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Governor Gregoire Announces Record Year for Combined Fund Drive

For Immediate Release: January 19, 2007

OLYMPIA � Governor Chris Gregoire today announced that Washington state public employees and retirees pledged a record $5.90 million to more than 2,600 charities during the 2006 Washington workplace-giving campaign, surpassing the amount pledged in the record-breaking year of 2005. Combined Fund Drive (CFD) pledges in 2005 totaled $5.64 million.

�The public employees of Washington are an example to all,� said Gov. Gregoire. �Their generosity once again demonstrates how public employees and retirees come together to strengthen their communities.�

�More than 3,000 inspiring leaders and volunteers made it possible for the CFD to have another record year,� said CFD Committee Chairperson Tom Haines. �They are the backbone of this campaign.�

The 2006 CFD debuted a new way of giving with the launch of its online auction. The online auction allowed state employees to donate by bidding on unique and hard to find items. During the campaign, 115 individuals placed bids for a three-hour cruise on the tall ship Amazing Grace. Raising a total of $4,184, the top bidders earned a place on the June 2007 cruise departing from Gig Harbor.

Donations pledged in the 2006 campaign will be distributed quarterly in 2007. Since the inception of the CFD workplace-giving program 22 years ago, employees and retirees have pledged more than $79 million to charities across Washington and the world.

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