The United Way of West Central Mississippi has finished off its 2007 campaign just shy of the organization’s $1.6 million goal, but still in high spirits.

“We are extremely pleased,” said Executive Director Barbara Tolliver, The United Way had raised $1,515, 923.13 or about 95 percent of the target. Tolliver said the campaign had been extended for a few weeks past the original Oct. 5 deadline. While donations continue to trickle in, Tolliver said that all of the campaign’s volunteers were worn out as the holiday season approached and it was time to wind up.

“We’re all tired,” she said. Although the goal was not met, Tolliver said the more than $1.5 million will still keep 20 member agencies in Vicksburg and Warren County funded.

Compared to other cities, “95 percent is great,” said Tami Milazzo, who helped lead this year’s campaign. Tolliver and Milazzo said each campaign is a team effort. A 12-member campaign cabinet, led by Patty Mekus, worked for more than three months to bring the campaign to the 95 percent mark. The work also saw a new agency added this year, Warren County Habitat for Humanity.

The United Way of West Central Mississippi was formed in 1953. The organization’s primary goal is to support health, welfare, recreation, educational and youth services, develop public awareness of social service needs in the community and encourage the development of new services to meet the needs of the community. The idea of having centralized fund-raising is to free up the time of member agency staff, personnel and assets to provide services. People donate through payroll deduction at participating employers or direct gifts. There are also divisions for large donors and corporations, among others.

Although the 2007 campaign has just come to a close, plans are already under way for the 2008 campaign. Tolliver said the kickoff day will be Sept. 12.

Member agencies and most clients are in Warren, Claiborne, Sharkey, Issaquena and Yazoo counties in Mississippi and Madison Parish. Along with Habitat for Humanity, the agencies receiving allocations from the United Way pool of funds are:

* The American Red Cross

* Boy Scouts

* Central Mississippi Prevention Services

* Child Abuse Prevention Center

* Christian Volunteer Service

* Community Council

* Girl Scouts

* Good Shepherd Community Center

* Grace Christian Counseling

* Haven House

* HIV Services

* Magnolia Speech School

* MIDD-West

* The Salvation Army

* Vicksburg Family Development

* Warren County Children’s Shelter

* Warren-Yazoo Mental Health

* We Care

* YMCA

Donors may make general gifts that will be disbursed through the volunteer allocations committee formulas or make gifts to specific agencies or clusters of agencies.