by Miranda G. McLeod
Staff Writer
Mr. Incredible and Wonderman? Together at the same place?
According to the United Way of Northeast Florida they were. United Way raised a little over $24 million last year and held a victory celebration at the Veterans Memorial Arena Tuesday to pay tribute to more than 700 volunteers and business partners who helped in the 2005 campaign.
“We’ve adopted the Justice League,” said Spiderwoman, also known as Connie Hodges, president of United Way of Northeast Florida. Hodges added that like superheroes, members of the community maximized their powers and combined their strengths to make the 2005 campaign a success.
In superhero style, Mr. Incredible (a.k.a. former Mayor John Delaney, University of North Florida President and 2005 United Way Campaign Chair) presented dozens of awards to corporate leaders and individuals, some of whom were given superhero names to accompany their accomplishments.
Delaney said it was through persistence and tenacity that the community came together despite hurricanes, local, national and international events, making United Way’s campaign so incredible.
The more than $24 million campaign is a 5.2 percent increase over the 2004 campaign.