In less than a month, volunteers will be knocking on doors asking for help in raising more than $162,000 for this year’s Covington County United Fund drive.

The CCUF’s two-week fund-raising campaign for 2009 kicks off at 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 30 at the Lurleen B. Wallace Community College’s MacArthur Campus Conference Center in Opp.

This year’s theme is “People Helping People,” publicity chair Renee LeMaire said.

“As costs escalate for everything from fuel to food, it becomes even more important to lend helping hands to others,” LeMaire said. “All the money that is raised through United Fund stays right here in Covington County.”

There are 33 agencies that are eligible to receive funding as a result of the drive. Among those are local libraries, youth sports and domestic violence shelters.

“You’ve got agencies depending on this money that feed hungry people, provide shelter during disasters, give hope and a new road map to a better life for people with addictions, provide a safe haven for women and children caught in domestic abuse and open windows to the world through literacy,” LeMaire said.

“The money people donate through UF goes to help people right here in Covington County — I can’t stress that enough,” she said. “If you think about it, when you donate to United Fund, you could end up helping your friend, your neighbor or even your own family.

“One never knows when their house might burn down and they need the Covington County chapter of the American Red Cross,” she said. “Or if a loved one is caught in a abuse situation and they need to start over. Money from United Fund helps make things happen for people in those situations and others like it.”

LeMaire said volunteers are needed to distribute packets to area businesses in Andalusia, Opp, and Florala, then return within two weeks to collect pledges. For more information, call the Andalusia Area Chamber of Commerce at 222-2030, the Opp & Covington County Chamber of Commerce at 493-3541, or the principal’s office at Florala High School at 858-3765.