Published: January 11, 2009 10:18 pm         

United Way representatives braving subzero temperatures Friday for 12-hour fundraising campaign

TERRE HAUTE — Before dawn Friday morning, the temperature is expected to be below zero.

That’s when four United Way representatives will begin a 12-hour fundraising campaign on the flat and exposed roof of Baesler’s Market on Poplar Street.

“We really probably didn’t think this through,” said Troy Fears, executive director of the United Way of the Wabash Valley, with a laugh. Fears, along with fundraising campaign co-chairmen Marla DeHart and Gary Morris and incoming United Way president Rick Burger, will be on the roof using long ropes to lower donation buckets to patrons below.

“It’s going to be darn cold,” he said.

The goal is for the United Way to end its 2008 campaign by raising $10,000 Friday, which is dubbed the United Day for United Way.

Last year, the second annual United Day for United Way, raised more than $6,000, the United Way announced last year.

In addition to Baesler’s, donation buckets for Friday’s United Day for United Way will be at several other area businesses, including all Fifth Third, First Financial, Old National, Terre Haute Savings and Riddell bank branches. Other donation sites include Clabber Girl, ISU Federal Credit Union, JCPenney, Liberty Tax Service, Macy’s and Rally’s. All the money raised by the United Way of the Wabash Valley stays in the Wabash Valley, Fears noted.

DeHart, Morris, Burger and Fears will have a tent for shelter and will be allowed the occasional bathroom break, but otherwise they plan to stay on the Baesler’s Market roof from 6 a.m. until the campaign hits the $10,000 mark. As it stands, the four are planning to stay on the roof for 12 hours, Fears said. “We plan on heckling a lot of people,” he said.

United Day for United Way will be the last big push of the 2008 fundraising campaign for United Way, which provides money for dozens of not-for-profit agencies in Vigo, Clay, Sullivan, Parke, Vermillion and Clark counties. The UWWV fundraising goal for the year was $2 million, Fears said. As of now, the United Way has raised about 79 percent of that figure but some local business campaign donations have yet to come in, he said.

“It’s going to be tough” to meet the annual goal, Fears admitted. The June floods and the current economic downturn have made donation dollars especially difficult for people to give, he said.

The idea for the rooftop fundraiser came from a similar event Fears heard about in Indianapolis – but that event took place during the summer, he said. The idea of Friday’s event is to create awareness for United Day for United Way and have some fun, he said, adding that this is the first year for the rooftop campout and “it may be the last.”

Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.