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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Volume 14, No. 37 A Weekly Newspaper for the Library Staff October 24, 2003 Peace Corps Director CFC Message: ‘If You’ve Got It, Give It’ Says Participation Is Key to Success By GAIL FINEBERG f ever there were a year for federal workers to give to the Combined By AUDREY FISCHER IFederal Campaign (CFC), this is it, with the nation’s unemployment rate If the validation of a great idea is its hovering at more than 6 percent and sustainability and continuity, then the 42 million Americans without medical Peace Corps is truly a great idea. insurance. So said Gaddi H. Vasquez, the 16th “If you’ve got it, you should share it.” director of the U.S. Peace Corps and the That was the core of Derek McGinty’s first Hispanic American to hold the office message at the 2003 CFC kickoff on Oct. in its 42-year history. Vasquez delivered 15 in the Mumford Room. He was the the closing keynote address on Oct. 10 keynote speaker for the kickoff of the for the Library’s 2003 Hispanic Heritage campaign. Month celebration. The campaign theme this year is “You “The Peace Corps puts a face on Have the Power to Help.” America,” said Vasquez. But it is not The anchor of ABC’s evening show always the face that people in its host “USA Tonight” and former talk show Michaela McNichol countries expect to see. CFC kickoff opens on Oct. 15 with presen- host of “The Derek McGinty Show” on tation of the colors and patriotic song. “You don’t look like an American,” WAMU in Washington, D.C., McGinty Vasquez said, quoting one such acquain- told an anecdote about a friend, a single tance, referring to his brown skin. But as mother, to illustrate the importance of McGinty spoke after the colors a member of the largest and fastest grow- giving. With a 3-month-old baby to care were posted and retired; Copyright ing ethnic minority in America, Vasquez for and support, and an absentee father Officer staffer Carolann Guglielm sang is truly representative of America. who made no child-support payments, a patriotic hymn; Director for Catalog- Vasquez discussed his “journey” from this single mom was having trouble ing Beacher Wiggins offered welcoming Texas—as the son of migrant farm work- making ends meet, even though she remarks; Deputy Librarian Donald L. ers of Mexican descent—to Washington. was a lawyer. Scott opened the program; and Scott He credited his family and teachers for “I couldn’t send her a check every Mexic of the national CFC administra- his success. week, so I turned to a catalog of sharing tive agency made the point that Global Vasquez said that today’s parents— like this one,” he told the LC staff audi- Impact, not United Way, is running this himself included—“use psychology, ence. In it, he found an organization year’s campaign. mediation, self-help books, and even whose mission was to force deadbeat Also on the program was Sara Duke, incentive packages to motivate their dads to pay child support, and he Prints and Photographs Division, who children.” In contrast, he recalled the found a support group of single moms described the help that CFC agencies incentive of a parent coming at him with that could help his friend find and make had provided her and her child, who a tree branch. “I didn’t consider myself use of available community resources. was born with special needs. abused, but rather ‘highly motivated,’” He supported these agencies, which Robert Handloff explained the in- he joked. helped his friend. honor-of program, which encourages “If you work hard, and chase your “That’s what it’s all about,” donating staff to made donations to CFC in honor dreams, you can achieve,” said Vasquez, to CFC agencies that make a difference in of or in memory of someone special. recalling how he was raised. “My mother their communities, he said, “and getting After the rally and training throughout PEACE CORPS, Continues on page 11 the most bang for your buck.” CFC, Continues on page 3 2 THE GAZETTE OCTOBER 24, 2003 OCTOBER 24, 2003 THE GAZETTE 3 FORUM CFC: A Believer Answers Skeptics The Gazette A weekly newspaper for the Library of Congress staff By ROBERT HANDLOFF GAIL FINEBERG Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) fund-raisers are hearing: “Because Editor of the problems with United Way, I’m skipping the CFC this year.” MICHAELA McNICHOL Visual Information Specialist Wait! Not so fast! The local United Way organization no longer has anything to Contributing Editors: Deborah Durham-Vichr, Calendar; and do with running the CFC in the National Capital Area. Beginning with this campaign, Carla V. Bussey, Moving On and Length of Service. Global Impact is administering the local federal workers’ philanthropic fund drive. Proofreaders: Sally Craig and Suzy Platt This nonprofit agency, which has run