State Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign recognizes VCU & VCUHS fundraising

By Michael Ford
University News Services

The statewide Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign has recognized Virginia Commonwealth University and the VCU Health System for dramatically increasing the amount of money raised during their combined 2003 campaign.

VCU and VCU Health System have earned a CVC Special Award, from the Department of Human Resource Management, for agencies of state government with more than 1,000 employees that increased the total dollars raised by more than 30 percent. The VCU and VCU Health System combined Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign for 2003 raised $366,320, a 33-percent increase over last year's campaign and a record amount for the university and health system. The total raised by the combined campaign ranked second among all agencies of state government for 2003.

"This record setting effort reflects the generous spirit of our faculty and staff in helping the CVC charities and service agencies continue to perform their important work," said Paul W. Timmreck, VCU's senior vice president for finance and administration and chair of the combined CVC campaign. "I am very grateful to each of the dedicated campaign associates and vice-chairs who contributed their time and expertise to our successful campaign and look forward to working with them again next year."

In 2003, the VCU and VCU Health system combined campaign raised $108,500 more than the previous campaign and $30,000 more than the previous record set in 2001.

"Two years ago in the aftermath of 9-11, we set a record for the combined campaign. This time, we lived through Hurricane Isabel and our neighbors, our families and indeed some of us were affected, and yet we still made the effort to care about others and the larger community," said Cynthia H. Andrews, executive director, VCU Human Resource Division. "Again this year the faculty, staff and students on both campuses combined to set a new record and they deserve a grand thank you."

A review of the state numbers reveals more than 20,000 employees of state government raised more than $3.2 million dollars in 2003. That money will be distributed to more than 1,100 charities that have been approved to participate in the campaign.

"Day after day, in good times and bad, state employees are there to help others," said Bill Leighty, chief of staff to Gov. Mark Warner and keynote speaker for the annual CVC awards luncheon.

The CVC is the annual giving program that encourages Virginia state employees and others to contribute to humanitarian, environmental, and health and human service charities.