Club Meeting of 12/2

Jolene Bedard, Executive Director of United Way of Androscoggin County spoke to the club. Jolene provided a brief overview of this year's campaign. Currently they are just over 70 percent of their goal. While the number of pledges at many businesses have reduced significantly the average pledge amount has increased as well. She stressed that there is still a great deal of need for assistance in our community.

Jolene also spoke briefly on the 5 impact areas that are the focus of the contribution dollars. She also mentioned a couple of new initiatives that they are working on. The first is the Food Pantry project where they are working with Corporate Partners to end hunger locally. The second is Project LAASH which is to end homelessness in Lewiston Auburn. We will hear more of this project from our own Larry Marcoux after the first of the year.