By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Dinner, drinks, and dueling pianos. The United Way of Central Kansas fundraiser kickoff this weekend, featuring the Colorado Keys, is officially sold out. After missing the fundraising goal of $275,000 last year, UWCK Executive Director Charell Owings hopes Saturday's event is a harbinger of good things to come.
"We're really hoping to kind of get back on track," she said. "Hopefully after the pandemic, we can get people back to our events and functions and get our fundraising numbers up a little bit, and just re-engage with the community."
UWCK helps fund 22 community partners in Barton and Pawnee counties. Those organizations each do their part to better area communities. Owings said UWCK can never meet the full funding needs of those community partners, but every penny counts when building better services.
"It's just not a financially feasible option for us to be able to fund them to the full extent that they're needing funds, which means they have to spend time and energy and money to do fundraising," Owings said. "The more we can raise and help our community partners and fund our community impact programs, the better off all of our community is."
The 2023 kick off is Saturday, Aug. 6 in Great Bend. This year's campaign co-chairs are Chantelle Brown of Great Bend, John and Nicole Henderson of Hoisington, and Lori Sherman of Larned.