CU United Way celebrates successful campaign

Sheila Haddad, center, administrative manager in linguistics and United Way division deputy for the College of Arts and Sciences, receives an award Feb. 6 in Schoellkopf Hall from Joann Gruttadaurio, a senior extension associate in horticulture and president of the board of directors of United Way of Tompkins County. Karen Brown, assistant to Cornell campaign chair LeNorman Strong, is at left. Nicola Kountoupes/University Photography

Celebrating the success of the 2001 Cornell University United Way Campaign, Cornell President Hunter Rawlings addressed a group of more than 50 Cornell staff in the Hall of Fame Room of Schoellkopf Hall Feb. 6. The attendees had worked on the Cornell United Way cabinet or served as division deputies for the campaign.

As of Feb. 11, the Cornell campaign had far exceeded its 2001 goal of $525,000, with pledges totaling $564,460, almost 108 percent of the goal.

Chair of the Cornell campaign LeNorman Strong, assistant vice president for student and academic services, also addressed the group and announced the following awards to division deputies:

• For the greatest increase in the number of contributors from last year, Audrey Lowes, division deputy for Facilities and Campus Services, won a gift certificate to Banfi's restaurant at the Statler Hotel. In her division, 140 more employees donated to the campaign in 2001 than in 2000.

• For the greatest increase in dollars from last year, Sheila Haddad, division deputy for the College of Arts and Sciences, won a personalized tour of the Cornell chimes for a group of 10. Her division's donations increased $9,273 from 2000 to 2001.

• For the greatest percentage increase in dollars from last year and the greatest increase in rate of giving, Deborah Shigley, deputy for the research division, won a fleece vest from the Department of Athletics and a set of two season tickets to Cornell lacrosse home games. Her division's donation increased 55 percent from 2000 to 2001, and its rate of giving increased almost 7 percent.

• For the greatest percentage increase in rate of returned cards, Kristie Lovely, division deputy for the Graduate School, won four tickets to the Cross Country Gourmet this spring. The Graduate School returned almost 17 percent more cards in 2001 than in 2000.

"On behalf of the United Way of Tompkins County and the Cornell United Way cabinet, I wholeheartedly thank the Cornell community for its generous support of the 2001 county campaign," said Strong, pointing out that Cornell stands as the eighth most generous university in the country in United Way giving and that the university had 400 more donors than last year. "Our community needed us more than ever, and because of the generous spirit of the Cornell community, we came through for it."

It's still not too late, however, to make a tax-deductible pledge, as the Tompkins County campaign still stands at 91 percent of its $1.7 million goal. For more information contact Karen Brown at ked13@cornell.edu.