A United Way “Power of the Purse” luncheon at First Lutheran Church resulted in an addition of more than $4,600 to the United Way of Freeborn County Foundation.

“This surpassed our expectations,” said Sally Chesterman, one of the coordinators of the event. “We knew that women of Freeborn County have the capacity to make a big difference in our community and we were thrilled with the response to this appeal.”

Approximately 80 women attended the event, which was sponsored by Adams & Winter, Bonnerup Funeral Service, Farmer’s State Bank, Freeborn Lumber, Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen, Nancy VanderWaerdt State Farm Insurance and Northbridge Mall. The meal was served by Cedar Valley Services. Harpist Rachel Christensen provided music. Committee members were Sally Chesterman, Karol Held and Corinne Applegate.

Former Albert Lea Tribune reporter and columnist Lois West Duffy, the featured speaker, invited those in attendance to put the “power of the purse” to work, making a difference for the community long-term through the United Way Foundation.

She quoted Paul G. Schervish, head of the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy at Boston College, who called giving “an important route to writing your moral biography.”

She pointed out that people are more inclined to give if their donations are matched, increasing the impact of each donation. So the women attending the luncheon were offered a challenge: every dollar raised, up to $500, would result in two more dollars, essentially tripling a donor’s gift. The women responded generously, donating more than $2,900. The matches and a silent auction of designer purses brought the total amount for the foundation to over $4,600.

The United Way of Freeborn County Foundation was established in 2000 to provide support and back-up for the annual fund-raising drive to protect the human service organizations in Freeborn County that rely on United Way funding.

For information about the United Way Foundation, contact the United Way office at 373-8670 or 341 S Broadway, Albert Lea.