United Way drive extended a week

Teams of volunteers will be visiting area businesses on Blitz Day.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- The aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks has temporarily disrupted much of everyday life, and the fall campaign for the United Way of Mercer County is no exception.
The fund drive, limited to six weeks this year, was to wrap up Friday with a Blitz Day in the Hermitage Square Plaza parking lot but has now been extended for an additional week.
Jim Micsky, executive director, said Tuesday that Blitz Day will now be Oct. 26.
Campaign workers and chairman Stephen Gurgovits felt they lost a week of pledge gathering after the terrorist attacks and wanted one more week to wrap up their work, he said.
Here's the plan: A tent in the plaza parking lot adjacent to the First National Bank building will be the final-day headquarters and volunteers will be asked to gather there at 8 a.m. on Blitz Day, Micsky said.
They will then be divided into teams for a last-minute canvassing of the commercial areas of the Shenango Valley as well as Mercer, hitting every business in that target area, Micsky said.
Those that have already made donations will be given a red, white and blue window sticker to display. It features the American flag and the United Way logo, Micsky said.
Those businesses that haven't made a pledge will be asked to do so, he said.
There will be live radio broadcasts from the headquarters by Y103, WPIC and Oldies 104 with periodic total updates as the pledges are gathered.
Companies and individuals who haven't turned in their pledges will be asked to drive to the tent to do so, Micsky said.
The plan is to wrap up Blitz Day at noon, he said.
The United Way is seeking $1.1 million this year to help finance the work of 25 human service agencies operating in the Mercer County area.