BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — The United Way of Harrison County received an early boost for its fundraising campaign from a natural gas company that operates in the area.
Antero Resource employees presented at $20,000 check Friday afternoon to representatives from the local agency.
“Harrison County is a small place,” said Al Schopp, Chief Administrative Officer and Regional Senior Vice-President of Appalachia with Antero. “I think every one of our employees knows somebody who’s been helped by United Way, and I think that makes a difference.”
Tom Rhine, the campaign chair for United Way in Harrison County, said while the campaign has not officially begun, they are already receiving donation like the one made by Antero.
“We’ve got a very aggressive goal that we’ve got to achieve by next February.”
While the goal has not yet been officially set, Rhine estimates they will take in more than they did the previous year.
“Every year it creeps up a little bit,” he said. “Our community grows, the needs of our community grow too.”
The funds propel the numerous services the United Way offers the community for the year and beyond.
Because they reach so many people in many different ways, Antero selected the organization to send a donation in order to impact the highest number of people.
“We give them the money, we entrust them,” Schoop said. “We have people on the boards, on the big boards, on the committee boards and all of those people then decide how to distribute that money to the people who truly really need it and can take the time and energy and find those people. That’s very difficult for a corporation to do.”
Beyond monetary contribution, Schoop said he enjoys the fact that many representatives of the United Way are Antero employees.
“What’s really nice is to watch our individual employees get individually involved in some of the organization get involved in some of the organizations that the United Way sponsors.”
More information about the United Way of Harrison County can be found at unitedwayhcwv.org.