SECA Campaign Ends on High Note
One of the devastations of the current economic crisis that is not spoken by the media is the numerous amounts of charitable and non-profit organizations that are seeing a sudden decrease in donations. However, this did not stop SECA (State Employee Combined Appeal) from seeing a generous amount of donations from faculty and staff at Bloomsburg University.
The SECA campaign is a statewide annual drive devoted to encouraging state employees to give back to their communities, country, or beyond. This year’s event pulled in $35,919.16 (around 90 percent of their goal total of 40,000) from Sept. 9 to Oct. 31.
The kickoff event was held Sept. 18 outside the Students Service Center, the same day that Constitution Day was held. Even though the current economic crisis has given charitable drives and foundations a dramatic decrease in revenue due to people saving more and spending less, BU faculty and staff made sure their wallets wouldn’t stay shut and gave back to people in need.
The Bloomsburg University SECA campaign, along with the United Way of Columbia County, supports many agencies including the work of eight specific participating organizations including: America’s Charities, Community Health Charities of Pennsylvania, Wildlands Conservancy, Christian Service Charities, Independent Charities of America, United Negro College Fund, and the United Ways of Pennsylvania.
One of the interesting aspects of the SECA campaign is that donors can choose which organization they would like to give to, which includes 1,400 international, national, and regional agencies. Many local agencies, which fight night and day to help our community – its families and individuals in need – greatly benefit from this drive each year. Some of these agencies include: United Way of Columbia County, American Cancer Association (Bloomsburg Chapter), American Red Cross (Bloomsburg Chapter), Bloomsburg’s YMCA, Library, and Children’s Museum to name a few. The amount of pride of giving back to one’s community is undeniable, and the BU faculty and staff came to the challenge.
SECA began in 1977 as the only charitable campaign allowed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in its offices statewide. And to its credit it gives minimal workplace disruption and administrative costs.
Many local businesses, that everyone at this school utilizes one time or another, donated employee incentive prizes. Places like Quaker Steak and Lube, The Inn and Turkey Hill, Rita’s Ice, Steph’s Subs, Bloomin Bagels, and the University Store all made sure their money was put into something greater than themselves.
“I think it was very successful,” said Kristina Wood, Chairperson for this year’s drive, “I’m so thankful and glad we have such an extremely generous staff.” Each year the co-chair of the event in the previous year steps up to the plate to lead the event throughout campus. I applaud all Bloomsburg Faculty and Staff for donating to this year’s event even though times are tough on everyone; especially the ones SECA strive to help.
