United Way Campaign

ERNIE OHLER is an enthusiastic and capable volunteer with an infectious personality. At the United Way of Central Maryland, where he has volunteered for 12 years, this 82-year-old has a host of admirers who say there's no end to what he can accomplish.During each United Way campaign, Ohler works in the marketing department doing anything to help out, including assisting with community promotions and special events. He draws the plans and builds props and displays for events, and he solicits contributions for the construction materials.

Organizers of this year's United Way campaign hope to increase Carroll County's donations by 31 percent, six times greater than the goal set by United Way of Central Maryland.Michael Oster, chairman of Carroll County's United Way campaign, is calling for a $71,000 increase in local contributions to $300,000. United Way of Central Maryland hopes to boost its contributions by 5 percent."We are asking for a very healthy increase, but it's completely doable," said Oster, executive vice president of Carroll County Bank and Trust Co. "We are hoping for a normal increase from previous givers and greater penetration of area businesses."

The United Way is encouraging companies that have not completed employee fund-raising drives to keep them going until January, in hopes that the agency will reach its target goal of $34.7 million.To date, with 34 percent of participating companies reporting, the 1990 campaign has raised $20.5 million, it reported yesterday.That represents a 12 percent increase in employee giving and a 5 percent increase in corporate gifts.The progress report on the campaign was made last night at a party at Martin's West, where the United Way of Central Maryland was host to more than 1,000 people who have helped with the campaign.

There is so much distressing news these days that the success of the recently completed 1991 United Way campaign comes as an especially bright spot. Despite the difficult economic times, donations from employees of governmental agencies and 3,500 Central Maryland companies raised a record $39 million.This means the 300-plus social service agencies receiving United Way funds can continue their work with some assurance of fiscal stability at a time when requests for help are growing. "People who were in positions to make contributions made them.

By almost any measure, this year's United Way campaign in Central Maryland is lagging badly.Halfway through the four-month campaign, only $12 million has been raised toward the goal of $40 million. If the campaign continues at this sluggish pace, it will mean drastic cuts to the agencies that count on United Way money."If the campaign does not meet its goal, we're going to be cut again," said Maj. David Jones of the Salvation Army, which lost 13 percent of its $900,000 United Way funds when last year's campaign failed to meet expectations.

Glascock chosen to lead Md. initiative Robert Glascock, assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and technology in Howard County schools, has been chosen to lead the Maryland State Department of Education's Breakthrough Center, a program to help low-performing schools. The center, developed in partnership with the Education Alliance at Brown University, will support schools and districts earlier, before they need more serious intervention. Glascock, who was hired as a classroom teacher by the county system in 1976, became a Gifted-and-Talented Program teacher at Glenwood Middle School in 1985.

Services for Edward W. Hearn, a retired United Way campaign official, will be held at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow at Christ Lutheran Church, 701 S. Charles St., with burial in Arlington National Cemetery.Mr. Hearn, a resident of Ellicott City for the past 15 years, died Friday of cancer at Howard County General Hospital. He was 73.Born in Baltimore, Mr. Hearn attended Forest Park High School and was a 1939 graduate of St. John's College in Annapolis. He later enlisted in the Army and served in the infantry during World War II in North Africa and Italy.

Donations sought for flea marketThe Providence Center needs donations for its flea market and bake sale Saturday at the Harbour Center's patio on Solomons Island Road.The deadline for donations is tomorrow. Donations will be accepted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Baldwin Industries, 1254 Ritchie Highway in Arnold. The event is from noon to 4 p.m. The Salvation Army will sell hot dogs and sodas.The event will kick off the United Way Campaign, with proceeds benefiting groups in the county that receive United Way funding.

Uniontown man killed when tractor overturns on him A Carroll County farmer died Wednesday night after his tractor overturned in a field, authorities said. Wilson Roberts Bounds Sr., 63, of the 3000 block of Uniontown Road in Uniontown, was found unconscious by emergency medical crews responding to a 911 call placed by one of Bounds' employees just after 6 p.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene. State police at the Westminster barracks said the tractor overturned on a steep incline and trapped Bounds underneath.

The United Way campaign in Howard County ended its four-month 1992 fund-raising drive with a total of $2,200,000, a decrease from last year's total of $2,400,000.H. Joseph Engle, chairman of the board and president of Allied Signal Technical Services Corp., served as the campaign's volunteer chairman.Despite the decline in money raised, organizers were pleased."The recession really was a worry, but to raise over $2 million in the county, we think it's a very good number," said Steve Duly, public relations officer with Allied Signal.