November 29, 2007
Kravas says thanks for campus generosity
The Combined Fund Drive (CFD), the state of Washington’s workplace giving campaign, runs this year from Oct. 2 through Dec. 7. During this time each year, University Week offers profiles of fellow staff members who give of their time or talents to the CFD campaign.
For this week’s CFD piece, our last of the year, we visited with Connie Kravas, vice president for development and alumni relations. Kravas said she personally supports Harborview Medical Center, with its trauma and burn centers, brilliant surgical teams and caring nurses, for the great work they do.
But Kravas also said her overarching feeling about the Combined Fund Drive is one of pride for the generosity shown this year, and every year, by her UW colleagues. “I would like to applaud and say ‘thank you’ to all of our faculty and staff and retirees who care so much about the entire community, including the UW.”
She added, “One of the things we know is that Seattle tends to be a place of great generosity at all levels. No one has to give a dime — but they do, and they do it often in our great part of the world.” She added, “People here tend to give until it feels good. It’s a very selfless act.”
Indeed, UW faculty, staff and retirees have been remarkably generous. So far, with 15 percent of the UW community participating, the CFD has raised pledges of about $1.63 million. Organizers of the fund drive are hoping to see that total rise above $2 million and participation rise to 20 percent.
Faculty, staff and retiree generosity is also shown in the healthy amounts donated directly to the UW each year. An overall total of 19 percent of faculty, staff and retirees contributed about $10.1 million dollars in gifts to the UW during Fiscal 2007, which ended on June 30.
And last year, UW faculty and staff contributed a total of $77,297 to the UW Foundation through the CFD.
Contributions to the CFD are tax-deductible. For more information about the campaign, visit online at http://www.washington.edu/uwcfd/.
