The following is an open letter to Virginia Tech employees from Robert Sumichrast, honorary chair of the 2014 Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign.

Dear colleagues,       

Many of you have stepped up and donated to the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign (CVC) to support the charities that are the safety nets for our communities and beyond.

A gift of just $2 per paycheck to the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign would not only help Virginia Tech meets its goal to raise $325,000, it will put food on the table for many families during this holiday season.

As of Nov. 19, we have raised $220,776, thanks to the generosity of just 12 percent (955) of our employees. Imagine the difference we could make if each of our 13,000 full-time and part-time employees donated.

I am particularly pleased that at Pamplin, about 80 faculty and staff (about 40 percent of the college's faculty and staff), representing all six academic departments, undergraduate and MBA programs, development, and the dean’s office, participated in one or both of the events that we organized this fall to raise funds for the campaign: a game-day bake sale and an election-day chili cook-off (our second annual event). 

If you have not yet contributed, please partner with Virginia Tech and the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign to give back to our communities through payroll deduction or a one-time gift donation.

Please donate now using the online pledge system or by downloading a paper pledge form. Individuals without Internet access are invited to stop by the Department of Human Resources in the North End Center, 300 Turner Street, NW, Blacksburg, Virginia, where several computers are available.

If you wish to designate your gift to a specific organization around the world, or right here at home, you can browse a listing of more than 1,000 participating charities.  

Robert T. Sumichrast
Honorary Chair, 2014 Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign
Dean, Pamplin College of Business

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