Published: October 17, 2009 11:58 pm      

College, bank get behind United Way effort

JOHNSTOWN — A sense of community is a driving force behind the strong support of many front-line contributors to the annual fund campaigns of United Way of the Laurel Highlands.

Leaders of two of those strong supporters spoke with The Tribune-Democrat last week about their organiza-tions’ backings of the fund campaigns.

The 2009 campaign got under way Aug. 27.

Walter Asonevich, president of Penn Highlands Community College, said: “United Way is an organization that supports the community, and the college is part of the community.”

Elmer Laslo, president and CEO of 1st Summit Bank, said: “As a community bank, 1st Summit believes we are successful because of the people banking with us, and we think being active with the United Way is the right thing to do.”

Penn Highlands’ goal for the 2009 campaign was to break $8,000, Asonevich said.

Staff, administrators and faculty at the Richland Township and Ebensburg campuses contributed more than $8,400, he said, noting the total was Penn Highlands’ biggest ever for a United Way campaign.

Penn Highlands contributed more than $7,000 in the 2007 and 2008 campaigns, he said.

Asonevich, who has been the top leader at the college since August 2007, came to Penn Highlands from Corning Community College in Corning, N.Y., where he was academic vice president.

He said that college is very active with United Way campaigns there.

Penn Highlands holds a United Way kickoff during the college’s start-up ceremony each year for its teachers and administrators.

United Way’s Day of Caring is a big part of the campaign for Penn Highlands. Day of Caring is the day set aside during each campaign for volunteers to go into communities and do work for United Way’s 25 member organizations.

“I believe strongly in the Day of Caring,” Asonevich said. “Without volunteer help, the organizations couldn’t perform many of the services that

they do.”

Penn Highlands contributed 10 volunteers for this year’s Day of Caring, which was Sept. 16.

The college’s volunteers went to Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania’s Camp Conshatawba near Summerhill, where they helped other volunteers prepare tents for winter storage; to Mom’s House, where they performed indoor work; and to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, where they helped sort books for a book sale. Mom’s House and NAMI are in Johnstown.

All contributors to the Penn Highlands campaign have their names entered into a drawing and they are eligible to win various prizes, Asonevich said.

“It puts an element of fun into the campaign,” he said.

Laslo, who has been 1st Summit’s top leader since 1977, said the bank’s United Way goal each year is to contribute more than in the previous year.

That goal was met during the current campaign as 1st Summit raised about $17,000, Laslo said. In 2008, the bank’s contributors came up with $14,500, he said.

Exceeding its in-house goal each year is important for 1st Summit, Laslo said.

“We are a community bank and our employees believe that part of their job is giving back to their communities,” he said. “They endorse that philosophy.”

Day of Caring also is a big part of 1st Summit’s campaign.

Don Yeager, senior vice president for retail banking, spearheaded the bank’s Day of Caring activities. Ten 1st Summit employees participated this year.

Those from the Cambria-Somerset region went to Camp Conshatawba, where they helped prepare tents for winter storage and did painting; to a Learning Lamp facility in Johnstown, where they did general cleaning; and to the Salvation Army in downtown Johnstown, where they helped prepare for the annual Project Bundle Up winter coat distribution, Yeager said.

Those who contribute certain amounts earn acceptance into 1st Summit’s Community Caring Club and become eligible for drawings for various prizes, Laslo said.