THOMASVILLE — Organizers are preparing for next month’s annual United Way of Thomas County Campaign Kickoff luncheon.

“We hope the citizens of Thomasville and Thomas County continue to support the United Way as they so generously have in the past,” President Corey Hooper said.

The 2009-2010 campaign goal is $218,000, a decrease from last year’s $230,000 target.

“We always want an attainable goal and, with the economy the way it is, we were advised to lower it a bit,” Executive Director Rebecca Cannady said. “We still need all the help we can get in order to continue to support our agencies and the needy in our community.”

The 18 agencies United Way of Thomas County supports are: American Red Cross Georgia Wiregrass Chapter, Boy Scouts of America, Council on Aging/Scott Senior Center, Easter Seals Southern Georgia Inc., Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, Halcyon Home for Battered Women, Rescue Mission Ministries/Soup Kitchen, Salvation Army, Special Olympics, Thomas County 4-H Club, Thomas County CASA, Thomas County Certified Literate Community Program, Thomas County Food Bank and Outreach Center, Thomas County Youth Camp, Thomas-Grady A.R.C., Thomasville Community Resource Center, Thomasville-Thomas County Humane Society, and Thomasville YMCA.

This year’s guest speaker is former college football coach, Tommy Bowden.

“The United Way is excited to have someone of Coach Bowden’s experience and caliber speak at our kickoff event,” Hooper said. “He is a very successful major college football coach that we’re honored to have here in Thomasville.”

Bowden, in a phone interview Friday, said he was asked to speak at the event and was happy to oblige.

“Obviously, United Way does a lot of good things and, at this difficult time of the year with the economy the way it is, charitable organizations take a hit. Anything I can do that might promote a benefit for the organization, I try to do it.”

Bowden played wide receiver at West Virginia and received a bachelor of science in physical education, with a minor in health, from that university in 1977.

His 31 years of coaching experience includes: graduate assistant coach at West Virginia, defensive backs coach at Florida State, running backs coach at Auburn, tight ends coach at Florida State, quarterbacks coach at Duke, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Duke, wide receivers coach at Alabama, offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach at Kentucky, offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach at Auburn, head coach at Tulane, and head coach at Clemson.

He has participated in 16 bowl seasons, including the Orange Bowl, Gator Bowl, Hall of Fame Bowl, Sun Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and Peach Bowl, as either an assistant coach or coach.

He is married to the former Linda Joan White and they have two children.

Bowden looks forward to speaking in Thomasville.

“This is to support a great organization and to make people more aware of charitable organizations like it. United Way does so many good things in this part of Georgia. I just want to help increase awareness.”