University of Tennessee Athletic Director Mike Hamilton encouraged several hundred UT-Battelle employees to consider visiting United Way agencies to see the good they are doing.
"There are a whole list of groups that are supported by United Way in our region," Hamilton told his audience. "Take a chance to go out and visit because what you will feel when you get there, you will see the accountability for your generosity. You will see where your generous contributions are making a difference."
Hamilton, the 2010 Greater Knoxville United Way chairman, said United Way meets needs in East Tennessee.
"Those of us who are fortunate to be able to take a little bit extra out of our paychecks to help, I believe we will be rewarded many times over in the future," Hamilton said. "I'd ask you to give a dollar, a couple of dollars or 10 dollars more - whatever you feel led to do or can do -- to try to help our region achieve in terms of helping others."
UT-Battelle has contributed more than $1 million for two straight years to the United Way, making it the largest corporate contributor to the agency in the Knoxville area.
ORNL is managed by UT-Battelle for the Department of Energy's Office of Science.