With just days to go before the annual “Celebrity Baggers” fundraiser for the United Way of Elizabethton/Carter County, more volunteers are still needed to help make the event a success.

“I have a select few spots in Elizabethton,” said UWECC Community Impact Coordinator Crystal Carter. “I have a lot of spots in Piney Flats. That one has been hard to fill.”

On Tuesday, Nov. 21, volunteers will don United Way vests and bag groceries while sharing the mission of the nonprofit agency with shoppers. The local United Way will have volunteers at the Food City located at 920 Broad St. in Elizabethton as well as the Food City located at 6681 Bristol Hwy. in Piney Flats.

“We are asking for anybody who is willing to come out and help,” Carter said.

While the event is dubbed “Celebrity Baggers,” those who volunteer do not have to be famous or a prominent member of the community to lend a helping hand. Anyone who wants to sign up is a “celebrity for the day” according to Carter.

Volunteers need to be at least 18 years of age to take part in the event. To participate, volunteers sign up for a specific time slot at the store of their choice. On the day of the event, volunteers should arrive a few minutes early for their shift for a quick training.

Each volunteer “shift” is for one hour, but volunteers can sign up for more than one shift if they want to.

Donations for the local United Way are collected during the event, but helping to spread the word about the work United Way does in the community is just as important, according to Carter. United Way leaders will help volunteers with that mission by providing them with information about projects and partnerships the agency is working on which they can share with shoppers.

Volunteers can still sign up to take part in the event now through November 20. To sign up, send an e-mail to director@uwayecc.org or call 423-543-6975.

The annual event is one of the many fundraisers hosted by the United Way of Elizabethton/Carter County to help support community organizations that provide needed services to residents.

This year’s fundraising campaign kicked off on September 20 with a goal of raising $125,000. So far, Carter said, the agency has raised about $38,206 toward that goal through donations and pledges.

“Our campaign seems right on track with where we were at this time last year,” Carter said. “We can always use more community and business support.”

Since taking the helm of UWECC at the end of August, Carter said she has been working to contact local businesses and organizations regarding the work United Way does in the community and how they can help, such as hosting events or employee campaign drives.

Any local business, organizations, or individuals wanting to host campaigns for the local United Way or seeking to find out more information can e-mail Carter at director@uwayecc.org or call 423-543-6975.