KCSD schools, Henley Key Club earn United Way awards

Overall, school district employees donated more than $17,000 to the local United Way

Henley Key Club members Grace Berardino, advisor Linnae Salvati, Kinsey Hullman and Riley Knutson accept a United Way Campaign Leadership Award for the club’s annual student body coin drive that has raised more than $30,000 over 18 years for the United Way of the Klamath Basin.

KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore. - Six schools in the Klamath County School District were honored with United Way of the Klamath Basin spirit awards for outstanding employee fund-raising campaigns.

Spirit awards are presented to workplace campaigns that donate a minimum of $250 and achieve a minimum of $25 or more employee per capita. Schools honored with a spirit award were Chiloquin Junior-Senior High School, and five elementary schools -- Ferguson, Henley, Merrill, Shasta and Stearns.

The Henley High School Key Club was honored with a United Way Community Campaign Leadership Award for organizing a student body coin drive for the campaign. In the last 18 years, the club has raised through its annual coin drives more than $30,000 for the local United Way. This year, the drive yielded $1,973.

Photographed with United Way of the Klamath Basin spirit awards are Shasta Elementary School Principal Randy Rose, Merrill Elementary School Principal Margaret McCadden, Henley Elementary School Principal Janell Preston, and Ferguson Elementary School Principal Kelley Fritz. The elementary schools, along with Chiloquin Junior-Senior High School and Stearns Elementary, were among six schools in the Klamath County School District earned spirit awards for their employee fund-raising campaigns.

“The United Way is a great organization,” said Grace Berardino, president of the Henley Key Club. “The coin drive gives us an opportunity to have a positive impact in the community.”

Barardino, fellow Key Club officers Riley Knutson and Kinsey Hullman, and club advisor Linnae Salvati accepted the award. Barardino and Knutson also are serving on the United Way’s Fund Distribution Committee.

Districtwide, Klamath County School District employees donated a total of $17,443 to the United Way, a 20.3% increase over last year. The awards were presented Jan. 28 at the United Way of the Klamath Basin’s annual meeting at the Waffle Hut. Overall, the local United Way campaign raised $492,282, which will be distributed to local community service organizations.