By J.R. Tidwell / Editor

Chilton County United Way will host a luncheon Aug. 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in order to kick off the organization’s 2019-2020 campaign.

The luncheon will be held at the Alabama Power Conference Center, located at 2030 Seventh St. S. in Clanton.

“We invite businesses and individuals from the community to come out as we reveal our campaign goals for 2019,” said Carol Fortuna, the campaign coordinator for Chilton County United Way.

“We will have a program and a speaker, and we will recognize our agencies. The kick-off luncheon lets people know that we are starting our campaign for the year.”

Fortuna said that some companies present checks to Chilton County United Way at the luncheon in order to help get the new campaign started.

Businesses or individuals who would like to attend the luncheon are asked to RSVP by Aug. 24. Anyone wishing to do so may email unitedwaychilton@bellsouth.net or call (205) 755-5875.

Fortuna said that one thing that sets Chilton County United Way apart from other groups in the organization is that funds raised locally remain here in the county.

“Our board, which is comprised of people from here in the county, controls everything,” she said. “We don’t send money out of the county. All the funds we raise stay here.”

Funds raised by Chilton County United Way are distributed as the board chooses to 22 different, local non-profit agencies.

“We go to different businesses and schools, and sometimes we take success stories with us,” Fortuna said.

The campaign will run from the first day of September through the end of December.

“We are here to make Chilton County a better place,” Fortuna said. “We want to nurture our youth, because they will become our next leaders. Most of the non-profit organizations we give money to support local youth.”