Religious boost for United Way

The religious roots of the United Way will play a major part inthis year's campaign.

Leaders of the area's major religious groups said Wednesday theywill join United Way/Crusade of Mercy officials in promoting thedrive among those of the Eastern Orthodox, Jewish, Protestant andRoman Catholic faiths.

The campaign, from Sept. 10 through Dec. 9, raises funds tosupport a large network of human service agencies.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of what ended up as theUnited Way, said Ormand J. Wade, general chairman of the 1987campaign and president of Ameritech Bell Group.

It was started a century ago in Denver by a rabbi, a RomanCatholic priest and two Protestant ministers, he said, and those"religious roots have remained very, very strong."