Give Till You Howl

NC State launches its participation in the state employees’ annual charity campaign this year with a lot to howl about (in a good way). And we mean that literally.

The first 1,000 employees who turn in their pledge forms will each receive an ultra-cool button that emits a ferocious Wolfpack howl when you press the tiny black button on the back. They’re sure to liven up a few meetings at Holladay Hall this week.

The buttons are just part of NC State’s attempt to freshen up the State Employees Combined Campaign, a statewide effort that has raised more than $78 million for charity since 1985. Here on campus the drive has been renamed “Wolfpack Gives Back.”

New Name, New Goal

Along with the new moniker comes a new goal: to achieve more than 50 percent participation in the campaign by university employees.

If you’re new to state employment – or like to sweat the small stuff – this is how it works. The campaign officially kicks off Monday, Sept. 13. Volunteers in each university unit have begun distributing campaign information and pledge forms to campus employees. The campaign resource guide lists more than 1,000 charitable organizations to which employees may donate. You may make contributions by cash, check, credit card or payroll deduction. All gifts are tax deductible.

The campaign ends Oct. 25, but you’ll have to turn in your form sooner if you want a howling button.

To encourage employee participation in the campaign, the university is offering a number of prize drawings for those who contribute, including tickets to Carolina Hurricanes games.

It’s remarkably simple to participate and every dollar raised goes a long way during tough economic times. As Dean Ira Weiss, NC State’s honorary campaign chair says, “Giving back is a hallmark of NC State.”