Campus Launches 2012-13 SEFA Appeal

10/08/2012 

SUNY Cortland will kick off its 2012-13 State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA) campaign on Thursday, Oct. 11, with a noon luncheon for volunteers in the Corey Union Exhibition Lounge. The campaign, which relies on state employee volunteers to canvas co-workers for donations, will continue through Friday, Oct. 26.

The only authorized fundraising campaign among state workers, SEFA is directed by the United Way of Cortland County and unites fundraising efforts for a group of agencies under a common umbrella.

“Last year the campus raised $51,454 from 364 donors,” said Lori Porter, a secretary II in the School of Professional Studies. Porter, with Mavis Lefever, a secretary I in campus activities and Corey Union, will co-chair this year’s SEFA campaign on campus.

“We are hopeful that as many or more employees will be able to contribute to this year’s campaign in an effort to meet or exceed the number of programs and people who benefit from these donations,” Porter added. 

According to Abigail Oaks, campaign associate for the United Way for Cortland County, last year’s United Way donations were allocated to 26 programs at 13 agencies. The number served through these programs in 2011 was 32,900, or 68.5 percent of people in the county.

 The College will offer incentives for employees who donate to the 2012-13 campaign. At the campaign’s end, a drawing for five prizes will be conducted. First prize is a reserved campus parking space located in the lot closest to the winner’s building. To be eligible, an employee must pledge at least $104. Everyone who donates a minimum of $25 will be eligible to win one of three $25 Auxiliary Services Corporation (ASC) gift certificates. Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) members who donate at least $25 will be eligible for a $50 gift certificate to a local restaurant.

SEFA campaigns also are conducted at the State Department of Labor, the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Department of Transportation, the Office of Court Administration and the State Police. Decisions are made locally about which agencies are included and how funds are distributed. The community-based SEFA committee is composed of representatives from state agencies and managers of human service agencies. Pledging takes place once a year.

Participants can choose to have their gifts shared among different organizations within Cortland County, used in another county of their choice or designated for individual local, state, independent or international organizations. Examples of local agencies include the United Way for Cortland County, Madison-Cortland New York State ARC, American Red Cross, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Catholic Charities, Cortland Area Child Care Council, Cortland County Child Development Center, Family Counseling Services, Lime Hollow Center for Environment and Culture, Salvation Army, Franziska Racker Centers (special children’s center), United Service Organization, YMCA and YWCA.

Local members of the Cortland County SEFA Committee include: Kathleen Burke, SUNY Cortland United University Professions (UUP) employees; Cynthia Eberhart, federated campaign coordinator for the United Way for Cortland County; Gary Evans, SUNY Cortland management/confidential employees; Laurie Klotz, SUNY Cortland UUP employees; Lois Marshall, NYSDOT, CSEA employees; Donna Raymond, NYSEC, CSEA employees; Cindy Tarleton, Community Health Charities of New York; Antoinette Tiburzi, SUNY Cortland professor emerita, Cortland County SEFA chair; and Laurie Barton, SUNY Cortland, management/confidential employees.

This year's SEFA volunteers are: Sila Argyle, Dianne Bays-Guido, Sue Brown, Jean Brown, Lori Crandall, Julie Crandall, Linda Crompton, Deborah Dintino, Janice Eaton, Marianne Evangelista, Wendy Fairchild, Elaine Galaska, Kathy Gauthier, Ronald Gray, Carol Gridley, Maryalice Griffin, Amanda Halliwell, Janet Hegedus, and,

Thomas Hingher, Kate Hudson, Nancy Kuklis, Mavis LeFever, Anne McLorn, Darlene Miller, Theresa Montez, Rhonda Moulton, Marcia O’Loughlin, Edie Pennell, Teresa Ripley, Pam Schroeder, Lynda Shute, Sue Smith, Jennifer Stiles, Mark Taylor, Sharon Tucker, Amy Twiss, Melony Warwick, Teri Wood, Donna Young and Haley Zurell.

For more information about SEFA in New York state, visit the website www.sefanys.org.