March 30, 2004 – Thanks to thousands of generous donors and volunteers, the United Way of St. Thomas-St. John has concluded its 2003-04 campaign, raising a record-breaking $800,212.

The good news was announced at the United Way annual meeting and campaign celebration held at Petite Pump Room on March 26. In his prepared remarks to the membership, campaign leader Steve Baker commended the dedication and effort of the many volunteers. Baker, who is president of Baker and Magras, contributed the record-breaking success of the campaign to a multipronged approach. This year's fund-raising strategy included targeting businesses that were previously unsolicited both on St. Thomas and St. John and improving and expanding employee campaigns – the "heart and soul of United Way’s fund-raising efforts."

Key highlights of this year’s campaign included the campaign's first fund-raising event with more than 400 volunteers participating in United Way’s Day of Caring held at Charlotte Amalie High School. Another highlight was the successful implementation of United Way's newest leadership giving program, the Alexis de Tocqueville Society, which is comprised of individuals contributing $10,000 or more annually. The 14 founding members – led by Hurdle "Trip" Lea III, president of Margate Management; and Ira Lubert of Belgravia Partners – collectively contributed $175,000 to the society.

Another notable aspect to this year's campaign was the fact that approximately 30 per cent of the campaign goal represented donations from 122 employee campaigns. Employee campaigns with significant increases in contributions included: Marriott Frenchman’s Reef (162%); Innovative Telephone (113%); St. Thomas Ritz Carlton Resort (81%); Knight Quality Stations (70%); Bolongo Bay Resort (58%); Westin Resort (35%) and First Bank (34%).

Equally pleased by the news of United Way's successful fund-raising campaign were the representatives of the 16 human service agencies supported by the United Way. This year approximately $575,000 will be distributed to the member agencies in the form of allocations, technical assistance and in-kind support. Those agencies are: American Red Cross, V.I. Council of Boy Scouts of America, 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, 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, V.I. Institute for Teaching and Learning, and the Yellow Cedar Group Home.