October kicks off CFC campaign

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  The 2011 Combined Federal Campaign kicked off here Oct. 1 and unit representatives will attempt to reach 100 percent of their units by the end of October.

The CFC is a voluntary program, and provides federal employees the opportunity to improve the quality of life for others.

Team Mildenhall members who wish to participate may choose to donate through an allotment, one-time cash or check donation or online by using a credit card. There are hundreds of charities to choose from.

"Even a small amount of money can go a long way, and we encourage everybody to contribute what they can," said Capt. Justin Taylor, 100th Maintenance Squadron Maintenance Operations chief, and Team Mildenhall's CFC representative.

Col. Christopher Kulas, 100th Air Refueling Wing commander, hosted four commander's calls Oct. 4. During each of those commander's calls, he and Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Powell, 100th ARW command chief, briefed Team Mildenhall about the CFC.

Taylor also briefed the CFC and shared an example of one way donations can save lives.

"More than three billion people in the world are at risk of being infected with malaria and [more than] a million die every year," said Taylor. "For only $10, many can be equipped with mosquito nets that can help decrease the mortality rate by up to 70 percent. When you consider the fact that the average donation last year was in excess of $240, that's potentially up to 24 lives that could be saved."

There are hundreds of charities for every cause imaginable that one can donate to, and many already donate to charities that participate in CFC, said Taylor. This is the perfect opportunity for one to renew their donations to their favorite cause.

"This year the CFC has created the Family Support and Youth Programs fund, which can be found on every pledge card," said Taylor. "If interested, personnel can donate to this fund, which brings the money back to the base for use at the installation commander's discretion to support family transitions, recreational activities, facility improvements and to enrich quality of life programs."

About CFC: This is the 50th Anniversary of the CFC Campaign. The campaign began in the early 1960s to coordinate fundraising efforts of various charitable organizations. It was designed so federal workers, who could donate, would only be solicited once in the workplace, and would have the opportunity to make charitable donations through a payroll deduction.