Covington County United Fund board members hope that capitalizing on the power of social media and GoFundMe will help them make their $120,000 goal this year.

CCUF President Amanda Wardle said earlier this week that the 2016 campaign ended $34,000 shy of the same goal this year.

“This year, we intend to make our goal for 2017,” Wardle said. “Our goal is $120,000, and that’s just the minimum we are going to make.”

Wardle said board members will continue their traditional fundraising methods, but are hopeful that the additional resources will help them close the gap.

“We need to reach the millennials for whom this is the primary way to communicate,” she said.

United Fund of Covington County is a strictly-local charity, she explained.

“Everything we raise stays here,” she said.

Board member Courtney Duke has organized another innovative fundraiser for CCB Community Bank.

“We offered a T-shirt to all employees,” she said. “If you buy a shirt, we have it approved that employees can wear the T –shirt with jeans every Friday in the month of October.”

Casual Fridays are a big deal for bank employees, she said.

The T-shirts are available with CCUF and company logos, she said. Contact her for information.

The campaign will officially kick off with a breakfast on on Wed., Oct. 12.

“After that, we will be knocking on your business’s door,” Wardle said. “We have new, updated brochures to deliver to businesses across the county.

Other CCUF board members are Alan Bracewell, Wayne Bush, Debbie Butts, Dawn Carnley, Shannon Driver, Terry Holley, Wanda Woods, Wem Mellown, Denise Patterson, Michael Smithart, Mitch Thorn, Alan Thrash, Ted Watson, and Bridges Anderson.

This year’s drive will serve the following agencies:

• American Red Cross, Covington County
• Boy Scouts
• St Mary’s Rice and Beans ministry

Bethesda House

• Lucile Pierce Family Literacy Center
• Covington County Imagination Library

Covington County Adult Training Center

• Covington County 4-H Clubs
• Andalusia Community Christmas
• Youth Sports Recreation Board
• SAFE of Covington County
• Public libraries
• Crossover Ministries
• Governor’s Committee on Employment of Persons with Disabilities
• Sav-A-Life Pregnancy Resource Center
• Opp Benevolence Fund
• Opp Meals on Wheels
• Andalusia Adult Activity/Nutrition Center