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The 10 finalists in the United Way Step Up Challenge will gather at Hutchinson Island Marriott at about 8:30 p.m. March 27 to see who will win the 2008 Dodge Avenger donated by Massey-Yardley Chrysler Dodge.

This is the second year United Way of Martin County conducted the sweepstakes in an effort to encourage more giving. There were 1,200 entrants, which would amount to donations of at least $62,400.

The prize ceremony will be held outside the Marriott’s conference center following the United Way of Martin County’s annual Champions of the Community awards dinner, which begins at 6:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend the Step Up Challenge festivities, which will begin at about 8:30 p.m.

At the event, each of the finalists will receive a key -- but only one of the 10 keys can unlock and start the car. The finalist with that key wins the car.

The finalists are as follows, and they represent some of United Way of Martin County’s top corporate and community campaigns:

• Thaddeus Lenick – from the Monarch community

• Danielle Smith – from Publix

• Tammie Fowler – from Wachovia Bank

• Albert Wunsch – from the Willoughby community

• Jim Foley – from Publix

• Lewis W. Roberts – from Martin Memorial Health Systems

• Sam Rolling – from Martin County Fire & Rescue

• Danielle Johnson – from Publix

• Margaret Orbesen – from Monarch

• Racheal Gamblin – from Publix

To enter the United Way Step Up Challenge, people 18 and older were asked to make a donation of at least $52 (a dollar a week) to the United Way’s Common Good Fund. It could be a new donation or an increase over the past year’s donation.

Last year, there were 1,390 entries. The prize was a 2007 Dodge Caliber, donated by Massey-Yardley Chrysler Dodge and won by Debbie Pappas, a bank teller at Seacoast National Bank.

More information is available at www.unitedwaymartincounty.org or by calling (772) 283-4800.