Hard hats and flannel shirts will be in fashion at The Coeur d’Alene Resort at noon Wednesday when Kootenai County United Way kicks off its annual campaign.

This year’s theme is “Building our community … the United Way.”

The eight-week workplace campaign will raise funds for 31 programs administered by 24 agencies.

This year’s goal is $500,000, said Gail McGaughey, executive director.

Last year, the goal was $450,000, with $467,000 being pledged.

“We’ve met our goal for 38 years,” McGaughey said Monday.

Four “pacesetter” companies and one charity, Habitat for Humanity, already have completed their campaigns for employee donations.

The companies are GTE, Atlas Building Center, The Spokesman-Review and Kootenai Medical Center.

KMC increased its employee participation by 65 percent over last year, McGaughey said, with more than 40 percent of its workers pledging money to United Way.

Each year, one of the agencies that benefits from United Way is chosen as a pacesetter. This year, Habitat for Humanity raised $700 from its board members and other volunteers, McGaughey said.

“They don’t have a paid staff,” she said. “For them to do that among their board is phenomenal.”

On Sept. 27, all United Way agencies will have open houses from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. “so people can visit before they decide how much to give, if they like,” McGaughey said.

Two new agencies are included this year: Idaho Child Abuse Response and Education (ICARE) and Friends of Head Start.

For more information, phone United Way at 667-8112.

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