News Detail

SUNY Cortland will kickoff its 2010-11 State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA) campaign on Tuesday, Oct. 12, with an 11:30 a.m. 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 until Wednesday, Oct. 27.

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

“Last year the campus raised $47,109 from 322 donors,” said Mark Taylor, supervising janitor with Custodial Services, who with Laurie Barton, assistant to the president in the President’s Office, will be co-chairing this year’s SEFA campaign on campus. “Unfortunately that was a 9.75 percent decrease from the previous year.”

Barton added, “Despite the continued economic downturn, we hope to meet or exceed last year’s donations. The 2009-10 appeal assisted 34,800 residents, or 72 percent of Cortland County, through more than 30 health and human services programs provided by the 12 local United Way agencies. Last year’s campaign assisted 4,800 more Cortland County residents than the previous year’s campaign and clearly demonstrates an increased need in our community. Your donation to local agencies does make a difference!”

The College will offer incentives for employees who donate to the 2010-11 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 $25 will be eligible for a $50 gift certificate to Hairy Tony’s Restaurant.

SEFA campaigns are also 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 also include: Teri Arnold, New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and Public Employees Federation (PEF) retirees; 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; Steven Lundberg, SUNY Cortland PEF employees; Lois Marshall, NYSDOT, CSEA employees; Teresa Phelps, NYSDOT, CSEA employees; Cindy Tarleton, Community Health Charities of New York; Antoinette Tiburzi, SUNY Cortland professor emerita, Cortland County SEFA chair; and Melinda VanEtten, SUNY Cortland CSEA employees.

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