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Ahoy! United Way hits high seas
new deh united way bash logo

Agencies served by the United Way of Central Kansas include:
• The American Red Cross
• Barton County Youth Care
• Barton County Young  Men’s Organization
• Big Brothers/Big Sisters
• Boy Scouts of America
• Catholic Social Services
• Central Kansas CASA, Inc.
• ElderCare
• Ellinwood Heritage Center
• Family Crisis Center
• Girl Scouts of Central Kansas
• Golden Belt Home Health & Hospice
• Great Bend Children’s Learning Center
• Meals on Wheels
• Ourselves and Our Families (Coalition for the Prevention of Child Abuse)
• RSVP
• Salvation Army
• Teen Court
• United Cerebral Palsy

Arrrrrg,  mateys.
It may not be the Spanish Main, but the 2011 United Way of Central Kansas campaign sets sail Saturday with its Buccaneer Bash. Organizers hope this touch of high seas adventure will help the drive bring in the loot.
The bash starts at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Highland Hotel and Convention Center, 3017 10th, in Great Bend. “It’s a preview to get people excited about the campaign,” Julie Bugner-Smith, UWCK executive director.
Despite the pirate theme, UWCK won’t hold attendees at cutlass point or ask them to walk the plank. “This is just a big party to benefit United Way.” Entertainment starting at 7 p.m. will feature musician, comedian and impressionist who goes by the name Kier.
Tickets for the bash are $35 per person for the meal and entertainment. The cost is $50 for one person wanting a bash T-shirt sizes small to large, and $55 for one person and a T-shirt extra large through 3XL.
Reservations can to be made on-line at uwck.org, and Bugner-Smith said people can either pay with a credit card on-line or are still welcome to send a check by conventional mail. In addition, someone can call her and she will register them over the phone, or give them more information.
A “ticket” will be e-mailed to those who register. Bugner-Smith said she would like to have all registrations turned in by Thursday so she can plan the meal accordingly.


Bugner-Smith said everyone is welcome to come enjoy the program and help the cause.

Elements of the pirate theme will be incorporated throughout the drive. “We want to put the ‘fun’ in fund raiser.”
The goal this year is $235,000, up from last year’s target of $225,000, and the theme is Live United. Heading up the are co-chairs Marsha and Roy Westoff of Great Bend and Tama Hanson of Larned, along with new board members Jane Fox of Larned and Becca Maxwell of Ellinwood. 
Other events include:
• Stuff the Bus from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, in the Wal-mart parking lot, 3503 10th in Great Bend. Unified School District 428 is lending a bus and the goal is to fill it with items needed by the UW agencies. Bugner-Smith wants to get the word out to student and civic groups who might want to take this on as a service project.
• The kick-off from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, at the Best Western Black Angus Inn. This will include the presentation of the posters made by students.
Another fund raiser will be a drawing for a Harley Davidson motorcycle that will be given away during the Big Bend Bike Rally Saturday, Sept. 24. UWCK will also host coffees at chambers of commerce in Ellinwood, Great Bend and Larned, as well as sell T-shirts.
Bugner-Smith said 99 percent of what is raised stays in communities in Barton and Pawnee counties. These funds go to help the 19 agencies served by UWCK.
This is second year for UWCK and the 49th campaign for Barton County.
To contact United Way of Central Kansas, visit the office at 1125 Williams in Great Bend, call 620-792-2403, or e-mail unitedwaycentralks@hotmail.com.