Email   Print   Share By Heather Graham-Ashley, Sentinel News Editor

Facebook Digg Delicious September 6, 2012 | News

Fort Hood Garrison Commander Col. Matthew Elledge provides opening remarks to begin the 2012 Combined Federal Campaign kick off luncheon held yesterday at Club Hood. Last year, Fort Hood personnel donated more than $650,000 to the campaign that benefits non-profit organizations on post and off, locally, nationally and worldwide. Many participating charitable organizations attended the luncheon. Heather Graham-Ashley, Sentinel News Editor

Courtesy graphic

Fort Hood senior leaders are urging “Cooperation for Compassion” as Fort Hood kicks off the Combined Federal Campaign next week.

Soldiers, civilians and community members gathered yesterday at Club Hood for a luncheon to kick off the post’s annual participation in the world’s largest workplace giving campaign.

Each year, service members, federal employees and contractors join together to provide monetary donations to recognized charitable organizations.

Last year, more than 1 million civilian and military workers donated more than $272 million nationwide. Fort Hood contributed more than $650,000, Fort Hood Garrison Commander Col. Matthew Elledge said.

The world’s largest and most successful workplace giving campaign runs Monday through Oct. 22 this year.

III Corps and Fort Hood Commanding General Lt. Gen. Don Campbell Jr. said the campaign has held its title as largest and most successful giving campaign for 51 years because of the compassion of federal employees like the Soldiers and civilians at the luncheon.

This year, the post’s goal is 100 percent participation, the general told those in attendance.

“This is strictly voluntary, and the key truly is notification,” Campbell said. “I just want Soldiers to have the opportunity to understand what the Combined Federal Campaign is about.”

There is no dollar-figure goal, the general said. He hopes those who choose to participate give what they can and give it from the heart.

“We have always been and forever will be a compassionate community,” the general said. “We have the opportunity to make a difference in a small way.”

For those organizations that reap the benefits of the CFC, those donations make a big difference.

“We rely on donations to provide our services, assistance and morale events to Soldiers and their Families,” Tracy Curran, operations manager for Operation Homefront at Fort Hood, said.

Through the CFC, participants can be sure their money is spent where they live and work.

Robin Crouse, director, Fort Hood United Service Organizations, said the money raised by the CFC helps the USO continue to give back to the Soldiers and Families, at home and on deployments.

“Everything we do for the troops is free of charge to them,” she said. “The CFC is great because the money raised here stays here and every penny of it goes to help Soldiers,”

Those who elect to particpate in the program can earmark their donation to a specific organization of their choosing.

Information about the campaign and participating charities can be found online at www.opm.gov.

The important part of the campaign is that federal employees are notified about the CFC and offered the opportunity to participate in the charitable giving.

“The Combined Federal Campaign gives them the opportunity to help those less fortunate,” Fort Hood Area Coordinator Mike McGriff said. “It’s a way to give back to the community through non-profit agencies.”