At the end of the day on Wednesday, St. Louis heard the outcome of a campaign that will impact our region more than any issue on a ballot. The result of the 2012 United Way of Greater St. Louis campaign shows just how much good comes when people from 16 counties in Illinois and Missouri band together to achieve a common goal. We showed everyone what can happen when you work together.

$72,019,850 raised in two short months, surpassing the goal by $19,850. $72 million that will be spent to support 170 local agencies making a difference in the lives of more than 1 million people right here at home. How amazing is that?

Thank you to each and every donor who contributed a part of their paycheck to ensure that others in our community will have food this winter. Thank you to those who gave up a daily soda so that an abused child could have an advocate within the court system. Thank you to the people who reexamined their own family budgets to give so that that a person who cannot see can hear this very newspaper being read to them by volunteers on Minds Eye Information Service.

Thank you to the leadership, staff and volunteers from the United Way who laid the groundwork to enable others to give and now face the daunting task of distributing those gifts.

I'm proud to live in a community that takes such pride in working together. Thank you to all of you.

Marjorie Williams

Executive Director

Minds Eye Information Service

Belleville