Employees do their part in fundraising campaign

There’s a lot of pride on the UNMC and The Nebraska Medical Center campus.

And it showed Friday as employees smashed the goal for the I’m Proud to Play a Part campaign.

UNMC and The Nebraska Medical Center employees donated more than $315,000 — more than $60,000 in excess of the campaign’s initial goal of $250,000.

At a celebration Friday morning marking the end of the campaign, UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., thanked a gathering of approximately 75 employees.

“We plan on having a cancer center and an ambulatory care facility that will be world-class, and not only nationally known but internationally known,” Dr. Maurer said. “I want to thank you all for what you’ve done to make this happen.”

Dr. Maurer praised the Medical Center employees for helping to raise the campus’ reputation and visibility so high that the fund-raising goal of $370 million will be reached.

Michael Yanney, co-chairman of the cancer center fundraising campaign, agreed.

“People and institutions give to something they know is being built on a rock-solid foundation,” he said.

Randall Hallett, executive director of development at The Nebraska Medical Center, was impressed with the number of employees who donated from different divisions and entities throughout the campus.

“This is the first time we’ve done something that crosses all organizational boundaries,” he said.

Tom Thompson of the University of Nebraska Foundation was excited by the result.

“The generosity we’ve seen from employees is remarkable,” Thompson said.

Employees who still wish to participate can make a gift online at the foundation’s website. The web page will be available through April 30.