By Catherine Ann Velasco cvelasco@stmedianetwork.com June 15, 2011 8:08PM

The United Way of Will County did not reach its fund-raising goal. … They surpassed it.

This year, United Way of Will County beat its campaign goal of $3,800,001 by raising $3,805,715 — about $5,700 over the goal, said campaign Chairwoman Beth Hughes, who admitted she wanted to add a bit of drama by pausing between the alleged bad news and the good news at Wednesday night’s banquet dinner at the Renaissance Center.

This year’s campaign brought in about $83,538 more than had been raised at this time last year.

“The economy was not an excuse, but rather used as a driving force to raise more money to help more people,” said Hughes, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center.

This year, 134 organizations raised more than $166,000, Hughes said.

“We also had 43 new companies step up to the plate and give to our campaign for the first time. These 43 organizations collectively raised over $72,000 in new campaign contributions,” she said.

This year, United Way set a goal of raising $3.8 million plus a dollar. The goal was meant to drive home the point that if the 20,000 people who did not donate in their workplace last year each gave a dollar a week, it would add up to over a million dollars, said Mike Hennessy, president & CEO of United Way of Will County.

The money will be used to support health and human services programs provided by 45 nonprofit agencies that serve the residents of Will County.

Hennessy said the money will help about one of every four people in Will County, which has 677,560 residents. Hennessy said United Way’s agencies are getting more requests for help as state and federal funding is threatened.

Outstanding volunteers and companies

Special awards and recognitions were presented during Wednesday’s banquet to outstanding United Way volunteers and companies. Awardees included:

Dave Meiners, who is retired from AT&T, was recognized for his year of service as chairman of the United Way’s Board of Directors.

Sharon Marth, a Lincoln-Way School District retiree, received the Roger Osman Distinguished Volunteer Service Award.

AT&T was honored with the Frank Turk Sr. Outstanding Campaign Achievement Award for an outstanding workplace campaign and other volunteer efforts for the United Way.

The Rising Star Award was presented to Bergstrom Inc. of Joliet.

Hughes was recognized for her outstanding leadership as this year’s campaign chair and it was announced she will lead the charge again next year.

Doing the right thing

Hughes admits she was aggressive when it came to reaching the $3.8 million goal and feels there are more Will County companies that can give a leadership gift and run an employee campaign.

“I feel strongly that they should make every effort to make a contribution next year. I’m going to give them another chance to do the right thing,” Hughes said. “I would love to see far more companies in Will County consider how important it is to participate at some level next year so we can raise the goal next year. It will be very difficult to raise the goal next year if we don’t have new companies come to the table. You can only rely on the same companies over and over and over again. We are proud of the 134 (companies) that did better than the year before because that was no small task.”

Hughes said to raise more money next year United Way needs at least 43 new companies to donate and run employee campaigns.

“There are a lot of organizations that don’t give,” she said. “I would say to the individual giver that there is little excuse not to give a dollar a week. I honestly cannot think of a reason given where this money is going and where it is so desperately needed that you couldn’t find it in your heart to not give a dollar a week. … It doesn’t take much to make such a huge difference. If a lot of people did a little, it’s a lot and it’s important.”