OTTAWA — The Franklin County United Way kicked off its 2012 fundraising campaign with a chili cook-off Tuesday night. Besides getting a mouthful of spicy meat, onions and beans, people got an earful of what United Way supports. The Red Cross’s Jason Willoughby said that Ottawa and Franklin County have an average of 10 fires each year that destroy family homes — or about one fire a month. Because most fires occur at night, those families are usually left with nothing except whatever they wore to bed; they have no money, identification, clothing or food and they’ve often lost their pets in the fire. He said the Red Cross helps provide something to those families who suddenly have nothing. The United Way seeks to raise $142,000 for 15 agencies — Big Brothers-Big Sisters, Communities in Schools, Habitat for Humanity of Franklin County, Mid-American Nutrition, American Red Cross, CASA, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Franklin County Child Development Center, Hope House, Life Care Center for Women, Midland Hospice, Ottawa Wellsville Infant Toddler Center, Ottawa Teens, Inc., United Cerebral Palsy of Kansas and Willow Domestic Violence Center.
Wednesday, Sept. 28, 3 p.m.
