St. Thomas, VI, September 29 – The United Way of St. Thomas-St. John is $234,000 closer to its goal of $650,000 due to the generous contributions and pledges made at the 2001-2002 campaign kickoff held on Saturday, September 29, 2001 at the Ritz Carlton Resort. More than 60 companies and individuals came forward to present their gifts on the first day of the campaign, pushing the traditional United Way “thermometer” to 36%.

Campaign Chair Susan Laura Lugo pledged her committee’s diligence in ensuring that the remaining $416,000 of the goal would be raised by the end of January, if not by December. She praised the enthusiasm, dedication and organization of the campaign committee which “guarantees the success of our efforts on behalf of the community.”

Ms. Lugo enthusiastically accepted the contributions and pledges of the early givers. Leading the group of kickoff donors was the Prosser ICC Foundation with a pledge of $25,000, followed by the West Indian Company with $15,000, and the law firm of Dudley, Topper and Feuerzeig pledging $12,500 with a guarantee of another $5,000 from its employees. The John Anderson Companies followed with a pledge of $12,500; Randy Knight with $10,000, Wireless World and its employees with $10,000; Chase Manhattan Bank with $6,200; Knight Quality Stations with $5,000, Caneel Bay with $5,000, MSI Building Supplies with $5,000, Ambassador and Mrs. Henry Kimelman with $5,000, Dr. and Mrs. Alfred Heath with $5,000, the Bank of Nova Scotia with $5,000 and the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association with $5,000.

Other early contributors were Banco Popular de Puerto Rico with $4,000, Sea Chest with $4,000, Globalvest with $4,000; ADT Security Systems with $3,000; AT&T with $2,500, the Karen Ingeborg Lockhart Foundation with $2,500, Mr. and Mrs. Al Cohen with $2,500, Financial Trust with $2,500; Henry and Penny Feuerzeig with $2,000, Dudley, Clark and Chan with $2,000, E. Jonathan Gjessing with $2,000, Guardian Insurance with $2,000, and Rotary Club of St. Thomas II with $2,000.

The remaining contributions included Mr. and Mrs. John Amerling with $1,600, Budget Rent-A-Car with $1,500, Kate N Design with $1,500, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Bayard with $1,500, Theodore Tunick & Co. with $1,500; Margaret Sprauve, M.D. with $1,500, St. Thomas Dairies with $1,250, Caribbean Cable TV Association with $1,250, Caribbean Auto Mart with $1,200, Murphy’s Automotive with $1,200; Mr. and Mrs. Bill Bolton with $1,000, Birch, DeJongh, Hindels and Hall with $1,000, Karin Bentz with $1,000, Caribbean Cinemas with $1,000, Caribbean Packaging with $1,000, Judge and Mrs. Alphonso Christian with $1,000, Dogs on Guard with $1,000, Randall Doty with $1,000, Havensight Delly with $1,000, Holiday Windward Passage with $1,000, Catherine Kean, M.D. with $1,000, Christine Lloyd, M.D. with $1,000, Ellen McLean with $1,000, Mr. Tablecloth with $1,000, Ronald Nimmo, M.D. with $1,000, Frank Odlum, M.D. with $1,000, William Otto with $1,000, Dr. and Mrs. Rupert Peterkin with $1,000, Dr. and Mrs. Vincente Poblete with $1,000, Dr. and Mrs. George Rosenberg with $1,000, Shell Seekers with a minimum of $1,000, Texaco Caribbean with $1,000, Unlimited Holdings with $1,000, Henry Wheatley with $1,000, Community Motors with $1,000, The Jewelry Center with $1,000, Sea View Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility with $1,000, and Lewis Stern with $1,000.

The balance of the kickoff contributions, or $25,800, came from the United Way board of directors and staff members, and from spontaneous donations given by several attendees.

The United Way uses the money it raises during its annual campaign to support 17 member agencies. They are American Red Cross, V.I. Council of Boy Scouts of America, Carabana Ensemble Theater Company, Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands, Civil Air Patrol, Downstreet People’s Youth in Action, Dial-A-Ride St. John, Dial-A-Ride St. Thomas, Ebenezer Gardens, Fair Haven Camp, Friends of Volunteers in Public Schools, Girl Scout Council, Legal Services of the Virgin Islands, Lutheran Reformation Summer Program, St. Thomas Reformed Church Summer Program, Shaky Acres, and Victim Advocate Program.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: THYRA HAMMOND 774-3185, SUSAN LUGO 774-0967