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Remarks Prepared for Delivery by
U.S. Secretary of
Labor Elaine L. Chao
Combined Federal Campaign Kick-off
Frances Perkins
Building
U.S. Department of Labor
Washington, D.C.
Thursday, October
16, 2003
Thank you, Pat.
Thank you, too, for serving as the Vice Chair for the Combined Federal
Campaign again this year.
Good morning, everyone! I’m delighted to see so many of you here
for this annual kick-off of the Combined Federal Campaign!
Let me recognize Kelly Jackson, who is serving as the co-campaign
manager, and her team, Donna Childs and Ivonne Cervoni. Thank you for all
you’ve done to make this kick-off possible.
And thank you Scott Mexic and all of the representatives of the
charitable organizations for being with us today.
“You’ve got the power to help!” is the theme of this
year’s Combined Federal Campaign.
As the former President and CEO of the United Way of America, I
understand the power of giving. I have seen firsthand how the contributions of
many people can combine to a make a real difference in the ability to reach
others.
Year after year, the employees at the Department of Labor have shown
their compassion by giving generously.
I’m very proud that last year we exceeded our goal of $850,000.
Many of you helped us achieve this milestone and I know that, together, we can
meet our goal again this year.
I especially want to thank the CFC agency chairs, the key workers and
the team captains for your commitment, dedication and hard work. You are key to
the success of a campaign like this.
You’ve learned the secret of giving, which is that helping others
is one of the most rewarding and satisfying things in life.
It is no surprise to me that career federal employees created the
Combined Federal Campaign and they are its most generous and enthusiastic
supporters. Career professionals saw the Combined Federal Campaign as a way to
simplify charitable giving and to empower federal employees through individual
choice.
The Combined Federal Campaign gives you so many ways to help your
neighbors and your communities. There are thousands of organizations on the
list—literally something for everyone.
There are organizations that help the homeless and feed the hungry.
There are research foundations devoted to finding cures for cancer, AIDS and
diabetes. There are groups that encourage farmers, help students and support
families of convicted offenders. And so many more. If there’s an issue or
a cause that’s close to your heart, there’s an organization in the
Combined Federal Campaign that can use your help.
You choose the organization to receive your contribution. You designate
how much you want to give. And then the contribution is made automatically
through one payroll deduction or several—you choose the method that suits
you best.
So many of the organizations in the Combined Federal Campaign rely on
this annual drive to meet their fund-raising goals. Without the support of
contributions from payroll deductions, many could not continue to do the great
work they do in our communities.
So I encourage everyone to look through the list and find something that
appeals to your heart. As President George W. Bush has said, Americans are the
most compassionate and generous people in the world. And I’m proud of the
fact that the Labor Department has some of the most compassionate and generous
employees in the federal government.
So thank you for making the Department of Labor such a special place,
and let’s continue to spread the word that everyone has the power to
help.
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