PILOT MOUNTAIN — As its first full campaign enters the vital final weeks, the new United Fund of Surry will need to count on increased support from businesses and individuals, both locally and from across the county, in order to meet its goals.

Last spring, the United Fund of Mount Airy and the United Fund of Pilot Mountain joined efforts to become one new entity under the name of the United Fund of Surry.

“We had begun preliminary discussions about this some two years ago,” said United Fund of Surry Executive Director Kate Appler. “Both were already dealing with many of the same agencies. It made sense for everyone.”

Board members from both groups met to discuss the move last February with both boards eventually approving the forming of the new United Fund of Surry.

According to Appler, 10 of the 15 agencies being supported by the United Fund of Pilot Mountain were also previously supported by the United Fund of Mount Airy. As part of the agreement worked out, the remaining five agencies will also be supported along with the 23 agencies previously supported by the United Fund of Mount Airy and one new agency. In all, the United Fund of Surry will be supporting 29 area agencies this year.

Among several Pilot Mountain area organizations receiving support are the Pilot Mountain Rescue Squad, Camp Pilot Mountain (Armfield Center summer camp), Charles Stone Memorial Library and the Pilot Mountain Senior Center. Other agencies to receive funding provide services for a larger area which includes Pilot Mountain.

“Our member agencies,” said Dave Green, 2008 president of United Fund of Surry Board of Directors, “consist of 29 agencies who address many different needs in our community: emergencies and crisis; family and youth services; seniors; medical and food banks. These agencies work every day to make a difference and make our community a much better place.

“It is evident,” Green continued, “that by having these programs that address needs in Surry County and its surrounding neighbors that lives are being transformed and our community made stronger than ever.”

The United Fund of Surry launched its initial fundraising campaign late last August, with a goal of raising $500,000. With its new structure in place, the initial goal reflected only a slight increase from the combined past goals of the Mount Airy and Pilot Mountain organizations. But with a fading economy and widespread budget constraints, this year’s campaign has struggled.

The drive received a traditionally strong initial boost thanks to a program by the United Way of Forsyth. Through the program, area workers who commute to and from Winston-Salem are given the option of selecting to support their hometown United Fund. While some local commuters remain unaware of the option, many do choose to send their donations home and more than $100,000 was received from the Forsyth group at the start of this year’s campaign.

But, Appler said, the economic crisis of recent months has taken a toll both on the campaign and the agencies in need of support. Less money than expected has been raised locally while agencies are seeing an increase of area residents in need of support. Agency funding from this year’s campaign will begin to be distributed on Jan. 15, with three additional distributions scheduled for later this year.

“Normally,” Appler said, “we’re at about 90 to 95 percent of our goal at this time. This year, we’re at about 75 percent. And I’d project that we could finish as much as $70,000 short of our goal.”

Appler now hopes to see a strong final push in the Pilot Mountain area, where the new United Fund entity is continuing its work to establish contacts and support. With this year’s campaign scheduled to end in late March, Appler has issued a plea for local businesses to consider launching last-minute internal campaigns among employees or to make corporate contributions.

“Our agencies are hurting,” she said, “and contributions are down. A little bit given by a lot of people can make a huge difference.

“The United Fund of Surry is a great direction for us,” she continued, “and it will make us stronger as a community. Pilot Mountain is a new territory for many of us, and we haven’t been as successful at getting businesses as involved as we had hoped. But we know this is a giving community. Now we need to work on that relationship and get them to thinking of the United Fund of Surry as they give.”

For more information or to donate, the United Fund of Surry Web site can be found at www.ufgma.org or the office can be reached at 789-3087.