Luke prepares for another CFC

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Bryan Bouchard
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. - --  The 2007 Combined Federal Campaign will kick off at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday at a breakfast at the Desert Star Club main ballroom. Tickets for the event can be purchased through squadron or group representatives.

Since the 1940s, before the Air Force was a separate branch of the military, federal employees have been charitably donating their money to organizations worthy of support.

Now, in 2007, federal employees' charitable ways haven't changed and Thunderbolts can prepare to again donate to the Combined Federal Campaign.

What is the CFC?

"The CFC gives every federal employee the chance to make a significant difference in lives and needs in our communities, nation and world," said Maj. Mike Johnston, Luke CFC project officer.

In doing so, he said that more than 2,400 charities worldwide can benefit from people's donations.

So who is eligible to donate?

Major Johnston said that every federal employee is eligible to donate and that donations can be made by check, or better yet, direct payroll deduction.

How do you know where the money goes?

Every CFC unit representative will be equipped with the proper literature outlining each charity, he said. There is a percentage next to each charity, which represents the amount of the donations which go to fund the overhead of the organization.

So why should Airmen donate?

"Every dollar counts, and no donation is too small," Major Johnston said. "If everyone at Luke contributed the equivalent of one Café Mocha each month this year, the total we would see would be more than $337,000."

So when can people donate?

Every organization at Luke has a designated representative that will be making "meaningful contact" with each person in their organization, the major said.

"Our goal is 100-percent contact, so everyone at Luke has a chance to consider giving to the CFC," he said.

Editor's note: In future editions of the Thunderbolt, people can see where some of their contributions go by reading about those who have directly benefited from CFC charities.