the CFC for federal workers overseas for years, has a reputation for effectiveness and integrity, verifiable by “clean” annual audits PETER BRAESTRUP JAMES W. McCLUNG performed by the Office of Personnel Management. Founder Founding Publisher What is the CFC? (1990 – 1997) (1990 – 1994) The CFC is an activity of the entire federal government to collect money for local charities and nonprofit organizations wherever there are federal workers. In every The Gazette encourages LC staff to submit articles or photographs of general interest. Submissions will be edited to convey the most local area, from Hawaii to Washington, D.C., a Local Federal Coordinating Commit- necessary information. tee (LFCC) consisting of federal workers selects a local nonprofit agency to run the Deadline for submission is 5 p.m. Wednesday, one week prior to publication date. Please submit text in digital form and if pos- campaign. The administrative agency charges an administrative fee to pay for its silble include hard copy with your submission. costs of staff, printing a catalog listing charities and other materials, and other over- An official publication of the Library of Congress, The Gazette is head expenses, such as rent and utilities. In Washington, the administrative agency largely staffed by Library employees who have volunteered for part- time details. Persons interested in serving a detail as a page editor, is Global Impact, which retains about 8 percent to pay its overhead costs. writer, proofreader, photographer, reporter, or artist may submit applications to the editor, LM 105, mail code 1620. Those persons Why pay the administrative fee? interested in contributing to The Gazette as part of a Library-wide network should first check with their supervisors. Back issues ofThe Prospective donors say they want their entire donation to go their designated Gazette are available in the newspaper office, LM 105. charities. Understandable. But it costs a charity money to raise money—in paid staff to do the fund-raising; direct mail, telemarketing, or other advertising costs; James Madison Memorial Building, LM 105 printing and postage. If a charity had to raise as much money on its own as the CFC Library of Congress Washington, DC 20540-1620 can provide, its fund-raising cost would exceed the 8 percent fee charged by Global Editor 707-9194, [email protected] Impact. Local charities get 92 cents of every CFC dollar contributed, which is a pretty Calendar Editor 707-1639, [email protected] Production 707-0970, [email protected] good bang for the donator’s buck. Because they come out ahead financially, charities ISSN 1049-8184 prefer the CFC to private fund-raising. Why not give directly to my favorite charity? May be a good idea. But writing a big check for charity any time is not easy, and at holiday time it is even harder. Remembering that charity later in the year is not Printed on paper that contains recycled paper by the Printing Management Section, Office Systems Services practical; the direct-mail requests for charitable donations often take lower priority than paying the monthly mortgage or rent and bills for utilities, water, fuel, food, insurance, doctors, and dentists. However, CFC and the Library make gift-giving easy Gazette Welcomes Letters from Staff The staff is invited to use the Forum pages for lively and and painless, through regular payroll deductions. Charities prefer payroll deductions thoughtful debate relevant to Library issues. However, just as other newspaper editors exercise discretion over which because they get regular income they can count on all year long, they can collect letters to publish and how to edit them, so do we. In decid- more over the long haul, and they know from experience that good intentions never ing whether or how much to publish, we consider content (including misstatements of fact, libel, innuendo, ridicule of pay as well or as regularly as payroll deductions. They know from experience that individuals or the institution, personal attacks, and redun- dancy) and length (the limit is 600 words). those who give a little every payday are more generous than those who donate a Letters must be signed by the author, whose place of work lump sum. and telephone extension should be included so we can verify authorship. Letter writers should understand that Another reason charities want federal workers to participate in CFC is that, if all when they sign their letters and release them to us for publication they are relinquishing privacy. If a letter calls their supporters gave cash or checks directly, there would be no need for a centralized for management response, for example, an explanation of a policy or actions or clarification of fact, we will ask for fund-raising organization like CFC. Big nonprofits might be able to afford highly paid management response.—Ed.