By Marie Mulvenna

The 1973 metro-area collection for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul netted a final tally of $27,229.48, a mere $626 short of the society’s $29,856 goal. In figures released this week by the archdiocesan chancery office, the special collection, which was taken up September 30, was almost $6,000 more than the 1972 collection.

Joe Flanagan, executive director of the local society, said the group was “tremendously pleased and grateful” at the recent collection figures. Flanagan said: “In view of the general economy when everyone has had to tighten his belt because of rising prices, we were concerned our collection might remain at the level of last year.” In 1972, the projected figure of $30,000 fell $9,000 short of its goal causing a halt to the expansion of several programs.

The local conference is part of a universal church program designed to aid the poor and needy utilizing a variety of programs of help. “We are tremendously pleased and heartened to know our appeal for help was received so well by our Catholic people. People responded so very generously,” Flanagan said.

Flanagan explained that while the annual budget of the society included plans for enlarged programs, “the goal we reached will allow us to do more than we had been able to do in the past. The support of the people of the archdiocese is deeply appreciated and encouraging.”

Although the annual collection is geared for the five county metro area, contributions to the society were received from a number of parishes outside the metro boundaries. Among those contributing were: Carrollton, Lawrenceville, Cedartown, and the student center at the University of Georgia in Athens.