ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. - Scores of federal employees walked to the fire station here today to show their support for the annual federal workforce charity campaign and kick off of the six-week pledge drive.
The men and women of the federal government donate to Combined Federal Campaign charities to make a lasting difference in people's lives in Quad City Area and beyond.
Col. Richard Dix, Army Sustainment Command chief of staff delivered the keynote address. "Every day is a gift, and if we give back every day is a blessing," he said.
Describing how his sister died of lupus 25 years ago, Dix told of how he pledged to help eradicate the disease and support families through the CFC.
"That is my why," he said, referring to his personal life experience that makes CFC special to him.
"The Combined Federal Campaign provides a lifeline to our Quad City community that is unduplicated in scope by any other charitable effort," said Gail Karp CFC essay contest first place winner.
In her essay, Karp, who works at TACOM, told of her son who was diagnosed with autism and the CFC agency that provided peer mentoring and local educational programs.
"Our emotional well-being and our son's case management successes could be linked directly back to the guidance that we received from other parents we met through the chapter," she said.
Second place essay contest winner Linda Loebach of the Joint Munitions Command told of her niece's diagnosis with epilepsy and how her family was traumatized by the news. Loebach's niece contacted a CFC charity for help.
"They gave her a wealth of information and advice which made our family feel reassured that all of us could deal with this devastating diagnosis," she said.
Brian Swiss, U.S. Army Garrison Rock Island Arsenal deputy and emcee commented on the powerful effect of the essays.
"These essays really bring it home," he said. "Eighteen years ago I started with a donation each pay period, and I know that made a difference."
Representatives from local and national CFC participating non-profit organizations had displays and information tables set up in the fire station for employees to learn how their money is put to good use.
"Nationally the CFC has raised $283 million and is the most successful workplace charity fund raiser.
Many of those organizations have helped you and me as well as our friends and families during times of need," said Pat Behr, Ilowa Bi-State 2010 CFC Chair.
The Combined Federal Campaign is the only authorized solicitation of federal and postal employees in the workplace on behalf of charitable organizations.
The Illowa Bi-State CFC covers all federal, postal and military employees in the 37-county area of Boone, Carroll, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Jo Daviess, Knox, Lee, McDonough, Mercer, Ogle, Rock Island, Stephenson, Warren, Whiteside, and Winnebago counties in Illinois; and Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Cedar, Clayton, Clinton, Delaware, Des Moines, Dubuque, Henry, Iowa, Jackson, Johnson, Jones, Lee, Lynn, Louisa, Muscatine, Scott, Tama, and Washington in Iowa.
Last year these employees gave $821,390 to local, national and international charities through the Illowa Bi-State CFC.
Almost half of the donations stayed in the Quad City area.
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