The Salina Area United Way kicked off its annual fund-raising effort Thursday evening with a fun event, “United Happy Hour”.

According to the agency, Kick-Off is a big annual event for the United Way, raising dollars for local nonprofit organizations in our community.

This year, thanks to an a donation by Richard and Sallie Morrison, there was $25,000 in matching funds to share with the nine Funded Partners throughout the three-hour United Happy Hour event. When community members and businesses made a donation to the 2022-2023 Campaign, their donation was matched, up to 50%, to make an even greater impact on the nine Funded Partners and the community as a whole.

The event Thursday evening was the biggest Kick-Off event to date. United Happy Hour included  music, a cash bar, pizza, and a giveaway of Brett Young tickets.

Nonprofit booths were set up to educate more about the work the nine Funded Partners are doing.

At the end of the evening there was dunk tank competition for Funded Partners to win extra cash for their organization. Each agency had an opportunity to try and dunk Meridian Media’s Hannah Holt, who was sitting in a dunk tank. On the last throw of the night her morning show partner Chad Allen threw a strike, and to the delight of the crowd into the water she went.