DOINews: 2011 Combined Federal Campaign for the National Capital Area Kickoff Report

The Department of the Interior officially kicked off its 2011 Combined Federal Campaign for the National Capital Area (CFCNCA) on October 5. A color guard from the U.S. Park Police began the program and then Henry Rubin, Associate Director for the CFCNCA performed a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem on his saxophone. As we all know, our National Anthem evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of our great nation, and reminds us of the sacrifices that we must continue to make to help our fellow Americans in need. Deanna Archuleta, Senior Adviser to the Secretary for for Historical and Cultural Preservation and Interior's 2011 CFCNCA Vice Chair, spoke to the benefits of the CFCNCA. CFC Awards from the 2010 campaign were then presented, including the Department's e-Giving award.


The employees were treated to a CFC charity speaker, Lynne Bettinger of Hero Dogs inc., a local Maryland non-profit organization whose purpose is to train and place service dogs with military veterans who have been injured and/or disabled while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Lynne brought along Lady Liberty (“Libby”), a young Hero Dog in training to demonstrate the various tasks the service dogs are trained to do to assist the veterans they serve. Even though she is still in training, Libby demonstrated a remarkable ability to pick up dropped objects such as keys and wallets and return them either to the owner or a cashier. The demonstration was a great reminder of the ways that CFC provides assistance to our troops that have put themselves in harms way to protect our freedoms.


The kickoff also included a moving and heartfelt account of how Mike Taylor, an employee who has worked with the Customs and Border Patrol Agency for the past 18 years, and his family benefited from the CFC. Mr. Taylor and his daughter are featured in this year's CFCNCA campaign video. Mr. Taylor's daughter had congestive heart failure and is alive today because of the help they received from CFC charities.


Following Mr. Taylor's remarks, the audience was treated to a preview of a new and exciting weekly feature for the fall campaign with the novel title DOI's Got Brains. For those who don't sing, dance or play a musical instrument, but have a knack for trivia, this four week series game show will highlight their talents as bureaus are pitted against other bureaus (and a few departmental offices) until one emerges as the DGB victor! Described as a cross between Trivial Pursuit, Family Feud, Wait! Wait! Don't Tell Me! and Smarter than a Fifth Grader, this game show is poised to be one of our most exciting events ever, and the DOI bureaus and offices are currently rallying their best minds to do “trivial” battle for charity. In addition to the DOI's Got Brains! games each week, there will also be charity fairs, bake sales, and karaoke, another favorite of the 2010 DOI CFCNCA campaign.


Keeping “in-step” with one of Interior employees' favorite events, DOI's Got Talent, Andrea Israel put on an amazing display of talent as she performed a freestyle hip-hop dance routine to entertain and energize the CFC workers and attendees. It's class acts like this that keeping everyone in good spirits and energized for the long campaign ahead of us.

Henry Rubin playing the Star Spangled Banner on his saxophone

Lynne Bettinger from Hero Dogs, Inc. and her very young Hero Dog “Lady Liberty”

Amy Holly (Assistant Secretary for Policy Management and Budget) Bob Quint (Senior Advisor and the Commissioner Chief of Staff, Bureau of Reclamation) Maureen Foster (Chief of Staff, National Park Service) Paul Tsosie (Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs)

Office Clerk Andrea Israel of the Bureau of Land Management Photo Credit: Gertel Harris-Brace, Bureau of Reclamation

Report by: David Bugg, Office of Planning and Performance Management