Despite a roller coaster financial year for Lufkin Industries, the newly released United Way fundraising numbers show the company not only helped them exceed this year's goal, but they donated more than a third of the total.

The company raised $251,433 of the $639,421 raised by area businesses this year, surpassing its own goal of $150,000.

Andy Adams/The Lufkin Daily News (ENLARGE)

Jay Jackson, chairman of the 2009 United Way of Angelina County fundraising campaign, is covered with silly string Friday morning after painting a barometer to indicate the campaign had raised more than its goal of $525,000.

Andy Adams/The Lufkin Daily News (ENLARGE)

The committee chairs of the 2009 United Way of Angelina County fundraising campaign gathered Friday morning to celebrate surpassing the campaign goal of $525,000. The campaign raised more than $640,000 for agencies in the county. Pictured are, from left, Van Watson (large employers), Johnny Giles (Lufkin school district), Liz Jeffrey (realtors), Trent Ashby, Janet Sublett (Angelina College), James Flournoy (Huntington), Valena Spradley (automobile dealers), Dr. Brian Spore (physicians), Jay Jackson (campaign chairman), Lynn Hopper (Lufkin State Supported Living Center), Scott Skelton (attorneys), Theda Mosley (insurance companies), Jackie Zimmerman (publicity), Bob Brown (past president of United Way of Angelina County), John Havard (industry), Bob Inselmann (general solicitations) and Carla Hight (director, United Way of Angelina County).

Andy Adams/The Lufkin Daily News (ENLARGE)

Lufkin Industries and its employees on Friday celebrated their combined contributions of more than $250,000 to this year's United Way of Angelina County campaign. Company representatives include, from left, Terry Orr, John Havard, Rob Maharrey, Karen Brasher, Larry Long, Tonya Odom, Doug Holland, Susan Campbell, Casey Niosi, Tim Stacy, Priscilla Chumbley, Larry Thigpen, Diane Blanton, Linda Lankford, Steve Reynolds, David Richard, John White, Frank Stevenson and Ben Jordan.

Staff at the company attribute their fundraising success to a company-wide policy of giving.

"It's a lot of fun for all of us and we get everybody involved in the effort," said John Havard, of Lufkin Industries. "It's been a tough year for us, with some employees working short weeks or having a shut off week, but our employees are committed to their involvement with the United Way and they enjoy the giving. It's also fun to participate in these kinds of things."

Havard said the company sets up a "fair share" program each year which encourages employees to donate $1 a week out their paycheck, totalling $52 for the year. For each dollar they donate to the United Way the company matches it dollar for dollar.

To show their appreciation, fundraising chairs at the company distribute gifts to employees who donate.

"Every year when we start to campaign everyone who agrees to be a fair share giver, we give each employee a Lufkin umbrella as a gift for participating," Havard said.

The company also holds a kick-off party for employees each year to get them into the giving spirit.

The company even has a group of people, known as "The Magnificent Seven," who go out and talk to employees and try to get them excited about the United Way campaign.

A large number of Lufkin Industries employees participate in the fundraising program each year, Havard said.

"Last year we had 1,645 employees in Lufkin eligible to participate. Out of those 1,490 decided to give to the United Way," Havard said. "That's 90.1 percent who agreed to do that. So we had a lot of generosity and our percentage this year should be very close to that, if not more."

Over the past 15 years alone, Lufkin Industries has donated $3.3 million to the United Way, all of which goes directly back into the community, helping to support 23 nonprofit agencies around Angelina County.

"There are so many people here who have made this possible. There's too many to thank," Havard said. "It's really become a tradition for our employees and we hope to keep it going for years to come."

To give back to the community one more time this holiday season, Lufkin Industries is hosting its yearly lighting of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Pumping Unit" at the Lufkin Mall at 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21. The holiday event has been known for more than 40 years as the unofficial kickoff to the East Texas holiday season. The company will provide milk and cookies for the kids, as well as reindeer ears. There's also a rumor that a special guest from the North Pole will be making a surprise appearance.