USA: NHB Kicks Off 2012 CFC Campaign

Naval Hospital Bremerton (NHB) Sailors gathered together on the quarterdeck to celebrate the 2012 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Kick Off, Sept 14.

“This year’s campaign theme is ‘Impacting Lives, 365’. This reminds us that what we give through CFC helps every day of the year,” said NHB CFC Chairperson, Lt. Heather Rosati.

“I love [CFC] because it really allows me to know where my money goes and I like that,” said NHB Executive Officer, Capt. Maureen Pennington, who was presented a CFC campaign coin by Rosati.

“I do three different areas. I always do something for the military. For a long time now, I’ve been doing something for animals because I’m a big animal lover, and I also do something for hospitals for children.”

The goal for NHB’s contribution to the annual campaign, which runs from, Sept. 15 through Nov 15, is $67,000. There will be a display on the quarterdeck with a thermometer to represent the progress of the campaign toward reaching that goal according to Rosati.

One new feature being touted this year to give donors more options is called Universal Giving.

NHB CFC is part of the region campaign, Greater Olympic Peninsula (GOP) CFC, and according to their website, https://gopcfc.org, the Office of Personnel Management has chosen their campaign to conduct a pilot project which will allow donors the opportunity to pledge their donation to any approved CFC agency world-wide.

Donations to past NHB CFC campaigns could only be provided to national and international agencies and agencies local to the Greater Olympic Peninsula geographically.

“Through Universal Giving, you have more choices of who to give to,” said Rosati. “You can give through any charity as long as they’re in any CFC campaign throughout the country. For me, being from Massachusetts, I plan to give to a local charity that has impacted my family in Massachusetts.”

“To do Universal Giving, you have to go to the website to search for whatever charity you want. An icon will pop up to indicate if that charity is Universal Giving, local, national, or an international charity.”

Rosati also highlighted the many tentatively scheduled campaign fundraising events including a fall festival with a dunking booth, yard sale, and hosting the popular, annual dodgeball tournament planned for October.

CFC representatives were already hard at work earlier that morning with a donation-only bake sale headed by NHB CFC President for the Fundraising Campaign Committee Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (IDW) Dawn Dillow, assistant division officer for OB/GYN, which resulted in over $400. Along with an ample selection of cookies, brownies, and muffins donated by staff members, healthy options such as fresh fruit and yogurt were offered.

“Take time to pitch in and give what you want to give,” said Pennington. “It doesn’t have to be a lot. It’s a great way to make a difference.”

[mappress]
Naval Today Staff, September 18, 2012; Image: US Navy