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Letters were mailed to area residents in October and are due by the end of December. So far, $29,000 has been raised this year. The goal this year is to raise $42,000.

"When the economy is weak, as it now is, the demand for help from various charities is greater," said Don Torbenson, a member of the board of directors. "Thus, your help is needed more than ever."

The Paynesville Area Charity Fund has a new sign next to city hall. Their 2002 fund drive finishes by the end of December. So far, the drive has raised $29,000 towards a goal of $42,000.

Last year, the Paynesville Area Charity Fund Drive raised $40,582, of which 70 percent went to local charities and approximately 30 percent was sent to state and national charities as requested.

Less than two percent was spent for printing and mailing to collect these funds. All the work is done by a volunteer board of directors.

Since the Paynesville Area Charity Fund was reactivated in 1993, collections have increased from less than $12,000 then to over $40,000 last year.

Local charities on the list include: Boy Scouts, Consortium for Creative Arts, Crow River Trail Guards, Friends of the Paynesville Area Library, Girl Scouts, Keep the Quality Education Foundation, Lake Koronis Recreational Trail, Paynesville Area Center, Paynes-ville Area Dollars for Scholars, Paynesville Area Health Care System Auxiliary, Paynesville Area Special Olympics, Paynesville Branch of Rice Hospice, Paynesville Community Service Center, Paynesville Historical Society, Paynesville Area High School Marching Band, Paynesville Youth Athletic Association, R.O.S.E. Center, and Student Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Extra letters from the Paynesville Area Charity Fund are available at the Press office or at any of the local financial institutions.