Faculty and staff interested in a parking spot along Morrill Road have one last chance to buy raffle tickets for $2 Thursday. 

Tickets can be purchased through Madeline Burkhardt, Judy Hankins and Darci Kester.

After raffle tickets are compiled, one lucky person will win the parking spot that belongs to Warren Madden, senior vice president of business and finance.

Madden plans to attend meetings out of town from Sept. 14-18, allowing the winner the chance to park close to classes or work for the entire week.

Another opportunity to raise money will occur Thursday on the ground floor of Beardshear Hall. 

Pizza slices will be sold for $2 each, along with last-minute raffle tickets.

All proceeds from the events will be donated to United Way of Story County, an organization that the university has long been supportive of. United Way’s “LIVE UNITED” campaign focuses on areas in human sciences, including child-care assistance, senior services, prevention education and treatment services.

It invests in issues ranging from providing tutoring services to six out of the seven school districts in Story County to teaching women basic financial literacy. 

According to its website, money raised by the group will impact 1 in 3 people in the county.

“The United Way has come a long way in Ames and all over the country to try and help social service agencies,” Madden said.

Madden has a personal admiration of the organization since he was once the chairman of the United Way board.

“Iowa State has been a major United Way supporter for decades,” Madden said, “The university is about half of the Ames community.”

Employees and students involved in student-government units are encouraged to support the United Way.

“In addition to that, most of the programs and services that we fund, with the exception of senior citizens, Iowa State students and faculty can take advantage of,” said Jean Kresse, president and CEO of United Way of Story County.

One prominent example is a child-care center located in a building that is owned by the university and very close to campus.

“This is just one little piece of a way to try to help generate some United Way support,” Madden said of the event.

The winner will be contacted Friday and is expected to pick up their pass by noon.