Moultrie is well-known as a giving community, and response to the United Way’s recent fund-raising campaign is further evidence of that.

The United Way of Colquitt County set its goal at $555,000, which is the same as last year. At a luncheon on Friday, the charity announced it had raised almost $140,000 more than that goal, and with two donations that have not been announced yet, the UW leadership is expecting approximately $730,000 by the time everything comes in.

That it amazing. It is the largest United Way campaign by far and the fifth straight year that the group has raised more than a half million dollars.

The United Way funds emergency relief and Community Impact Grants, but it’s primarily associated with annual funding for about 20 nonprofit groups that work in our community. Many of those groups work with children and youth: The Children’s Cheer and Toy Shop, the Boy Scouts Suwannee River Council, the Boys and Girls Club of Colquitt County, the CASA Kids Program, Colquitt County 4-H, Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia and Hero House are all United Way agencies. So are the Colquitt County Arts Center, Crossroads Gospel Rescue Mission, Green Oaks Center and the Moultrie YMCA.

These agencies respond to colossal needs in our community and give their clients and participants hope for a better day.

Congratulations to Caroline Horne, the United Way’s executive director; to Darin Wentworth, the board chairman; and especially to Bill Bishop, the campaign chairman, and the UW directors who each took a segment of the community in which to fund-raise.

And a great deal of thanks to all the businesses and individuals who contributed in small or great denominations to make this campaign such a success. Your donations will help a lot of people in Moultrie and Colquitt County.