted an active United Way campaign, and the focus again this year was one of education about what United Way is and how donations to the organization are used.

The United Way of Greater St. Louis is a local, non-profit organization that serves nine Illinois counties, six Missouri counties and the city of St. Louis. In 2009 the United Way of Greater St. Louis donated more than $3.3 million to 23 agencies that provide services in the Metro East. Nearly 90 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to those agencies.

O'Fallon residents benefit from the many services that local United Way-funded agencies provide. For example, the Girl Scouts of Shagbark Council, the Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois, the Illinois Center for Autism, the Southwestern Illinois Visiting Nurses Association and the YMCA of Southwest Illinois all receive funding from the United Way. Without this important funding, many of these agencies would not be able to provide the number of programs nor the level of service that is currently provided.

The campaign ran Sept. 28-Oct. 2 and raised an all-time high of $19,328. Several games and competitions were held that were designed to get employees involved in the campaign and interacting with their co-workers in a fun and friendly way.

Employees and elected officials who donated to the campaign and chose payroll deduction were eligible for a chance to win one of nine grand prizes: four Rams tickets, courtesy of Jim McEvilly; four Blues tickets, courtesy of Jim McEvilly; four Rams tickets, courtesy of Waste Management; four Blues tickets, courtesy of Waste Management; one year of lawn care, courtesy of Munie Greencare Professionals; four Cardinal Redbird Club Tickets for the 2010 season, courtesy of Lowenbaum Partnership; a one-night stay at the O'Fallon Hilton Garden Inn, courtesy of Hilton Garden Inn; four Gateway International Drag Race tickets for 2010, courtesy of Gateway International Raceway; and a paid day off.

A drawing was held Oct. 16 to award the various prizes. Scott Albers, from the fire department, won Rams tickets; Dean Rich, from the finance department, won Blues tickets; Raymond Flaiz, from the fire department, won the lawn care; Diane Coppotelli, from the police department, won Rams tickets; Shawn Miller, from the fire department, won Blues tickets; Kerry Andrews, from the police department, won the Cardinals tickets; Scott Obernuefemann, from the fire department, won the Gateway International tickets; Frank Hautley, from the fire department, won the one-night stay at the O'Fallon Hilton Garden Inn; and John Betten, from the police department, won the paid day off.

Other prizes included rounds of golf with a cart at Stonewolf Golf Club, Far Oaks Golf Club, Clinton Hill Golf Course, The Orchards Golf Club, Tamarack Country Club and Yorktown Golf Club; a $100 savings bond from Bank of O'Fallon; a pool party at Memorial Pool; a $60 gift certificate from Complete Supplements; a $50 savings bond from GCS Federal Credit Union; four $50 gift cards from Walmart; a behind-the- scenes tour of Busch Stadium from Gary Hearn; two bottles of wine and carrier from Plaza Wine & Liquors; free bread for a year from Panera Bread; dinner for two with free appetizer from Texas Roadhouse; four Grizzlies tickets for 2010; a goodie basket from GCS Federal Credit Union; dinner and dessert for two from Dragonfly Secrets; a bowling ball and bag from St. Clair Bowl; an oil change and 38-point inspection from Simon's Auto Repair; a full-service oil change from Valvoline; a $25 gift card from Jan's Hallmark; a $25 gift card from Outlaw Blues; a $25 gift certificate from Steven Mueller Florist; a $25 gift card from Paulo's at the Mansion; three $25 photo finishing cards from Creve Coeur Camera; a pair of two-year subscriptions from the O'Fallon Progress; a $25 gift card from Dierberg's; free lunch and a bag of peanuts from Lone Star Steakhouse; a free haircut from Sports Clips; a 14-day pass from Club Fitness; a kids media and fun basket from O'Fallon Library; a kids book bundles from O'Fallon Library; a free meal for two from Cracker Barrel; a gumball machine and gum from Holland Construction Services; a stainless steel lunch pail and goodies from Holland Construction Services; a $20 gift card from Lottawatta Creek; a $20 gift card from the Olive Garden; a $20 gift certificate from Casa Azteca; dinner for two from Pizza Hut; four value meals and desserts from McDonald's; lunch and dessert for two from O'Charley's; a digital photo key chain from Ace Hardware; a two-bottle insulated wine tote from Ace Hardware; a one-fourth decorated sheet cake from Wood Bakery; a $15 gift card from 17th Street Grill; ten 16-inch pizzas from Papa Vito's; five $10 gift certificates from Pizza World; two $10 gift certificates from Ice Cream Haven; three $10 gift certificates from Applebee's; a $10 gift certificate from Penn Station East Coast Subs; and four free entrees and soft drink from Qdoba Mexican Grill.

Other local businesses that donated prizes to the campaign include: Absopure Water Company, Ace Printing, Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, Centerfield Park, Chevy's Fresh Mex, Dandy Inn, Frieze Harley Davidson, Gateway Fun Park, Hardee's, Imo's Pizza, I Scream You Scream, Jimmy John's, Roy-el Catering, Sonic Drive-in, The Bank of Edwardsville and UMB Bank.

Thanks to great employee and elected official participation, the 2009 United Way campaign was a smashing success. I, along with campaign coordinators Pam Funk and April Mitchell, want to sincerely thank O'Fallon individuals and businesses who donated prizes for the drawing as well as employees and elected officials who responded so generously with donations. This is yet another example of why O'Fallon is such a great community in which to live.

Gary L. Graham is the mayor of O'Fallon.