Utahns willing to hit up their friends and family for contributions to GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney can meet him in person next month at a Salt Lake fund-raiser.

Romney's campaign staff confirmed Monday that he'll attend the "Rally for Romney," scheduled Sept. 28 from 2 p.m.-8 p.m. at the Salt Palace Convention Center. The event is part of a national effort to reach donors who can't afford to make big contributions.

"This is a unique opportunity for Utahns," said John Miller, the head of the Missouri-based National Beef Packing Co. and the only Utahn among Romney's top-level finance chairmen. "He's someone we know."

Utahns know Romney as the former leader of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and as the LDS presidential candidate. Polls have shown Romney has the support of most Utah voters.

Until now, though, Utahns who wanted to see the candidate up close had to spend as much as $2,300 to attend one of his fund-raising events held in recent months in Salt Lake City, St. George, Deer Valley and Logan.

The "Rally for Romney," similar to events being held in more than 40 cities nationwide, requires that participants volunteer to raise $1,000 as "community captains" with the help of up to four people.

Romney will be making fund-raising calls throughout the six-hour event as well as mingling, Miller said.

"These rallies are a lot of fun," he said. "Mitt picks up your cell phone and makes calls for you."

Another Utahn on the Romney campaign, finance director Spencer Zwick, said there is no fund-raising goal for the rallies, being billed as a grassroots initiative.

"We're growing our base of support long term," Zwick said.

Romney already has collected nearly $4 million from Utahns, part of the $44 million campaign war chest he reported midyear — the largest of any Republican contender for the White House.

The Salt Lake rally comes just days before the end of the third-quarter federal reporting cycle, but Zwick said Romney may or may not continue to lead the GOP pack in collecting cash.

The campaign has focused instead on winning the non-binding Iowa Republican straw poll earlier this month in Ames, Iowa. Romney's two main GOP rivals, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Arizona Sen. John McCain, did not participate in the straw poll.

Miller said the support of Utahns at the upcoming fund-raiser is critical to Romney's campaign. People are saying, "You know what, he might just win this thing," Miller said. "But if we don't get the money, he won't win."

Rally participants must register in advance by calling 801-961-4070 or going online to www.mittromney. com/rally.

If you go ...

Who: GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney will be there.

What: To make campaign fund-raising calls.

When: Sept. 28, 2 p.m.-8 p.m.

Where: Salt Palace Convention Center.

How: Register in advance by calling 801-961-4070 or online at www.mittromney.com/rally.

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