“When you give to the United Way, you’re clothing the naked,” said Kevin Cox, who serves as the fund distribution chair of the local organization. “You’re feeding the hungry.

“You’re giving hope to a woman who has decided to get out of an abusive relationship,” he continued.

Some of the key volunteers with the United Way of Cleveland-Bolivar County met for an ice cream social Tuesday night at the Cleveland Country Club to motivate each other for the 2010 campaign year.

“We always try to figure out how to make a new campaign a success,” said United Way President Aaron Lasker during his opening comments. “It always comes back to the volunteers.”

“I want to thank you for all of the hard work you’re going to put into it,” said Shaneika Roberts, who is serving as the 2010 campaign chair. “We’re going to start the campaign off right.”

This first meeting for the new campaign year served as a way for some of the core volunteers and division leaders to get to know each other and share stories about their experiences working with the United Way.

It also served to inspire the volunteers and prepare them for the work ahead.

“The money we raise is vital to people here,” said Executive Director Peggy Davis. “We raise money for people in Bolivar County — not just Cleveland — all of Bolivar County.

“If we didn’t have our volunteers, we couldn’t do it,” Davis continued.

One of the key points for the United Way is keeping any funds raised in the county.

“One of the things the agencies have to show us (when they apply to be one of the United Way organizations) is how they allocate money to Bolivar County,” said Cox.

Several of the standard organizations that receive funding from the United Way have headquarters outside of the county. However, these agencies document what they do in Bolivar County, for its residents.

“Even though their headquarters are outside of Bolivar County, they show how they help Bolivar County,” Cox explained.

With the exception of one percent of all the money raised here, funds stay local. That one percent goes to the national agency.

The official public campaign for 2010 will not begin until Sept. 28. The campaign will kick off with a barbecue luncheon at First Baptist Church in Cleveland.