Penn's Way $70,000 short

The University's 1992 Penn's Way donation drive has fallen $70,000 short of its $425,000 goal and the campaign has been extended through the end of this month, campaign coordinators said last week. The campaign -- which solicits money from University employees -- accumulated $355,000 so far, about 80 percent of its target amount, Co-Chairperson of the Operation Committee Linda Hyatt said Friday. Hyatt said, however, that she is "hopeful" that the financial goal will be reached. Last year's campaign exceeded its target of $400,000 by $242. Penn's Way normally runs from November 1 to December 31. Hundreds of Penn's Way volunteers targeted more than 8,500 employees this year through a direct mailing, though in the past there was personal contact between Penn's Way volunteers and possible donors. Fran Kellenbenz, one Penn's Way organizer, said she thinks the "failed personal contact" is one reason that this year's campaign has had only partial success. She said the cost of running the campaign was cheaper than last year since there were no specialized packets personally delivered to employees. "[The] lack of personal contact has lost us ground in reaching our goal," Kellenbenz said. "I think that it will be difficult [to reach our goal] but we're going to try." Kellenbenz said that Penn's Way was expanded this year to give donors the opportunity to contribute to 16 charities, three more than last year. Penn's Way's newest partners are ACCESS -- Active Community Coalition Efforts Sponsored by Students -- the African-American Community Fund and the Latino Community Fund. Like last year, Specific Care, Inc. -- an umbrella group managed by the United Way which includes human service agencies -- is the organization to which donors have pledged the most money. Kellenbenz said it is "possible but not probable" that Penn's Way will attain its goal by the end of the month. Hyatt said the purpose of Penn's Way is to "encourage a more caring and humane emphasis in the University community." And she said that dollars and cents are not the only way to gauge the drive's success. She said she hopes Penn's Way has increased volunteerism among University employees and inspired people to make charitable donations outside of the University-sponsored campaign.

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