Courtesy of Joe Gettler, Brookhaven National Laboratory-
Talk about one for the record books! Members of the Brookhaven Lab community raised a total of $202,228.82 during its 2012 campaign for the United Way of Long Island. This far exceeded the Lab's goal of $150,000 and is the largest amount raised at the Lab to date for this annual effort. It's also $8,595.84 more than the year before and helps add up to more than $1 million in the past six years, making the Laboratory one of the largest contributors to the United Way on Long Island.
"Brookhaven Lab and the United Way make a great team because we're all making the world a better place." — Interim Laboratory Director Doon Gibbs
On March 18 at a ceremony held in the Brookhaven Center, campaign chairs Roy Lebel of the Quality Management Office and Bob Lincoln of Human Resources, Occupational Medicine and the Guest, User, and Visitor Center—with co-chair Joyce Fortunato, also of the Quality Management Office, and approximately 50 captains and volunteers from across the site—presented a big check for the entire amount to United Way Account Executive Dawn Neilson.
"Brookhaven Lab and the United Way make a great team because we're all making the world a better place," said Interim Laboratory Director Doon Gibbs. "At Brookhaven, we do amazing science to deepen our understanding and apply what we know to impact things like energy research and national security, while the United Way is helping Long Islanders in all kinds of different ways. This work is really important and I'm pleased that the campaign went so well."
Brookhaven Science Associates (BSA), the company that manages Brookhaven Lab for the Department of Energy, provided $10,000 to the campaign.
"BSA has contributed to Brookhaven Lab's annual United Way campaign for many years and is honored to pitch in to benefit the Lab's neighbors on Long Island," said BSA Board Chair and Executive Vice President, Global Laboratory Operations, for Battelle Ron Townsend.
The campaign began just days before Superstorm Sandy in October 2012, wound down in January 2013, but continued through late February, concluding with the United Way raffle of an electric car, won by Dwayne Harris.
Pledge forms from the Lab community—including retirees—accounted for approximately 79 percent of the total amount raised. Many of those contributions were for $1,000 or more from members of the Lab's Pillar Campaign. Associate Laboratory Director for Global and Regional Solutions Gerry Stokes led this effort.
Phil Pizzo of the Energy & Utilities Division and president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local No. 2230 led an effort with IBEW members to help the Lab exceed its goal for the campaign. The remainder of the campaign's contribution was collected at bake sales, breakfasts, luncheons, the annual holiday fair, a concert by Tommy Sullivan, and other fundraising events.