Dec. 17, 2003

VCU/VCUHS Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign surpasses $300,000

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By Michael Ford
University News Services

CVC Mercury Rising. The thermometers used to track contributions for the VCU and VCU Health System 2003 combined campaign have crossed the $300,000 mark. This interim total surpasses last year's final tally and the number of employees pledging gifts is about 25 percent higher than in 2002.
CVC Mercury Rising. The thermometers used to track contributions for the VCU and VCU Health System 2003 combined campaign have crossed the $300,000 mark. This interim total surpasses last year's final tally and the number of employees pledging gifts is about 25 percent higher than in 2002.

Surpassing last year's final tally, employees of Virginia Commonwealth University and the VCU Health System have contributed more than $300,000 to the 2003 Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign, now in its final stages.

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. Officially, the statewide campaign ran from Oct. 1 through Nov. 30, however late contributions are being accepted.

The latest available figures show nearly $302,000 has been raised with donations from about 1,640 employees on both campuses. Based on those numbers, the average employee contribution is more than $180.

"It appears a number of campaign associates completed their weekly reports right after the Thanksgiving holiday," said James A. Satterwhite, VCU controller and CVC vice chair. "Donations totaled more than $223,000 as of Nov. 25, but we've had two good reports since then."

The 2003 campaign's biggest one-week surge came in October, when $49,860 was contributed in the final week of the month. Almost 470 employees turned in pledge cards that week.

"October was a strong month and November has been extremely good for the combined campaign," said Linda Z. Tillman, co-chair for VCU's CVC. "Participating employees have been very generous this year, and we expect the campaign may grow some more as we complete our final tally." Two of the biggest beneficiaries of this year's campaign efforts are VCU's Massey Cancer Center and the Hospital Hospitality House.

Questions about making a contribution should be directed to campaign associates, 200 designated university and medical center employees who have been trained to provide answers about pledge cards, directories and charities. Every department has at least one campaign associate assigned to it. Employees may make contributions using cash, check, credit card or payroll deduction.

In the last four years, employees of VCU and VCUHS combined campaigns have contributed more than $1.1-million to the CVC, including a record $336,000 contribution in 2001.

Additional information about the VCU/VCUHS combined campaign may be found online at www.vcu.edu/cvc.