Cornell community is a campaign mainstay for the United Way

Some members of the Cornell United Way cabinet show off the campaign thermometer in front of the A.D. White House, Oct. 24. They are, from left to right: Laura Toy, director of college, unit and project development, Alumni Affairs and Development; campaign chair Hal Craft, vice president for administration and CFO; Patty Ard, executive staff assistant, Student and Academic Services; Debi Ostrander, executive staff assistant to the vice president for administration; and Kathy Okun, wife of President Jeffrey Lehman. Nicola Kountoupes/University Photography

Several members of the Cornell community are playing key roles in the 2003 United Way of Tompkins County campaign, on and off campus. Their efforts, which started last spring, are aimed at raising $1.7 million this fall. Of that total, the United Way hopes $585,000 will come from the Cornell campus campaign, which includes contributions from employees, faculty, retirees and students.

Harold D. (Hal) Craft Jr., Cornell vice president for administration and chief financial officer, is chairing the campaign on campus this year, assisted by a cabinet of 17 Cornell staffmembers. Thomas LiVigne, real estate manager at Cornell, and John Alexander '74, MBA '76, Cornell trustee and president of CBORD, are both former county chairs of the United Way of Tompkins County (UWTC) and are serving on this year's UWTC Campaign Round Table. LiVigne is the business division chair and Alexander is overseeing higher education and the public school division. In addition, Craft and Mary George Opperman, Cornell vice president for human resources and a former chair of the Cornell United Way Campaign, are serving on the UWTC Campaign Committee.

The Cornell campus campaign cabinet is a devoted group of volunteers who represent a cross section of the university's employees. They include: Carolyn Ainslie, vice president, Planning and Budget; Patty Ard, executive staff assistant, Student and Academic Services; Karen Brown, office manager, Campus Life management office; Donna Goss, executive staff assistant, Facilities Services; Cathy Jenner, customer service representative, University Business Service Center; Peggy Matta, senior project consultant for the vice president for administration and chief financial officer; Susan Murphy, vice president, Student and Academic Services; Debi Ostrander, executive staff assistant for the vice president for administration and chief financial officer; Susan Lang, senior science writer, Cornell News Service; Mary Opperman, vice president, Human Resources; Cathy Salino, manager of accounting operations, financial affairs; Dennis Stein, communication manager, Human Resources; Kathy Okun, spouse of Cornell President Jeffrey Lehman; Gary Stewart, assistant director, Community Relations; Laura Toy, director of college, unit and project development, Alumni Affairs and Development; and Robin Yager, director, University Business Service Center.

United Way is an organized effort to raise money to support more than 100 local health and human service programs through 31 member agencies and 10 community councils that are designed to meet critical needs in Tompkins County, Craft said.

"My colleagues from the Cornell United Way and I join in asking you to participate in the United Way campaign of 2003," said Craft. "United Way programs support our youth, families, senior citizens and individuals who face a variety of life challenges. This campaign is a great way for the Cornell community to demonstrate our commitment to making a difference in our local community."

Cornell staff, faculty and retirees can expect to receive their pledge cards any day now. For more information on the United Way, or to obtain a pledge card, visit the Web site http://www.uwtc.org/give.asp.