By Anna Guido
Enquirer contributor

WEST CHESTER TWP. - Holiday charity efforts in the northern suburbs have had mixed results amid this year's sluggish economy.

The Community Foundation of West Chester/Liberty, for example, is struggling to reach its goal of 300 guests for its first New Year's Eve Charity Ball. Foundation president Patti Alderson said the benefit may be too pricey.

Tickets to the celebration at Cincinnati Marriott North on Union Centre Boulevard are $150 per person and include a sit-down dinner, open bar and entertainment.

As of last week, 62 tickets had been sold.

"If we don't reach our goal, we're going to lose money," Mrs. Alderson said.

Reservations for the charity ball will be taken as late as New Year's Eve morning, Mrs. Alderson said.

"The Fairfield Community Foundation is starting its fourth year and is kind of still in building mode," executive director Betsy Dockery said.

"But this is a good year for us," she added. "We're ahead of where we were this time last year."

Reach Out Lakota, a West Chester/Liberty Township food pantry and social service agency, had more requests this year for holiday food baskets, clothes and toys, but had no trouble meeting the demand.

"Our numbers of people in need were higher, but the community came through and sponsored the majority," said executive director Lourdes Ward.

Butler and Warren County United Way campaigns that started in September and ended last month generated more funds this year than in 2001, but also fell short of fund-raising goals, according to officials.

"We raised $2.5 million - a 10 percent increase over last year - it was outstanding," said Maureen Noe, president and chief executive officer of the Butler County United Way. The campaign goal was $3 million.

A one-time gift of $100,000 from the James Bever family of Oxford, combined with a "really active" new business development division, helped the campaign.

Donations were down, though, for the adopt-a-family Christmas program that Butler's United Way hosts in partnership with the local AFL-CIO.

In Warren County, the United Way extended its campaign nearly three weeks and reached 99 percent of its goal.

"Our goal was $2.35 million and we made $2.32 million, which was 5 percent over last year - it was tremendous," said campaign and communications director Monica Gerhardt.

Foster children in Warren County got a big boost Dec. 14 from the annual Christmas party co-sponsored by Warren County Children Services and county veterans' organizations.

E-mail annag1129@cs.com