Combined Federal Campaign begins: Donations support everyone Published Oct. 10, 2006 By Jasmine DeNamur 919th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs DUKE FIELD, Fla. -- It's that time of year again to pull out the wallets and support those in need. The Combined Federal Campaign is up and running. From Sept. 25 to Nov. 7, campaign representatives here are busily getting the word out about the program's cause and urging personnel to donate. The CFC is a conglomerate of local, national and international campaigns that raise funds with federal employees through pay-roll deductions, as well as active duty and Reserve direct donations, said Senior Master Sgt. Betsy Gunn, 5th Special Operations Squadron aviation resource management supervisor and wing CFC project officer. More than 1,800 local and national charities qualify for the donations, she said. Sergeant Gunn is no stranger to the CFC. "Growing up with a single mother and four siblings was rough financially. My brother had a hair lip and cleft pallet and required numerous surgeries to fix it," she said. "March of Dimes, a CFC-sponsored agency, came to our aid and helped pay for the surgeries and the speech therapy that followed." She has been supporting the cause for almost 20 years now. "I'm just giving back what was graciously given to my family in the first place," she said. The CFC is the largest charity campaign in the nation, allowing more than $4 million federal and military personnel to donate to a variety of charities. Last year, $268 million was donated toward the program nationwide. More than $1.2 million was raised in the local area alone, with $37,227 originating from Duke personnel, exceeding the $35,000 goal. A large portion of the money went to Hurricane Katrina victims, said Master Sgt. Gary Young, wing project officer for 2005, and wing alternate for this year. Groups such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army and United Way were some of the organizations that received a large amount of support from local donations, he said. The program is neat in that it offers a structured time and method for personnel to voluntarily make donations to variety of organizations, he said. Whether you're an animal lover or medical research supporter, the list has a wide range of qualified agencies. Some of the categories listed include humanitarian, educational, health, youth development, and shelter related organizations. The CFC also offers rewards for those who donate depending on the amount donated. Such items include a ball point pen, stainless steel travel mug and lunch cooler. This year's goal is slightly lower than last's. "Due to the move of our two active-duty units, we decided to lower the target amount, since we're minus 300 personnel," he said. "This year's goal for Duke Field is $22,000." The key workers that are encouraging people to give are pouring their hearts and souls into this cause, said Sergeant Gunn. "Just think of the program as a savings account. If there's nothing there, you can't draw out when you might need it," she said. Members may contact their unit key workers for more information or visit the CFC Web site at www.opm.gov/cfc.