News

Robins exceeds goal in 2007 AFAF campaign

  • Published
  • By Holly Birchfield
  • 78 ABW/PA
The generosity of members of Team Robins in the 2007 Air Force Assistance Fund campaign is proof that its people have no problem helping out.

The base raised $100,296 in this year's campaign, which brought the base well above its goal of $89,569.

Capt. Shannon Morris, workforce development manager and program management functional actions officer in the Plans and Programs Directorate who served as the campaign's installation project officer, said the fundraising effort was a resounding success.

"It has been wonderfully successful," she said. "On a percentage basis, it's about the same (as last year) because last year our goal was $91,000 and we raised about $102,000. This year, our goal was a little bit less at $89,000 and we're approaching $100,000."

Capt. Steve Hillard, an airborne intelligence officer in the 116th Air Control Wing who was the primary installation project officer in the AFAF campaign, said Robins' donations stacked up well against those from other bases.

"We're doing pretty well," he said. "We're about middle of the road. Some Air Force installations are done by percentage of active-duty and others by personnel. We actually have a lot of civilians on Robins. We actually raised a pretty good amount of money for our ratio of civilians versus military and we also had civilians add in to the pot. So, as a team, we did really well."

Sixty-two military and civilians served as key workers base-wide in the campaign.

The captain said she is grateful for the hard work the group put into the fundraising effort.

Captain Morris said the campaign, which was initially slated to run any time between Feb. 15 and May 4, ran from March 5 through April 15 at Robins.

"While we had met our goal on April 15th Air Force-wide, we had not met our overall objective which was $7.2 million," she said. "So, we actually received instruction to keep the campaign going as long as we could through the May 4th date."

Although the Air Force has now met its goal, Captain Morris said the base doesn't want to stop anyone who may be late making his or her contribution.

Contributions for AFAF are welcome from any military or civilian. People may give through payroll deduction, check, or cash donation, Captain Morris said.

Donations are used to help four different charities embedded in the non-profit organization, including the Air Force Enlisted Village, Air Force villages, the Air Force Aid Society, and the Brig. Gen. Curtis LeMay Foundation.

The charitable organizations offer assistance to military members and their families on a life-time basis, Captain Morris said.

Captain Morris said people took their giving to heart in this year's campaign.

"We took it to a personal level by really helping everyone on base distinguish between this campaign and the CFC (Combined Federal Campaign)," she said. "The difference between this campaign and the CFC campaign was that the CFC caters more to outside organizations, charitable contributions to your favorite charity throughout the world; whereas the Air Force Assistance Fund really gives us a chance to take care of home so to speak."

Captain Hillard said the campaign is a worthwhile charity.

"This is the only Air Force campaign that solely relies on the return of the benefits of the donations to the Air Force family, the Air Force members, retirees, widows and widowers, and also active-duty Air Force Airmen who can't afford to help themselves right now and just need a little boost."

Last year, Robins used about three times more than it could donate to the campaign to meet people's needs, which drives home the need for AFAF support, Captain Hillard said.