It's happened again - a group of people has gotten together and raised a huge amount of money - just over $2 million to support 36 different agencies in the midcoast region.

United Way of Mid Coast Maine held their finale last Thursday night at Bowdoin College to announce the results of their most recent campaign. This year the Volunteer of the Year Award, usually presented to an individual, was presented this year to the employee volunteers at Bath Iron Works who ran the campaign at their company. That team of volunteers raised $700,000 through payroll deduction from the employees at the shipyard.

The agencies that United Way supports help hundreds of people in so many ways - in Brunswick, and Harpswell, plus all of the towns in Sagadahoc County, and all of the towns in Lincoln County.

In addition to raising money for 36 different organizations, the Mid Coast chapter also sponsors FIRST CALL, an information and referral service, available free to anyone who needs help for an aging parent, finding a food pantry or temporary shelter, or any of a number of different resources any of us might need at one time or another (it is not a crisis hot line.) FIRST CALL also can connect you with organizations that can make good use of your contribution of goods and services, or make good use of your talents at an agency that needs volunteers. The number is 443-8952, and the service is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

Another program United Way sponsors is Success By 6, an effort to ensure that children get the best possible start in life by increasing medical, emotional and educational support for families and promoting reading to infants and young children, and to help make child care affordable and accessible for working families.

Congratulations to all who made this year's campaign a success, including staff, volunteers, donors, and companies who provided full time help during the campaign by taking part in the Loaned Executive program.

- Paula Gibbs