FOLEY, Ala. — The United Way of Baldwin County supports numerous agencies within the area, but one of its biggest benefactors is local children.

With the United Medical Partnership for Children, United Way of Baldwin County is able to help children with medical needs.

“We saw a lot of children doing without basic medical care,” said Brenda Lee, president of Baldwin County’s United Way.

The partnership provides children with eye exams, dental services, medical insurance for outpatient care, tonsillectomies, special medical equipment and medicines.

When the annual fundraiser for United Way came around this year Terry Wilhite, communications director for the Baldwin County Board of Education and United Way board member, decided the school systems could contribute a greater donation than usual to the organization that helps care for their students.

“That’s a major force in the United Way campaign,” said Wilhite.

He recognized that there were over 4,000 employees and 27,000 students in Baldwin County schools, and felt that they were not reaching their full donation potential.

“Terry Wilhite looked at the numbers and saw that with the number of employees, they were not participating at the same level as some of the smaller companies,” said Lee.

To maximize the effort, the campaign was planned separately for the faculty and students.

The Gimme $5 program encouraged teachers to give $5 of their paycheck to United Way. In return teachers got cards that featured special deals from Domino’s Pizza, Tanger Outlets, Subway and the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo.

To encourage students to donate to United Way, they were given incentives like dress-down coupons.

Daphne Middle School assistant principal Ken Mummah was instrumental in fundraising at his school, as well as spear-heading the student fundraising effort. He organized a faculty volleyball game, and coerced male faculty to wear dresses to the game- of course it was a sold out event.

The effort was successful and this year the funds raised were doubled from last year. The total money raised topped out at $124,395.53.

Foley High School was the top fundraising school, collecting $7,690.70.

“Students, I am very proud of the effort you did,” said Principal Kenneth Dinges at an assembly recognizing the student body for their work. “You should be proud of yourselves.”

Bay Minette Intermediate was the top intermediate school with $2,452.09. Fairhope Middle raised the most in the middle school division with $3,708.10. The top elementary school was Pine Grove Elementary raising $5,357.09.

Pine Grove Elementary’s success is a touching story because it has the highest number of impoverished families in the county and yet they were the top raising elementary school.

“For a small, rural school to raise more than $5,000 for United Way is unheard of,” said Wilhite.

“It comes back to you,” said Kathy Melson, director of development at United Way of Baldwin County, recognizing that the students may one day use the money raised.

The money raised will stay in the county and will help United Way support all of their agencies including the United Medical Partnership for Children.