United Way to kick off annual drive
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on August 6, 2017 1:45 AM
United Way of Wayne County will have its annual 2017 campaign kickoff Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre.
This year's event will be a Wayne's Got Talent variety show.
Stephen Freeman, an Elvis impersonator who has kicked off the campaign for the past several years, will return in 2018.
The show came about as a United Way fundraiser last year called the April Follies and was held April 1.
"It was such a hit that we thought we'd highlight all this local talent to kick off this year's campaign for United Way," said Steve Parr, United Way director. "There is a lot of good local talent."
Last year's April Follies was the brainchild of locals Wayne Alley, Geoff Hulse and Kirk Keller, who were sitting around talking when Keller suggested doing a talent show as a Untied Way fundraiser.
"It was extremely well received," Alley said. "In fact we overbooked acts, and the show went on for an additional 30 minutes. But nobody left early."
The show will feature six foolers, ones who tell jokes and provide comic relief in between acts. They are Hulse, Keller, Alley, Carol Bowden, Julie Beck and Cousin Brossy.
Other entertainment this year will include The Bluegrass Jam, Margo Smith, Dance for Christ dancers, The Hitmen, Courtney Smith, Glenn Phillips, D.J. Coles and Warrior Avenue, Jazzin Saints, The Bullard Family and Thomas Vick.
"People now are still talking about that night, what a great event it was," Alley said. "People were actually laughing at our corny jokes and some of the mayhem we were causing."
Alley said that the United Way director liked the show so much that he suggested doing the show as the 2017 campaign kickoff.
During the kickoff show, this year's Frontrunners, businesses and organizations that conduct their campaigns in advance of the general campaign, will be announced, along with their totals raised. They are BB&T, Daniels and Daniels Construction, Seegars Fence Co., Southern Bank and 3HC.
Their campaigns started July 13 and are set to end Aug. 17.
Also during the show, the new community campaign video will be shown.
This year's United Way goal is $1,117,250, which will help 22,345 local people.
The campaign will conclude the end of December.
Tickets for Wayne's Got Talent are $15, available at the Paramount box office, by calling 919-583-8432 or online at www.goldsboroparamount.com.