The Kalona United Fund Drive, for fiscal 2000, is underway and, depending upon results, may be the final year for the annual fund raiser.

Will it be missed?

Well, if there had been no United Fund drives for the last few years, the Kalona Public Library would have fewer books and would be a little short of the funds needed for its recently launched automation system.

The Kalona First Responders will come up $1,000 short each year. Since the Responders depend entirely upon donations (including ones from the city), that $l,000 less is a definite budget cut.

Pleasantview Home obviously will survive without its United Fund allocation, but there’s probably a few extras for the facility and its residents that will disappear.

The same can be said of the Kalona Middle School (Junior) Boosters and the Washington County Development Center, the Kalona Elementary School PTA and the Washington Red Cross.

But a few less dollars for the Kalona Food Pantry means less service. For services like the Washington County Hospice and the Washington County Humane Society, funding —dollar by dollar—is always important.

The Washington County Mini Bus will survive, thanks to its dedicated volunteers. Even the Kalona Girl Scouts will get by, they just will have to limit their activities.

After all, it’s only $11,000 that is sought, to be divided among the 12 applying agencies. What possible difference can that amount make?

For something like the Booster organizations, it’s one less field trip for a class, something that one can, if necessary, do without. For the Red Cross, it could be less funds to aid with disaster relief, something that could translate to a little less food or clothing for a family wiped out by a tornado. And, that could well be picked up by some other group. Maybe.

Maybe it is time for the Kalona United Fund to close up shop, and let the “other guy” do it. And remember not to complain how the job gets done—if it gets done.