FOLEY, Ala. — Brenda Lee, who steps down Friday after 24 years as president and CEO of the United Way of Baldwin County, calls herself a “connect the dots” kind of person. Connect the dots and you connect people is the way she puts it.

As Lee enters retirement, she will be looking back upon one of the greatest challenges to connecting the dots that she experienced in her years with UWBC, namely, meeting this year’s $1,038,750 Campaign goal. The goal was met in spite of the economic recession that has plunged the nation into troubling financial times.

The fact the record goal was met during difficult times underscores a fundamental belief of Lee’s no matter the time or circumstance: “The heroes are the people who give to the United Way.”

With the Campaign goal reached, UWBC’s 47 partner agencies will be funded for 2009 just when people’s needs are greatest, that due in no small part to the current recession.

It isn’t as if Lee hadn’t faced challenges with UWBC before. She considers hurricanes Ivan and Katrina in 2004 and 2005 respectively as a single event. The area hadn’t recovered from Ivan when Katrina hit and displaced tens of thousands of people from Louisiana and Mississippi, many of whom came here, Lee said.

But Lee’s thoughts of her years with UWBC don’t gravitate to the hard times.

“When you live in a small town, and have worked for over 400 directors in 24 years, you work with every cross-section of the community. Everybody brings something to the table. I’ve been so richly blessed.”

Among the special events that UWBC has developed recently to support Campaign goals are Symphony by the Sea; Wine and Art Festival in Fairhope; Dr. John Foster Golf Tournament; Rally and Cruise Car Show; Thunder on the Gulf Boat Races; everything from raffles to rodeos and costume parties to ice-cream socials.

In 1985, when Lee was hired, 12 agencies were supported by what was then South Baldwin United Way. The Campaign goal that year was $92,100. A total of $112,000 was raised.

“I see the good in people, and there is so much more that is good in people than bad,” Lee said on Tuesday.

She plans to do a lot of reading now and said when she goes to the beach from now on it won’t be in a suit, but to put her feet in the sand.