Volunteers come out to help United Way; 2008 goal is $2.9M

YOUNGSTOWN — “It’s friends and neighbors helping friends and neighbors,” Walter “Buzz” Pishkur said of the Youngstown-Mahoning Valley United Way’s annual Day of Caring.

The Day of Caring, which this year fell on Sept. 11, the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York City and the Pentagon, is an event in which teams of volunteers from businesses and other organizations perform tasks for United Way-affiliated agencies.

The event also kicks off the local United Way’s 2008 financial campaign. This year’s goal is $2.9 million, $352,547 of which already has been raised by the early Pacesetter campaigns and advance gifts.

“We all recall seven years ago how after the attacks we came together and how people acted selflessly to help out,” said Pishkur, chairman of the financial campaign and president of Aqua Ohio.

Helping each other also is the essence of the United Way campaign, he said.

“What you do today and during the campaign will have a major impact on our community,” Pishkur told the 450 volunteers who gathered today for the United Way “Breakfast of Champions” at Our Lady of Mount Carmel banquet hall before heading out to their various tasks.

For the complete story, see Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.