Combined Federal Campaign reaches target at Meade

By Alan J. McCombs, Fort Meade Public AffairsJanuary 20, 2010

FORT MEADE, Md. - After four months, Fort Meade's annual charity drive has come to a close after surpassing its goal of raising $350,000.

The post's Combined Federal Campaign officially reached its fundraising target on Dec. 30, however donations continued to stream in. As of Jan. 12, the campaign had raised more than $381,000, said Maj. Erich Kestler, Fort Meade's CFC coordinator.

The installation reached its goal after the campaign, which traditionally ends Dec. 15, was extended in December. While this year's campaign went into overtime, the drive still closed far earlier than last year's effort, which accepted donations into February 2009.

The campaign's success stems from strong outreach by campaign workers to colleagues in units across the installation, Kestler said.

"The unit coordinators are the superstars of this CFC," he said. "It was great to work with those individual to make this happen."

Funds were given by 1,476 donors within Fort Meade's workforce of 10,700. The National Security Agency operated its own CFC drive, which surpassed its goal of raising $2 million in December.

The regional drive has collected about $6.1 million toward its goal of $6.4 million, according to the Chesapeake Bay Area CFC Web site.

Fort Meade's Airmen appeared key in Combined Federal Campaign reaches target pushing the installation toward its goal. The 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing led post units, raising more than $86,000 for the campaign.

"We're good people over here and we have a significant presence on the base," said Command Chief Master Sgt. Eddie Compton of the 70th IW. "[Airmen] were able to connect with the different charities [featured in the CFC]."

Giving wasn't only strong among Airmen. Navy Information Operations Command Maryland, garrison personnel and the Office of Personnel Management were top performers with all three bringing in more than $40,000 apiece.

OPM, which has a workforce of about 300 people, had some of the strongest support among its staff, with more than a third of the office's employees supporting the effort.

"We have a culture of supporting the CFC from our management on down," said Alan Bauer, CFC coordinator for OPM.

Donations will benefit roughly 4,000local, national and international charities that fall under the CFC banner. Those dollars are sorely needed as some charities have found giving has dried up during the recession while demand for their services has increased, Kestler said.

"Yeah, the economy isn't the best, but at the same time, that's more of a reason to give," said Compton, who donated to a shelter for abandoned dogs in Washington, D.C. "I wanted to help out."

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