Preparations for the general phase of the Archdiocesan Expansion Campaign will reach the final stage this week as all parishes assemble at their regional hall for the single organizational meeting preceding the general phase opening Sunday, March 14. Enlistment of additional volunteers who will join those already working in the memorial phase are expected to bring the total workers force to almost 3,000 men.

At the same time that general phase preparations progressed, Memorial Gifts Committees in Regions I, III, and V held third report meetings. As of Wednesday, subscriptions to the campaign from all sources approached $800,000. G. Albert Lawton, general chairman, has requested all regional chairmen to submit final figures on the memorial gift phase during the coming week.

In announcing that only one organizational meeting was scheduled for the general phase, Father Harold J. Rainey, chancellor and archdiocesan coordinator, explained that the continuation of the memorial workers into the general phase has simplified the organizational process. During the general phase, parish chairmen and captains will seek to pair new volunteers with memorial committeemen who have already been working for several weeks. Father Rainey declared that following the one central meeting in each region, each parish will hold its own individual assignment meeting some evening later in the week of March 7th.

In preparation for the opening of the general phase volunteer women, who are serving as parish campaign secretaries, are presently assembling workers kits and materials for the men campaigners.

Father Noel C. Burtenshaw, vice chancellor and assistant coordinator, made special note this week of the important service being rendered by these women, who number more than 200 throughout the archdiocese. He explained that all gifts received are processed and recorded in the donor’s parish, and acknowledgement prepared by the parish secretary. Every campaign worker who begins his service March 14th will have a complete kit prepared by the volunteer women of the parish.

The schedule for the general organization meeting by region is as follows:

Region I - Sunday, March 7, Cathedral Center Gymnasium, 8 p.m.; Region II - Tuesday, March 9, St. Mary’s School Cafeteria, Rome, 8 p.m.; Region III - Friday, March 12, St. Joseph’s High School Gym, Courtland St., 8 p.m.; Region IV - Thursday, March 11, St. Joseph’s School Cafeteria, Athens, 8 p.m.; Region V - Monday, March 8, Immaculate Conception Hall, 8 p.m.; Region VI - Wednesday, March 10, Sacred Heart School, Griffin, 8 p.m.

In mapping plans for the regional meetings, assistant general chairman Michael J. Egan, Jr. emphasized that all men in every parish are invited to come to the meeting even if they have not signed a volunteer card. He indicated that extra supplies and an extra quantity of workers’ kits would be available in every parish. Parish chairmen are prepared to assign any newcomers to teams.