Raising the bar – UNMC ups goal for 2007 United Way drive

Solid contributors to the United Way every year, UNMC officials — including Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D. — are calling on medical center employees to dig a little deeper during this year’s fund drive.

During last year’s United Way campaign, UNMC employees combined to donate about $124,000, which was just short of the campus goal of $126,000.

Dr. Maurer and others involved in the campaign are asking UNMC employees to improve on last year’s numbers and then some — setting a goal of $128,000 for this year’s drive – which starts Monday, Sept. 10 and ends Friday, Sept. 28.

“We were very close last year and I have every reason to believe we can do even better and surpass our goal this year,” Dr. Maurer said. “The United Way contributes to essentially every good cause and so giving to the United Way is a way to contribute to humanity.”

To make donating more convenient for employees, UNMC will again conduct its campus United Way campaign electronically.

Steering committee The following is a list of steering committee members for the 2007 UNMC United Way campaign: Marcia Beer, academic affairs Mary McNamee, academic affairs, chairwoman Sue Miyeno, School of Allied Health Dan Michalak, business and finance Sue Smith, business and finance Jill Carson, chancellor’s unit, campaign manager Judy Houfek, College of Medicine Cara Mouw, College of Nursing Kerry Lytle, College of Pharmacy Jean Beda, College of Public Health Wayne Houston, College of Public Health Diane Torrey, Eppley Institute Eileen Andersen, information technology services Michael Crawford, Munroe-Meyer Institute Nasreen Maiwandi, Vice Chancellor for Research Juli Schoening, United Way Pam Penke, United Way

For the second-straight year, UNMC employees will be able to pledge online through an efficient, secure system that mirrors the traditional paper pledging system of years past.

As the campaign kicks off, employees will receive a user name and password in an e-mail message sent to their UNMC e-mail account. A handful of UNMC employees who do not have a UNMC e-mail account will receive pledge cards to fill out.

Once again, employees can direct campaign contributions, which help support more than 150 health and human service programs across the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Bellevue metropolitan areas. Overall, the United Way hopes to raise $21 million for the community.

“We truly are our brothers’ keepers,” said Mary McNamee, Ph.D., assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs and campus chairwoman for this year’s United Way campaign. “Giving to the United Way is a wonderful way to demonstrate that.”

Campaign pledges, which can be made through UNMC’s payroll deduction, are automatically withdrawn beginning in January.

Those pledging by Sept. 14 will be eligible for weekly prize drawings that will be held on Fridays. Among the prizes available during this year’s drawings are tickets to Nebraska football games on Sept. 22 against Ball State, Sept. 29 against Iowa State and Nov. 10 against Kansas State.

Other prizes awarded during the drawings include gift certificates from Borsheim’s, Target, Best Buy, Nebraska Furniture Mart, Village Pointe Shopping Center and other businesses.

Drawing winners will be announced in UNMC Today.

A “no-pledge” option is available online for employees choosing not to donate this year. Individuals unable to contribute are still encouraged to access the eWay Web site and submit their “no donation” response to be eligible for the prize drawings.

For more information, contact Jill Carson, UNMC’s campaign manager, at 559-4694.