Commander, Navy Region Southeast Stresses Importance of Combined Federal Campaign By Kaylee LaRocque Naval Air Station Jacksonville Public Affairs Specialist JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Commander, Navy Region Southeast Rear Adm. Rick Williamson praised the 2013 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) keypersons and stressed the importance of 100 percent contact of all federal employees Nov. 4. The CFC is currently underway through Jan. 15, 2014, for all federal agencies worldwide to donate to qualifying charitable organizations. “This year has been a little bit of a challenge with furloughs and sequestration. We took a brief pause with the campaign but are now back on track and I have a lot of faith in the generosity of our military and civilian employees,” said Williamson. “Many people say, ‘when times are hard, expect to have a bad campaign,’ but I’ve been in the Navy for 28 years and although we’ve seen some issues arise, we’ve never had a bad campaign,” he added. “My hope is that the trend continues and our military and civilian members are given the opportunity to contribute in this worthwhile campaign.” In order for a command or agency to conduct a successful fund drive, they must have proactive keypersons who volunteer to coordinate the campaign. “The keypersons have a big job and I greatly appreciate them stepping up and volunteering. They conduct 100 percent contact of the members of the commands, coordinate fundraising events, collect money or allotment slips and keep track of donations. They do all of it out of the kindness of their hearts and I’m very appreciative of them,” said Williamson. Although there are no specific dollar amount goals set, there is a 100 percent contact goal for all keypersons. “When you visit the different bases and you see the CFC thermometers up, you see the generosity of the people. The key is communication – getting the word out to ensure people understand what the CFC is all about and how the program works,” Williamson stated. With literally hundreds of organizations available to donate to, federal employees who don’t have a specific choice can review descriptions of agencies in the CFC program guide, including the percentage of donated funds that go to cover administrative costs. This enables contributors to discern between charities based on their personal preferences and priorities. “The ones that particularly resonate with me are educational organizations. My parents instilled in me the value of education at a very young age. From the military standpoint, there are different programs our members can benefit from to get an education. But there are many people who may not get the opportunities that the military offers,” said Williamson. “I think the opportunity of education enriches lives and betters communities. For those not in the military, who aren’t blessed with a lot of money and need a scholarship opportunity, hopefully donating to these organizations will give them a chance at better education.” Individuals can donate to CFC with a cash contribution or by pledging a specific amount to be withheld from their pay beginning in January 2014. Many commands also hold special fundraising events to benefit the CFC drive. Command involvement and leadership are essential ingredients to making the campaign successful. For more information on the CFC drive, contact your command keyperson.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 20:44:36 +0000