08/29/11 — United Way kickoff to be held Tuesday as planned

View Archive

United Way kickoff to be held Tuesday as planned

By Becky Barclay
Published in News on August 29, 2011 1:46 PM

Elvis will be in the building Tuesday night at the Paramount Theatre. The Paramount had only minor damages from Hurricane Irene.

The United Way of Wayne County's official campaign kickoff will begin at 7 p.m. with locals Geoff Hulse, Wayne Alley, John Smith and Kirk Keller doing their best Elvis impersonations.

Then at 7:30 p.m. Elvis tribute artist Stephen Freeman will take the stage with his band and backup singers. Freeman was named the 2011 Country Music Association's Tribute Artist of the Year.

"He's very good, and we're really excited that he's coming to Goldsboro," said Whitney Jansta, United Way's community engagement manager. "We're also excited about our opening act, which has turned out to be quite a cast of characters."

This year's campaign chairman Julie Daniels will open the event with comments about the United Way campaign and how the frontrunners have done.

The Elvis tribute show is United Way's only public kickoff event for the campaign.

Ms. Jansta said the annual Taste of Wayne will be held Oct. 13, and will be a fun campaign update.

There are still a few tickets left for the Elvis tribute. They are $15 and are available at the United Way office or by calling 735-3591.

The 2011 campaign goal is $1,301,116, which will help improve 26,022 lives.