By Amanda Raymond
amanda.raymond@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Rita Sims, executive director of Meals on Wheels of Rowan, Inc., recently received a call from one of her volunteer deliverers.

The volunteer said she drove up to a house to deliver a meal and the resident’s dog was left outside, which was unusual.

She knocked on the door and at first got no answer.

“Finally, she knocks again a little bit harder, and she hears it: ‘Help me,’” Sims said.

The volunteer called emergency personnel, and they took the resident to the hospital. Once the resident was released a couple of days later, he called to thank Meals on Wheels and the volunteer.

The resident said he was not sure what happened, but he was taking a shower on Saturday night and was found in his bathtub on Monday during the Meals on Wheels delivery.

“He had no idea of how he got there, but he knew that we were coming,” Sims said.

Meals on Wheels is just one of many agencies that benefit from funds from the Rowan County United Way.

“So, when you give to United Way, it is the right thing, and you just never know who you might help, and it just might be your neighbor or your family,” Sims said.

Sims told that story during the United Way’s third report meeting for its annual campaign at Team Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac on Wednesday.

Penny Greer-Link, campaign chair, encouraged the divisions to raise at least 90 percent of the $1.5 million goal by the meeting on Wednesday. The divisions were able to raise $1.2 million, a little more than 80 percent of the goal.

The public employees and presidents divisions have raised the most of their goals. The public employees division had a goal of $120,000 and has raised about $130,032, for 108 percent of the goal. The presidents division had a goal of $265,000 and raised about $286,126, for 108 percent of the goal.

Other divisions are getting close to their goals. The agencies division has raised 86 percent of its $30,000 goal and the commercial 1 division has raised 85 percent of its $55,000 goal.

Greer-Link urged attendees to talk to people who have not donated to the campaign yet in order to push the funds over the 100 percent mark.

“Dentists, doctors, we’re in these businesses,” she said. “We can ask, ‘Have you given?’”

Greer-Link said if only 100 percent of the goal is met, the funding that agencies usually receive will decrease.

“We’ve got a great community. This community is fantastic, so let’s hit the people who haven’t heard about it,” she said.

The names drawn for the annual car giveaway were Eddie Livengood from Daimler Trucks North America, Eric Slipp from AkzoNobel and Kashawn McRavion-Little from Rowan County Social Services. Their names will be added to those previously selected for the final drawing.

The next report meeting will be on Nov. 2 at 12 p.m. at Cloninger Toyota, Ford Scion, 511 Jake Alexander Blvd. S.

Visit the United Way’s Facebook page, facebook.com/rcunitedway, to watch, like and share the campaign’s lip dub video for this year’s campaign.

Contact reporter Amanda Raymond at 704-797-4222.