SUNY Oswego's State Employees Federated Appeal campaign surpassed its $30,000 goal Dec. 15, with donations to the charitable effort still coming in.

"These are challenging times for our nation and the world, and I am proud to report that our faculty and staff are stepping up more than ever before to help those in need," said SUNY Oswego President Deborah F. Stanley. "It renews our faith that, together, we can weather this storm."

As of Dec. 15, the college's employees had donated the most ever --$31,240 -- through SEFA to hundreds of charitable organizations, including the United Way. Oswego's SEFA campaign will not close the books until sometime in January, said Howard Gordon '74, M '78, executive assistant to the president and one of the campaign organizers on campus.

SEFA is a charitable solicitation of New York state employees. Through SEFA, state employees may give to any of the charitable organizations that participate in the united appeal.

The largest single employee charitable campaign at SUNY Oswego, SEFA leads a long list of community-support efforts at the college. The 21st annual SUNY Oswego Toy Drive recently collected toys for needy children in Oswego County. The college's Penfield Library collected food and funds for Oswego's Human Concerns food pantry through its annual Food for Fines drive in which students, faculty and staff donate in exchange for a waiver of overdue book fines.

Year-round, many student organizations raise funds for local causes and volunteer their services to tutor schoolchildren and be companions to elderly members of the community. More information about some of these many efforts is available through the college's Center for Service Learning and Community Service at 315-312-2505.

-- Julie Harrison Blissert

PHOTO CAPTION:
From left, Shelly VanSlyke Sloan '00 of the Lifestyles Center talks with Madeline Phillips '09 and Christina Estes '09 at the annual Baskets of Caring raffle that raised $3,120 toward the college's State Employees Federated Appeal campaign.

Oswego Alumni Association, Inc.
King Alumni Hall • SUNY Oswego • Oswego, NY 13126
315-312-2258 • 315-312-5570 (fax)
Email: alumni@oswego.edu
Web site: www.oswego.edu/alumni