Story By Donald Campbell
Autumn marks the start of the fundraising campaign for the United Givers Fund of DeKalb County. They have a big event planned to mark the start of these efforts.
On Saturday, the agency will be at Rainsville Park from 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. for the 2025 Kickoff Event, “Harvest for a Cause.”
Elizabeth McElrath, Executive Director for the United Givers Fund, said this version of the kickoff event began in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, changing over from the more traditional luncheon series of events held throughout the fall. In addition, the agency decided to move the event from Fort Payne, where it has been held the past couple of years, to Rainsville as part of an effort to branch out more and be much more visible all across the county.
Although this does serve as an event where the agency can raise necessary funding, McElrath said it’s also a time for the United Givers Fund to give back to the companies that participate. Most of the money brought in to the organization comes from businesses throughout DeKalb County that offer employees things like payroll deduction, where a small portion of each paycheck can be set aside and given to the agency on a regular basis.
“It’s our way to give thanks to them for what they do for us,” McElrath said.
Saturday’s event will have a little something for everyone to do and enjoy. A variety of food trucks will be on site, offering up a range of culinary options for attendees. There will be live music from the Fort Payne Guitar Band and others, according to McElrath. All sorts of craft vendors are planned to attend, including chainsaw carving demonstrations, a multitude of area crafters, and fresh pies from the Lookout Mountain Homemakers Club. Children will have plenty of activities to enjoy, such as face painting, a bouncy house, and playground equipment.
In addition to the festivities taking place on Saturday, the United Givers Fund is also preparing for a gala event happening in November in Fort Payne. This event will provide more awareness about what the agency does and raising additional revenue to add toward its ultimate goal of $175,000 for this campaign season. All of the money raised by the United Givers Fund stays in DeKalb County, helping organizations like the ARC of DeKalb, CASA, and the Marked for Life Ministries Hope Center.
Moving forward, McElrath said she and the agency would love to see more volunteers get involved, as the United Givers Fund is potentially interested in hosting more events like Saturday’s, holding them around campaign kickoff time at several locations throughout the county.
“We’re also looking for more companies who may want to partner with us for events or through things like offering payroll deduction to employees,” McElrath said.
