All for a good cause — (Above) Volunteering as a celebrity waiter, Walt Parker, UNT System vice chancellor for governmental affairs, serves lunch to (from left) UNT President Norval Pohl; Richard Harris, associate vice president for computing and communications services; and Maurice Leatherbury, director of information technology and academic computing, as part of an event Oct. 1 to raise money for SECC.

Kidding around — (Right) Hannah the goat nibbles on the hat of Chris Thomas, student services coordinator for University Union programs. On Oct. 2 UNT faculty and staff could make a contribution to SECC and have Hannah sent to others' offices.

It's not too late to participate in SECC

UNT faculty and staff members still have two weeks to contribute to the 2003 Texas State Employee Charitable Campaign.

Last year UNT employees raised $142,983.70 — which exceeded the $125,000 goal set for the 2002 campaign — and 33 percent of all UNT employees made contributions. This year, the campaign goal is a 2-percent increase in total gifts and a 34-percent participation rate.

Employees have until 5 p.m. Oct. 31 to return completed contribution forms to the Business Services Office in Crumley Hall, Room 182. Those participating can choose from more than 400 national, state and local charities to which they may contribute. For the first time, UNT employees may make contributions through SECC this year to the UNT Foundation for endowed student scholarships.

However, contributions don't have to stop with the completion of donor forms. Several campus activities are planned during the next two weeks through which employees may contribute.

The Eagle Student Services Center's third annual Craft and Baked Goods Silent Auction benefiting the SECC will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. today in the ESSC, Room 105. Bids can be placed until 3:30 p.m.

SECC will host a tent in the Mean Green Village during Homecoming Oct. 18 where visitors may purchase SECC cookbooks, make contributions to the campaign, learn more about SECC and try free samples of recipes from the cookbooks for sale.

SECC co-chairs will hold Early Bird Prize Drawings at 3 p.m. today and Oct. 24. All completed donation forms received by that time will be included in the drawings for available prizes.

The College of Music is hosting a percussion concert benefiting the SECC at 8 p.m. Oct. 28 in the Music Building's Recital Hall. The concert is free, but attendees may make SECC contributions at the door.

UNT faculty and staff who need to blow off a little steam have the opportunity to do so on Oct. 29 with the Sponge Toss from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the University Union courtyard. Participants pay $1 and get two chances to hit a live target with a sponge.

Finally, the annual Halloween Costume Contest benefiting SECC takes place from 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 31 in the University Union Lyceum. Costumes will be judged in seven categories — Halloween Award, Best of Show, Best Costume, Funniest Costume, Most Original Costume, Most Creative Costume and Cutest Costume. Skits will be performed and judged, with an award for the Best Performance by an Individual or Group. Contestants will solicit SECC contributions from the audience while judges are deliberating their decisions.

BY MICHELLE HALE mhale@unt.edu

Other web references

• State Employees Charitable Campaign web site

Other featured articles in this issue

• South Pole cancer survivor to speak at luncheon
• UNT study questions sizing methods in women's apparel
• UNT historian says familiar Halloween icon came from history's witch hunts
• Staff members honored at annual convocation
• UNT crime statistics available online
• Campus events planned for Halloween
• UNT to host conference on green building
• Faculty, staff encouraged to participate in parking and transportation survey
• Competition at UNT to rival TV's popular robot wars

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