NIH 2017 CFC Program a Resounding Success

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NIH director Dr. Francis Collins (l) and NINDS director Dr. Walter Koroshetz (r) savor NIH’s achievement with NIH CFC program managers (from l) Debra Gale, Monica Hanson and Christine Brake.

Photo:  Chia-Chi Charlie Chang

NIH closed out its 2017 Combined Federal Campaign with a fun-filled appreciation and awards ceremony on Mar. 8 at Lister Hill Auditorium, Bldg. 38A.

“This year’s campaign was a victory for NIH as we exceeded our goal of $2.2 million toward charities in the U.S. and abroad,” said campaign co-chair and NINDS director Dr. Walter Koroshetz. NINDS served as the lead NIH agency for the 2017 campaign.

Koroshetz passes this year’s CFC Olympic torch to NCATS director Dr. Christopher Austin, who will chair the NIH CFC 2018 effort.

Photo:  Chia-Chi Charlie Chang

The CFC is the federal government’s largest workplace giving campaign, raising millions of dollars for local, national and international charities. This year, some 10,000 charities participated in the National Capital Area CFC.

“I’m proud to say NIH has raised more than $2 million for the CFC each year for the past 13 years,” said NIH director Dr. Francis Collins, who also served as NIH co-chair and HHS chair. “HHS is one of the lead federal agencies in the CFC and NIH represents about half of all dollars collected by HHS.”

NIH held dozens of events to encourage employee participation. Koroshetz introduced the campaign’s Olympic theme at the kickoff last September, which included remarks by Special Olympics chair Dr. Timothy Shriver and three of NIH’s own Special Olympians. Another campaign highlight was the 3-on-3 Directors’ Basketball Challenge in front of a standing-room only crowd at the Clinical Center outdoor court.

“I don’t think anyone knew how fiercely competitive the institute directors and their teams could be,” said NINDS deputy director for management Dr. Maureen Gormley, who emceed the awards ceremony. “They played full-contact games and ended with three jammed fingers.”

The “What would Walter do?” video tickles the assembled guests.

Photo:  Credit Chia-Chi Charlie Chang

She had the crowd laughing at several “What would Walter do?” video clips of the games, with multiple choice answers about the NINDS director’s on-court antics. Life-size cutouts of Koroshetz in his game-day T-shirt were posted at various NIH locations during the campaign.

“The results speak for themselves,” said Collins about the NIH response to the campaign theme “Show Some Love.”

During the ceremony, Koroshetz passed the campaign’s Olympic torch to NCATS director Dr. Christopher Austin, who, with NCATS Executive Officer Keith Lamirande, will chair the NIH CFC in 2018.