CVC seeks to 'give hope'
CVC 2008 Two signs around the William and Mary campus will track the progress of the College's 2008 Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign. Organizers at the College hope to raise $120,000 with at least 350 people signing up to contribute. Photo by Stephen Salpukas
Faculty and staff members at the College of William and Mary are being asked to open their hearts - and their wallets - to help people in need through the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign.
The annual fundraising campaign, which is held among state employees, began Oct. 1 and runs through Dec. 15. On Thursday, Oct. 30, the College's CVC committee will officially kick off the campaign with a free picnic lunch for all William and Mary employees on Wren Lawn from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Organizers at the College hope to raise $120,000 through the campaign this year, with at least 350 people signing up to contribute.
"William and Mary's participation in the Combined Virginia Campaign is more important this year than ever," said Ginger Ambler, interim vice president for student affairs and co-chair of the College's CVC campaign. "The economic challenges facing our nation are especially devastating to charitable organizations -- they struggle for funds at the very time the community's need for their services rises. Even a small donation from our paychecks -- as little as $1 or $2 a pay period -- can make a significant difference in the life of someone less fortunate. Whether we direct our money to a national charity or to a local organization right in our own community, our gift will be a gift of hope for a better future.
Interested employees can choose from about 1,300 charities and non-profit organizations to contribute to, and donations may either be made as a one-time lump sum or via automatic paycheck deduction.
No overhead is charged for the contributions, so 100 percent of donations go directly to the designated charities.
Last year, 338 people from William and Mary contributed $115,113 to the campaign, with the largest group of donors coming from the College's Office of Development. Other top-contributing organizations include the School of Law, School of Business, Virginia Institute for Marine Science and Facilities Management.
"I started giving while in service simply because I could see others in need, and the United Way provided an easy way to do something to help," said Wayne Boy, director of planning, design and construction for facilities management. "Over the years, my giving has become more focused and more personal in support of United Way organizations which conduct research into critical health issues affecting my family and those which support the less fortunate. I'll continue to give to responsible organizations because I believe we have duty to share the blessings we've received through donations and service when and where we can."
For more information about the College's campaign, visit http://www.wm.edu/cvc/.
