LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
This year's Combined Federal Campaign found Team Lackland members to be in a charitable and giving mood for the year ahead.
Despite the economic hardships and recession over the past year, the four-month fundraising campaign exceeded its goal by 13 percent, collecting more than $1.7 million for the more than 2,600 charitable agencies participating.
"People really need help right now and this just proves that those who work in the Department of Defense are, by nature, charitable and caring," said Lt. Col. Enrique Gwin, Team Lackland project officer for the campaign.
"We all focused on the goal, but the reality is, every dollar that came in will help somebody," he added. "I can't be any prouder of the way this base stepped up, particularly with the way the economy is."
Five base agencies shattered their CFC goals with four exceeding their mark by more than 200 percent. The Air Force Security Forces Center and the Defense Language Institute led that group.
"This year's campaign exceeded all goals," said Colonel Gwin. "I really had a crack team on this project."
Colonel Gwin said Master Sgt. Thomas Allen, 326th Training Squadron, drove the daily progress of the campaign and the financial management was handled by Tech. Sgt. Thomas Gary, 737th Training Support Squadron, and Staff Sgt. Brendan Reilly, 326th TRS.
Approximately 300 key workers from the 37th TRW and Lackland's tenant units supported them. Tony Leverett, San Antonio CFC director, also had high praise for the Team Lackland effort.
"The San Antonio area Combined Federal Campaign is the fifth most successful CFC campaign out of the 234 worldwide," said Mr. Leverett.
"The members of the 37th TRW, including the basic military trainees, in years past have set the standard for workplace charitable giving and have laid the foundation for our success."
Base agencies participating in the fundraising, open to all federal employees, are the 37th TRW, 59th Medical Wing, the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, 688th IOW, 677th Network Warfare Wing, the Cryptologic Systems Group, the Texas Cryptologic Center, Joint Information Operations, Warfare Center, the 149th Fighter Wing and the 433rd Airlift Wing.