United Way sets record for annual fundraising.

Byline: Andrea Damewood The Register-Guard

CORRECTION (ran Jan. 25, 2007): United Way campaign leaders Connie and Larry Hedberg's names were misspelled in a story Wednesday on Page F1.

SPRINGFIELD - United Way of Lane County announced Tuesday that it raised more than $5.9 million during its 2006 Annual Giving Campaign - the largest amount ever collected by the organization for community work.

At its community celebration at the Royal Caribbean offices in Springfield, the charity organization that supports 40 area nonprofit agencies credited its success to many businesses increasing their giving and to the contributions of new businesses.

New to this year's campaign was a full-time grant writer, who secured $882,484 in support, spokeswoman Cheryl Crumbley said.

Another first came with Connie and Larry Hedburg, the first couple to serve as co-leaders of the annual fundraising drive.

The couple created the theme "What Matters to You?" More than 10,000 cards answering that question were filled in by participating company employees.

"The campaign is about the money, but as we know it's about so much more," Larry Hedburg said. "We know what matters to you, and that's what we think helped raise the money."

Because most of United Way's funding comes through voluntary payroll deductions from employees of participating companies, all fundraising totals are projections that will be finalized in June, Crumbley said.

United Way executives thanked the seven businesses that joined the campaign last year and accounted for $55,000 of new giving.

The largest corporate donor was PeaceHealth, whose combined employee and corporate pledge was $343,200.

The fastest-growing segment of donors, Crumbley said, is the Leadership Giving Circle, made up of those who give $1,000 or more.

Donors in that category increased 11 percent and gave $1.9 million.

The celebration acknowledged the many local community members who helped organize fundraising, including the campaign's loaned executives, who work for United Way for three months while still on their companies' payrolls.

Before the final figures were revealed, the organization's highest honor, the Alton F. Baker Award, was given to PacificSource Health Plans CEO Ken Provencher, who acted as chairman in the 100 Percent Access to Healthcare Initiative.

In videotaped comments, former Gov. John Kitzhaber lauded Provencher's efforts in health care reform.

`The work we're doing to change the health care system wouldn't have gotten off the starting blocks without the work (Provencher has) done,' Kitzhaber said.

"I'm convinced that without his leadership, this program would not have made the progress that it has."

The final amount of $5,907,803 beat United Way's original goal of $5 million - already the highest benchmark the agency had set.

UNITED WAY COMMUNITY AWARDS

Alton F. Baker Award: Ken Provencher, CEO of PacificSource Health Plans and chairman of United Way's 100 Percent Access to Healthcare Initiative. The highest honor, it is given to a person whose contributions have helped in meaningful ways.

Shining Light: KVAL-TV received the first-time award, designed to honor the support the station has given to regional nonprofit agencies for the past 52 years.

Days of Caring: OBEC Consulting Engineers for its noteworthy participation in the Days of Caring event. OBEC employees designed and built a covered bike shed for ShelterCare's Safe Haven project.