While the United Fund of Surry didn’t quite make its goal of raising $500,000 for the 2008-09 campaign, officials announced yesterday that it came pretty close.

Amy Bledsoe, the 2008-09 campaign chair, said United Fund reached 95 percent of its half-million dollar goal, which is $475,000.

“Last summer, our campaign goal was $500,000, which was an ambitious goal,” she told an audience of more than 50 people at the United Fund’s award luncheon Friday. “As the chance of us getting $500,000 grew dimmer, the need in the community grew four or five times that.”

The United Fund of Surry raises money to benefit 29 agencies which address many different needs in the community: Emergencies and crisis; family and youth services; seniors; medical; and food banks. As the local economy declined, United Fund also took some hard hits with a lack of donations to make it to the goal.

Last year, the United Fund raised a little more than 100 percent of its campaign goal of $455,000.

Because the United Fund didn’t quite meet that half-million dollar mark, it will resort to dipping into its reserve fund to provide funds it pledged to its 29 agencies in Surry County and the surrounding area.

Bledsoe said despite the condition of the economy, the community still managed to support the non-profit’s efforts with the money raised.

“It’s great to see how the community cares,” she said. “A lot of companies couldn’t do what they did in the past, so we sought new campaigns.”

Dr. Ashley Hinson, superintendent for Surry County School System, is the incoming chair for the 2009-10 campaign and said he’s looking forward to what the future holds as he leads the upcoming campaign.

“We try to teach young people every day to give back, so when asked to do this how could I say anything but yes,” said Hinson, adding that the declining economy will be a challenge. “There are some tremendous people in the school system, and we can and we will give it our best shot.”

Awards included:

n Industry Division: Best New Campaign to United Plastics; Highest Percentage Increase to Advanced Electronics Services; and Above and Beyond Award to Henredon Furniture.

n Construction Division: Best New Campaign to Amber Contracting; and Highest Percentage Increase to Duke Energy.

n Commercial: Best New Campaign to Petroleum Transport; and Highest Percentage Increase to BB&T.

n Retail: Highest Percentage Increase to Belk.

n Small Business: Above and Beyond Award to Surry Yadkin Membership Corp.

n Services: Highest Percentage Increase to Hutchens Cleaners; and Above and Beyond Award to Workforce Carolina.

n Government: Highest Percentage Increase to East Surry High School; and Above and Beyond to city of Mount Airy.

n Division Chair Awards: Most New Campaigns to Barbara Blood; Highest Percentage Increase and Best Campaigner to Cory Tucker; Above and Beyond Award to Pat Woltz; and Most Dollar Increase to Sonia Dickerson.

n Campaign Awards: Largest Dollar Campaign to Renfro; Largest Percentage Increase and Largest Employee Campaign to Surry County Schools; Big Heart Award to Jack Halsey; and Way to Glow Award to Franklin Elementary School.

n Recognition of Division Chairs included: Industry, Kendra Garaventa; Construction, Benny Lisk and Tonda Hall; Commercial, Bob Meinecke and Rene Taborn; Retail, Walt Broom; Public, Pat Woltz; Professionals, Richard Johnson; Government, Marilyn Lamm; Services, Joan Inman; Small Business, Cory Tucker; Restaurants, Barbara Blood; Accountants, Kathy Pruett; and Medical, Scott Kniskern and Steve Yokeley.

Contact Erin C. Perkins at eperkins@mtairynews.com or 719-1952.