MARTINSBURG - Thirteen agencies stand to gain from an area community fund now in its 52nd year.

If the Martinsburg Area Community Fund reaches its goal of $37,100, allocations will range from $500 to the Martinsburg Youth Softball and Baseball organization to $11,000 to its major recipient, The Park at Morrisons Cove.

This year's drive, which includes both residents and businesses, began Oct. 1. According to Linda Smith, who is in charge of finances for the community fund, the drive has raised about 65 percent of its goal.

Donations started off strong but have leveled off recently, Chairman and Martinsburg Borough Manager Randy Stoltz said.

"We're optimistic that we're going to reach it," Stoltz said. "That's common. Some people give closer to the end of the year when they see what their finances are. We usually get a spurt at the end of the year. We try to be realistic each year."

A thermometer painted on a board in the downtown area of the borough shows how much more the fund needs to reach its goal.

"Hopefully we'll give the people what we tentatively promised," said Community Fund board member Linda Showalter, who handles most of the communication with local businesses.

Roseanne Conrad, executive director and park manager at The Park at Morrisons Cove, said the $11,000 the park stands to receive will go toward general operational funds aimed at "creating and maintaining recreational activities, primarily toward youth."

The bowling alley at the park is in need of new digital monitors to replace the old tube-style ones as well as a new computer operational system. The new monitors were quoted at $18,000 and the new operational system would cost $11,000.

The park also handles the $1,150 budgeted for the Martinsburg Supervised Recreation group, which helps sponsor events for youth in the area, Conrad said.

The Martinsburg Area Community Fund was started in 1947 by the Martinsburg Community Guidance Council to help fund charitable, social and civic work in the area.

The organizations that receive money from the fund typically stay the same from year to year and submit requests based on their needs for the next year.

"We listen to everybody's requests and then come up with a budget," Stoltz said. "They've all taken hits, I think because of the economy. They need us more than ever. We can't do it without all the residents, organizations and businesses being willing to give."

Donations can be mailed to The Martinsburg Area Community Fund, P.O. Box 240, Martinsburg, PA 16662.

Mirror Staff Writer Wendy McCardle Zook is at 946-7520.