Monday, November 9, 2009 9:15 pm

Local United Way president and CEO Brian Hercules was the guest speaker at the Woodbury Lions Club Monday night.

Brian Hercules, President and CEO of the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties, was the guest speaker Monday night at the monthly meeting of the Woodbury Lions Club.

Hercules told members about the important services local United Way-supported agencies provide to the community.

He urged the Lions to contribute to the United Way through their workplace campaign, at all three local banks in Cannon County, or by going online to uwrutherford.org.

"When the economy goes bad, the need for services goes up," Hercules said.

The Cannon County United Way Campaign will kick into high gear later this week. The goal this year is $44,000.

"What we raise here (Cannon County), stays here," Hercules said. "About $25,000 more comes back to Cannon County each year than goes out."

Hercules added, "With everybody giving a little bit, it makes a major impact on what we do."

See next week's Cannon Courier for more information about this year's United Way campaign.