St. Thomas, VI, September 24 – Promoting its campaign theme of “Your Islands, Your Home, Your United Way,” the United Way of St. Thomas-St. John kicked off its 27th annual fundraising campaign on Saturday, September 24, at its 2006 Campaign Kickoff and Appreciation Breakfast held at The Ritz Carlton St. Thomas. This is the fifth year that the Ritz Carlton has underwritten this event.

Raymond Green, president of the United Way board of directors, welcomed the capacity crowd and called upon the community to support this year’s campaign. He said that the campaign co-chairs, Cheryl George-Chance and Ray Szymanski and their volunteers, were ready and able to take on the challenge of raising $800,000 but that it would take the support of everyone to make our community a better place to live.

In response, over 63 companies, organizations and individuals came forward to announce their donations, helping the United Way raise 32% of its $800,000 goal on the first day of the campaign.

Campaign Co-Chairpersons Cheryl George-Chance and Ray Szymanski praised the generosity of the campaign’s early supporters and thanked them for their confidence in the United Way. George-Chance said, “We’re excited to get to work on this year’s campaign and we are off to a terrific start.” Szymanski added, “We are encouraged by $258,140 in early pledges because it demonstrates people fully appreciate United Way’s role in addressing the needs of our community and are responding generously.”

Leading the group of kickoff donors were Robert Schmidt & Kim Holdsworth and Richard & Alicia Stephenson, pledging $10,000 each. These leaders in giving are members of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society, a United Way major giving program for individuals who contribute $10,000 or more annually to the United Way, and who are recognized locally as well as nationally.

The Prosser ICC Foundation followed with a pledge of $25,000, matching the contributions of the employees of the Innovative companies; The Redhead Management, Inc. at $20,000; West Indian Company with $15,000; Dudley, Topper & Feuerzeig, LLP and International Capital & Management Co. each pledging $10,000; the Bank of Nova Scotia with $8,000; A. H. Riise with $7,500; and FirstBank with a pledge of $7,000. Making $5,000 pledges were Dr. & Mrs. Al Heath, Carole DeSenne, Baker Magras & Associates, Caneel Bay, Topa Properties and J. Epstein V.I. Foundation.

Other early contributors were Andrea and Steve Martin pledging $4,000; Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, $4,000. Susan Laura Logo and George Dudley, Richard & Carolyn LaCombe pledged $3,000 as did Marriott Frenchman’s Reef, and Theodore Tunick & Co. Pledging $2,500 were Scott & Judy Barber, Katherine Gibson, Henry & Penny Feuerzeig, Adriane Dudley, Dr. Margaret Sprauve & Michael Martin, Caribbean Auto Mart, Mr. Tablecloth and Rotary Club of St. Thomas II. Pledging $2,000 were John & Joan Amerling, Dr. Garfield Less, Dr. Lawrence & Helen Goldman, Guardian Insurance, Investment Security Services and Jewels/Azura by Jewels, Topa Insurance, Westin Resort and Murphy Automotive. Kate N Design pledged $1,750 followed by donations of $1,500 from Henry Wheatley, Cigna Health Insurance and Alton Adams, Inc.

The remaining contributions included Captain Nautica pledging $1,200; and 19 contributors of $1,000 each – Pamela Berkowsky & Dr. Adam Shapiro, Drs. Sidney Comissiong & Ruth Watson, Jonathan Gjessing, Gerald Bahlman, Michael Kelleher, Drs. Horace & Sonia Griffith, Albert & Lonnie Willis, Yssis Group, William Karr & Associates, Toyota, Betteroads Asphalt Co., Virgin Islands Heart, Miller Properties, the deJongh Group, Holiday Inn Windward Passage, East End Lumber Yard, Tom Bolt & Associates, Natural Food Grocery & Deli, and Drury Capital, Inc. The balance of the kickoff contributions came from the United Way board of directors and staff.

Noting that the loss of EDC companies negatively impacted United Way’s fund drive last year, President Green announced that a benefit jazz concert featuring 3-time Grammy Award winning vocalist, Dianne Reeves and two world-class Virgin Islands Jazz musicians, bassist Reuben Rogers and saxophonist Ron Blake, would be held on January 21, 2006 as an additional source of income for the campaign. Via video, Reuben Rogers invited the audience to the benefit concert and appealed for their support of United Way. The guests were then treated to short taped version of Dianne Reeves in concert.

The monies raised by the campaign will support the following local, human service agencies: 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, Legal Services of the Virgin Islands, Lutheran Reformation Summer Program, St. Thomas Reformed Church Summer Program, V.I. Institute for Teaching and Learning, and the Yellow Cedar Group Home. Funds raised will also support United Way’s Venture Grant program.