The United Way of Bemidji spent most of 2017 fundraising, and tonight they revealed some very exciting news. More than 100 community members attended their Black and White Campaign celebration dinner tonight. The evening started with awards for various organizations and individuals who helped United Way in the past year.

Then came the big moment: last year, United Way set their fundraising goal at $420,000. They ended the year with more than $421,176, surpassing their goal.

United Way Executive Director Denae Alamano says, “To hit [the] goal after many years of not quite getting there, we’re really excited for the future of United Way. We just moved to a new building that has the visibility that we’ve never had before, and we’re just hopeful that with the growth Bemidji’s had, which means that the needs have also grown that we can meet those needs.”

The campaign closed yesterday, though most of the fundraising was done last fall. If you’re looking to volunteer, United Way’s new building is located at 716 Paul Bunyan Drive.

By — Shirelle Moore