VCU and VCU Health System employees contribute more than $700,000 to the 2005 Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign

Virginia Commonwealth University and VCU Health System employees contributed more than $700,000 to their combined Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign for 2005, exceeding the previous year’s campaign by more than $260,000.

The 2005 CVC total was $710,355, which set a record for the university and health system’s combined campaign for the second consecutive year. The 2004 campaign totaled $449,260.

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

Contributions for the combined campaign increased more than 63 percent for 2005, eclipsing the record from the previous year by $261,095. The statewide campaign began Oct. 1 and was extended to mid-December. The statewide CVC also set a record this year, reporting just more than $4.1 million in contributions from employees from across Virginia.

“I am very proud of the employees of VCU and the VCU Health System who have demonstrated their commitment to serving the community with generosity and leadership,” said Paul W. Timmreck, VCU senior vice president for finance and administration and chair of the VCU and VCUHS combined campaign. “This campaign is hundreds of thousands of dollars beyond our expectations. Employees of the university and the health system can be proud of what they have accomplished together this year.”

The 2005 CVC was pressed into service a few weeks early. In September, Gov. Mark Warner asked CVC units around the state to spearhead employee contributions in response to hurricane damage to several communities along the Gulf Coast.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, employees of the VCU Health System contributed $134,000 – including a $50,000 matching donation from VCU Health System administration. University employees donated more than $13,000. And students got involved.

VCU Dining Services, Aramark Corp. and the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs collaborated to set up “Swipes for Katrina,” which allowed students participating in a university meal plan to scan or swipe their pre-loaded student identification cards and make donations as easily as they would pay for lunch or dinner. In just two weeks in September, $10,395 was transferred into a special fund designated for Hurricane Katrina victims.

“We are particularly proud of the leadership provided on behalf of the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The storm did not impact us directly in Central Virginia, but the losses hit home with our employees, and they really responded and so did our students,” said VCU President Eugene P. Trani. “These are all important contributions that also help fund cancer research, cardiac care and allow many charitable and human-service organizations to continue important work in our area and in other parts of the state.”

The successful university and health system combined campaign can be traced to three other contributing sources. Employee pledge cards collected from Oct. 1 through Dec. 14 accounted for $403,225, more than 56 percent of the total. The Heart Walk added $46,224, and the annual Gurney Tourney provided a $103,391 boost.

More than 1,300 humanitarian, environmental and health- and human-service charities have been approved to participate in the campaign. The list includes five charities that are affiliated with the university and the health system: the Loftis Memorial Bereavement Fund; the VCU-Carver Partnership; Virginia Mentoring Partnership; the Hospital Hospitality House; and the VCU Massey Cancer Center.

Between 2001 and 2005, the VCU and VCU Health System combined campaign has donated more than $2.1 million to charity.