Posted 7:19 am Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Shine Your Light Total $159,432.05 Breaks Record
By REBECCA HOEFFNER
Staff Writer
The final total for the Shine Your Light campaign this year is the most that the annual campaign has collected since it began in 2008, and it breaks the previous record by more than $44,000.
Staff Writer
The final total for the Shine Your Light campaign this year is the most that the annual campaign has collected since it began in 2008, and it breaks the previous record by more than $44,000.
"This year's record total for this campaign reflects the compassion and generosity demonstrated time and again by this giving community," Tyler Morning Telegraph publisher Nelson Clyde said. "We celebrate with these agencies for the lives they will be able to serve with these funds from the generous donors."
After counting mail-in contributions that arrived after the Dec. 31 deadline, the total for this year's campaign reached $159,432.05. That includes one donation from an anonymous donor of $50,000. The campaign brought in $115,265 in 2008 and $114,396.43 in 2009.
Donations will be distributed evenly among this year's five selected nonprofits: the East Texas Crisis Center, the East Texas Food Bank, Meals On Wheels, People Attempting to Help and The Salvation Army. Each agency will receive $31,886.41.
Matching partners were the Tyler Morning Telegraph, Mayor Barbara and Billy Bass, the Fourth Partner, Niblack Charitable Fund, Terry and Dennis Darryl, Citizen's First Bank and Harold and Rosemary Beaird. Together the partners contributed $41,000 in matching funds to the campaign.
"These agencies represent the realities of meeting the needs of food, shelter and stress," Fourth Partner Program Officer Dawn Franks said in a meeting at the beginning of this year's campaign.
Lana Peacock, executive director of the East Texas Crisis Center, could hardly contain her excitement when she heard the news Tuesday.
"Whoa," she said in a telephone interview. "That's incredible. That makes my day. Actually that makes my year. Happy New Year to you too!"
Christina Fulsom, executive director of People Attempting to Help, was equally excited by the news, calling the total "amazing."
"This community never ceases to amaze me," she said. "When we let others know about our need, people respond in a positive way. We're lucky to be in this community."
Amazement at East Texas generosity was a theme from all the agencies when they heard the news. Captains Ben and Doris Lawrence of The Salvation Army moved to Tyler in October of last year, and are already amazed, Lawrence said.
"Anytime there's a need, the community just rises up to meet it," he said.
Meals on Wheels Executive Director Mike Powell said the funds from the Shine Your Light campaign are so important to all the nonprofits that were chosen.
"We appreciate those who make this happen -- the individuals who donate and the paper," he said.
Dennis Cullinane, executive director of the East Texas Food Bank, attributed the success of the campaign to the "power of the press and the generosity of Tyler."
"This campaign really shines the light to the public on what we do," he said. "If we just get our story out, it's so much easier for us to get help. We appreciate this. It's Christmas all over again."
