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 [ Thursday, Sept. 13, 2001 ]
The United Way of Centre County asks for donations
Service organization established a fund for victims of the attacks.
By Lynne Funk
Collegian Staff Writer
The United Way of America has established a fund for the victims of Tuesday's terrorist attacks, just one example of overall support from the country as Americans attempt to regroup from the strikes. The fund, named the September 11th Fund, began between the United Way and the New York Community Trust to provide assistance to victims of the terrorist attacks. | ||||
PHOTO: Mike Bencivenga
Alpha Fire Company Chief Steve Triebold, bottom, and Firefighter Brian Bittner do some routine maintenance.
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"We at United Way of Pennsylvania wanted to take a leadership role," spokesman Anthony Ross said. "We decided the best thing to do was centralize the response to one fund, as opposed to going through 1,400 different offices." Ross said donations can be given to local offices as well. "Pennsylvania United Way organizations are working with their counterparts in Pittsburgh, Somerset, Boston, New York and Washington, D.C., to provide needed assistance and support," President Tom Foley said in a press release. There are 1,400 different United Way offices across the United States and 89 groups in Pennsylvania in 59 of the 67 counties of the commonwealth, Ross said. "We need to have only one fund to make sure the funds are distributed," Ross said. To begin to get the fund started, United Way of America Chair-elect Cuba Wadlington Jr., Executive Vice President of Williams and Chief Executive Officer of Williams Gas Pipeline announced that Williams made a gift donation of $1 million. "He decided to show his commitment by having his company donate the money and to get the ball rolling," Ross said. United Way of Centre County can take donations and the administrative fees have been waived, according to the press release. Donations are most needed now as many volunteers have come forward in abundance. After a call Tuesday for volunteers throughout Centre County and the commonwealth to help with the chaos in New York, Washington, D.C., and Somerset County, the call for help in Centre County was suspended yesterday because of an overflow of support from across the country. Centre County Board of Commissioners suspended the call for volunteers in the county because of the overwhelming response. Centre County's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) as well as other EOC's across the state will remain activated. The State EOC continues to be operated 24-hours a day. The overall threat level on the state has been reduced, according to a press release from the Centre County Board of Commissioners. The county and the state were placed in a Level One Terrorist threat Tuesday in response to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Centre County United Way can be reached at 814-238-8283 by contacting Ellie Beaver. 
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