Pine Bluff Arsenal kicked off its fall Combined Federal Campaign Oct. 14, at the Arsenal's Community club with music from the Jenkins Memorial Choir, and guest speaker, Brigette Williams, Regional Director of Communications from the American Red Cross.
"Good morning everybody! Thank you for being here and being part of our program," said Normal Gilchrest, director of the CFC Greater Arkansas, as he kicked off the morning event.
The White Hall High School ROTC posted the colors and Amelio Howard with the Arsenal's Directorate of Information Management, gave the invocation. Special certificates were given to the Jenkins Choir and ROTC for their support during the kick off campaign.
The Arsenal's goal for this year's campaign is $50,000. During last year's campaign, PBA employees contributed $39,139 against a goal of $50,000. (Editor's note: A final tally of campaign figures will be provided in the January Arsenal Sentinel.)
"The Combined Federal Campaign belongs to you -- the federal employee. It is a partnership between the federal employee, the federal government and the charitable organizations. The charities that you support through the CFC need our help," said Col. Chad Bauld, Arsenal commander. "They are the hungry, the homeless, the sick and disabled, children and families in need and the environment we live in. Only those charities that meet the highest standards are part of the CFC."
The colonel said the CFC is something he has been participating in for the past 21 years. "The CFC is very important, and I would hope you would support it," he said.
Gilchrest introduced Williams, who covers communications for Arkansas and Oklahoma for the Red Cross -- some of the most disaster prone areas of the nation. "She is a member of the National American Red Cross Advance Public Affairs Team, serving as a spokesperson for the Red Cross with national and international media during disasters," he said. "We are very fortunate to have her speak today."
Williams thanked Arsenal leadership for the invitation to speak at the kickoff. "The Red Cross is a humanitarian organization. What our mission is in a nutshell is to help relieve human suffering. We respond to all large scale natural and man-made disasters," said Williams. "We are unique from other non-profits because we are chartered by the U.S. Congress to respond to such incidents. However, we are not a government agency and don't receive government funding."
Williams said that the Red Cross responds 24-hours a day, and also does emergency military communications. "There are incidents that impact Arkansas that most people cannot imagine," she said. "People always ask if the money stays here. With this campaign, it will stay here in this county. The neat thing about Red Cross is that we are a family and the true Red Cross is the volunteers."
She said that the Red Cross wants people to be as prepared as possible.
"This is the reason why the organization has issued a series of apps for smart phones that can be downloaded to i-Phones, i-Pads and Android phones," said Williams. "If you just put in 'Red Cross tornado app', all of them will pop up. We have apps for floods, pets, hurricanes, etc. The apps are also imbedded with tips for before, during and after storms and can be used any time. It is a really awesome tool and I encourage you to download it."
Williams said the Red Cross is also the leading provider of health and safety training. She said the organization trains people within a lot of companies too. "This is something we do every day in the state. The support we receive from the United Way helps us provide support for our services," she said.
The CFC began in the early 1960s, is one of only two fund drives allowed on U.S. Army installations during work hours. It affords all employees an opportunity to contribute to one or more charitable, humanitarian or medical research organizations at a local or national level. Federal employees continue to make the CFC the largest and most successful workplace philanthropic fundraiser in the world. Federal employees have raised more than $28.1 million dollars for charitable causes around the world.
As of Nov. 3, the Arsenal had contributed a total of $24,253, which is 48.51 percent of the overall goal.
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