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The United Fund of Warren County is creeping closer to reaching its goal for the 2009 Torchlight Campaign.

On Wednesday, United Fund Executive Director Mike Hostovich said the campaign has raised 86 percent of its $640,000 goal. Last year the campaign brought in $631,415.

"This is the time of year that I start holding my breath," Hostovich said.

Hostovich has received results from many smaller campaigns within the Torchlight Campaign and several are still in progress.

"While I am not discouraged at this time with the amount of contributions received so far for the Torchlight Campaign, I won't be able to breathe easier until we receive information from those campaigns that are still in progress," he said. "We traditionally have donors who make their contributions in late December. Until more pledges are received, I will still have to hold my breath."

Going into the campaign, Hostovich and campaign co-chairs Lori McNeal, director of Caring for Life, and Lincoln Sokolski, president of Whirley DrinkWorks, knew that it would be another challenging year.

"The bigger challenge will be presented to our goal. Many of the programs and services provided by the United Fund member agencies are dependent upon donations received during this once-a-year campaign," Hostovich said.

Local United Fund agencies who will receive funding from the campaign include: The Warren Chapter of the American Red Cross, A Safe Place, Bollinger Enterprises, Inc., Boy Scouts, Caring For Life, Crescent Park Dental Clinic, Don Mills Achievement Center, Emergency Medical Services, Family Services of Warren County, Girl Scouts, Hospice of Warren County, Jefferson DeFrees Family Center, New Hope Assistance Dogs, Inc., R.S.V.P., Ruth M. Smith Center, The Salvation Army, Sheffield Area Hospitality Center, Warren Senior Center, YMCA, Youth Volunteer Corps and the 4-H Program of Warren County.

Hostovich described contributions to the United Fund as "making a wise investment in helping the communities throughout Warren County."

"As Lori McNeal said at a recent United Fund Agency meeting, 'What we have with the United Fund agency collaboration is a one-stop shopping for most of the human service needs, whether it be for assisting the less fortunate, the youth and the elderly or being there in times of disasters,'" he said.

Thanks to endowments through the Community Foundation of Warren County which cover all administrative and all campaign expenses, the United Fund can make a boast that few fundraising organizations can make - 100 percent of all tax deductible donations will be distributed to the member agencies.

For more information or to make a contribution, contact the United Fund office at 726-0292. Contributions can me mailed to the the United Fund, Box 844, Warren, Pa, 16365.