A multitude of Aeronautical Center employees attended the annual kick-off for the 57th annual Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). The event was held October 10, at 10:30 a.m. in the Headquarters Auditorium, promoting this year’s theme, “Show Some Love.” Kevin O’Connor, Deputy Director of the Aeronautical Center opened the event. The mission of the CFC is to promote and support philanthropy through a program that is employee-focused, cost-efficient and effective in providing government employees with the opportunity to improve the quality of life for everyone. O’Connor expressed, “Last year, federal employees across the nation, and stationed around the world chose to ‘Show Some Love’ by contributing more than $104.3 million for the causes and charities they cared about, and right here in the Oklahoma and North Texas CFC Zone, we raised over $1.2M.” He’s hoping to prove again, that federal employees in Oklahoma possess a tremendous spirit of generosity. As before, employees can donate through traditional monetary donations via payroll deductions, credit card, eCheck, paper or online and this year, employees may also pledge off-hours volunteer time, which is then converted to a monetary-value to go towards the overall campaign goal. It’s up to the individual, whether you choose to give a one-time gift or prefer it to be a recurring contribution. Charities have shared statements that reveal the power of a single dollar……..the minimum amount you can donate per pay period. For example, if you pledge just $5.00, this is enough to provide 25 meals for a family four. By giving just $30 to CFC, you will provide a family of three with necessary health kits following a disaster, or it can provide a 30-minute crisis line chat for a troubled teen. Together through CFC, federal employees can rebuild homes after devastating disasters like hurricane Florence, stop the spread of diseases like Ebola and swine flu, shelter victims of domestic abuse, feed hungry children in war zones, replant forests, protect endangered species, and hundreds of other equally worthy causes.
O’Connor also introduced this year’s Combined Federal Campaign Co-Chairs for the Aeronautical Center: Kimberley Sites, AAQ-731; Deanna Calvert, ABP-550; Mary Weimer-Madole, AJW-14; and Justin Cockroft, AMP-400.
Justin Cockroft, an engineering technician in the Architecture & Engineering Division of the Office of Facility Management recognized many of the organizational coordinator and keyworkers for this year’s campaign. Mike Jestes of the AR/OK Divisional Resource Development Director at Salvation Army was the keynote speaker for the event. Kim Sheppard, Program Manager of the Quality Systems and Business Resources Staff (AMC-3) and Cynde Starnes, Management & Program Analyst in the Business and Administration Support Branch (AMK-11) shared personal testaments of how CFC personally helped them and their families during times of need. Each of them shared the joys of volunteering.
This year’s campaign video was shown to those in attendance conveying the notion that if you are passionate about something, there is a way you can help. Even if it’s helping one person at a time, together, cumulatively we can change the world.
In closing the program, eight six-month parking spaces were given away by a drawing, only available to those in attendance. Following the event, in the pavilion area, several food trucks were available, and an Agency Fair with representatives from various CFC charities were on hand to speak directly with employees about a variety of causes.
Each Tuesday starting October 16th, the Aeronautical Center will have 3-4 agencies that are supporting the causes listed below. They plan to set up booths in the Blue Sky Café to provide employees information about their organizations and tell how they are providing support to these individual causes. Here are the specific awareness causes that are planned during the campaign:
As a reminder, employees can fill out a pledge card and give it to their organizational coordinator or keyworker, or pledge forms can be completed online. Once you are electronically in the system, please ensure your profile setting is correct with the following information selected:
Your Department: Department of Transportation
Your Agency: Federal Aviation Administration
Your Office: Monroney Aeronautical Ctr (CFC:E4QREK)
Federal employees can change the world, one person at a time, by choosing one or more causes you want to support by giving through CFC. Remember, it’s in working together that we can make a difference.
