“Orgill took us over the top to just over $67,000. This donation was what took us up over our goal - it was really a blessing. We were just tickled pink,” said Carol Hinton, executive secretary for the United Fund.
Hinton, who is also the director of membership and tourism for the Kilgore Chamber of Commerce, said the agency is completely local and volunteer run, so overhead can be kept low.
“The money that comes in goes right back out to the agencies,” she said.
The donation makes Orgill the largest donor in recent years. Texas Eastman was once the largest donor, Hinton said.
Linda Streeter is the executive director of East Texas Child Advocates, Inc.
She said the United Fund contributions are essential to her organization, which is supported in part by federal and state funds provided on a 4-to- 1 ratio - every locally raised dollar bringing in four more.
“That funding is based on local support - there’s $184,000 of state and federal monies depending on local support so it’s very important. Every dollar that comes in locally is leveraged to that bigger amount,” she said.
She was impressed by Orgill’s generous gift.
“They’ve obviously got their heart in the right place,” Streeter said.
Vic Price is vice president at Orgill Incorporated. He said the donation was a reflection of company policy.
“As a whole, Orgill always wants to contribute to and support the areas we live in,” he said.
“We feel the United Fund was a good opportu- nity to donate to several good causes with the one donation. The community has given Orgill a lot and we wanted to give the community something as well,” he said.
Orgill has been shipping hardware products to hardware stores from its Synergy Park distribution center for almost two years. The Kilgore facility, one of five nationwide for the company, employs about 180 workers, and the location - close to I-20 - is ideal, Price said.
“We run our own fleet of trucks, so with the proximity to the trucking routes, the industrial park is a great place for the business location-wise and the park-like setting is a great benefit to our employees,” he said.
“The workforce, the climate for the business and the ability to work with city and county government and the Kilgore Economic Development Corporation was very good,” Price said.
Agencies supported by the United Fund include the American Red Cross Longview Piney Woods Chapter, Because I Care, Boys & Girls Club of Kilgore, Boy Scouts of America East Texas Area Council, East Texas Child Advocates, Inc., East Texas Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse, East Texas Treatment Center, East Texas Literacy Council, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, Heart’s Way Hospice of Northeast Texas, Kilgore Boys’ Baseball Association, Kilgore Community Crisis Center, Kilgore Habitat for Humanity, Kilgore Ministerial Alliance-Helping Hands, Kilgore Rescue Unit, Kilgore Soccer Association, Kilgore Youth Basketball Association, Kilgore Youth Softball Association, Parenting Resource Center of East Texas, Salvation Army- Longview Corps, SeeSaw Children’s Place.
The 2009-2010 slate of United Fund officers and directors includes: Pat McCrory, president; David Wylie, vice president; Bill Woodall, secretary; Darla Rutland, treasurer; Donna VanMeter, campaign chair 2009.
Directors for 2007-2010 includes David Wylie, Mike Coston, Donna Beets, Jody Clements, Bill Woodall and Patty Bell.
The 2008-2011 directors includes Darla Rutland, Darryl Stratton, Larry Haire, Pat McCrory, Mike Shankle and Vic Price.
Directors for 2009-2012 include: Greg Collins, Patrick Brown,BobDavis,BrianNutt,SammyYork and Ken Norris.
