More Local news

• Unidentified vehicle struck crash victim after a rollover accident
• Fatal crash in Hendry County leaves one dead, one in serious condition
• Collier County Police Beat: Nov. 23, 2008

Tell us about it

• What would you add to this story? Tell us what we missed.
• Do you have photos from this event? Documents we need to see? Share with us.
• Upload photos & videos
• More ways to get your stuff online and in the paper.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

Share and Enjoy [?]

NAPLES — It was a little muggy on an otherwise cool morning, but the energy and warmth in Craig Bamberg’s voice inspired walkers to get under way Saturday morning for the third United Way walk at North Collier Regional Park.

Bamberg, chairman of the walk, also is United Way’s vice president for special events.

Saturday, he was in rare form -- talking nonstop into a microphone to urge walkers along the 2-1/2 mile trail.

Taking a break from his cheerleading, Bamberg said United Way’s fund-raising effort “touches one in three people in Collier County.”

“That’s 100,000 people,” Bamberg said.

United Way distributes money to 32 agencies that not only help children, but seniors with Alzheimer’s disease, Bamberg said.

It runs the gamut of social services, and its reach is far.

“We go from Port Royal to Immokalee, from Everglades City to North Naples,” Bamberg said.

While they wouldn’t know until some time after the weekend, United Way volunteers were expecting that between 1,100 and 1,200 people would have walked the walk, as well as talked the talk.

Organizers tried something a little different this year. Instead of just hosting corporate teams engaged in fund-raising efforts, they invited residents and visitors to walk as individuals, for a $10 entry fee.

The first year that it was held, the walk attracted 800 locals. Last year, it was about 1,000, said Mollie Page Griffin, a United Way director.

Saturday, there were teams from Florida Gulf Coast University, Collier County government, Collier County schools and many corporations.

And there were raffles, cleverly pitched by four FGCU Dancing Divas in outfits designed to stop hearts.

Nicole Hodges, 19; Brianna DeBar, 20; Allie Salup, 18; and Dawn Jezik, 21, routinely perform at hockey games at Germain Arena in Estero and basketball games at Alico Arena at FGCU. There are 18 of them in all, Jezik said.

Page said the Collier County Sheriff’s Office team turned out in “full regalia,” and the North Naples Fire-Rescue and Golden Gate Fire-Rescue districts’ teams also were walking the 2-1/2 mile track in firefighter gear.

“Our biggest team was Collier County government,” Page said.

Some 250 employees turned out to participate in the event, including Public Utilities chief Jim DeLony. Supervisor of Elections Jennifer Edwards was also on the trail, Page said.

Collier County schools had a team of about 100 teachers, administrators and kids, she said.

The newest agency to join the United Way is Grace Place.

A longtime United Way member, Project Help President Michelle English, and Vice President Ken Becker were out and about stressing the importance of their service, which is aimed primarily at domestic abuse victims.

“Project Help is 25 years old and started out as the county’s hot line,” English said.

Likewise, United Way’s walk has grown.

Page was hoping the walk would bring in $30,000 to $50,000.

The goal for its 2009 campaign, which kicks off Oct. 1, is $2.2 million.

Each Walk for the Way team sets a goal for itself, and teams hold their own fund-raising events, including old stand-by efforts such as bake, garage and cookbook sales.

Since it isn’t a race, but a fund-raising walk, there was no winner, except the people who get United Way services.

The last to join the race?

Christine Stevenson, 10, and Maxine Griffin, 10.

Why?

“My mom is Mollie Page Griffin,” Maxine said. “She’s a big organizer here.”

As for Christine, she was there to help out her pal, Maxine.