Photo Courtesy of FTE Magazine, Thurston County Steering Committee

The people of Washington State have a reputation for being friendly, hospitable, and generous, so it is no surprise that our state is a leader in the country for charitable giving. Currently, Washington proudly ranks fourth in the United States for charitable giving by public employees. That is pretty remarkable, given our status as the twelfth most populated state in the nation!

Washington’s impressive rank is largely due to the Washington State Combined Fund Drive (CFD), which is the state’s premier charitable giving campaign for public employees. Each year the CFD raises millions of dollars for local, national, and international charities. The CFD makes giving easy; public employees have the option of making a one-time donation or to regularly contribute any amount, large or small, from their monthly paychecks to one or more charities of their choice. To browse the charities registered with the CFD or to learn more about how to donate, please visit www.cfd.wa.gov.

While the residents of Washington State are undeniably at the forefront when it comes to charitable giving, there are still many people who don’t realize just how essential charities are for our communities. In these tough economic times nearly everyone is pinching pennies, but it is more important than ever to support our network of charitable organizations.  So, to spread the word about the importance of charitable giving—whether you work in the public or private sector—we will be highlighting a different CFD registered charity each week from around the state. Starting next Friday, August 12th, stay tuned here to find out who our Spotlight Charity will be and how they contribute to your community!

And if you just can’t wait until next week to get involved, there’s good news – especially if you ride a motorcycle! The CFD Thurston County Steering Committee is gearing up for the 2011 CFD Charity Motorcycle Ride. The three-county ride will start at the Tumwater Costco at 8:00am on August 20th, and end at the Lucky Eagle Casino, will a few stops in between. At the end of the ride there will be a scrumptious buffet, a pie-eating contest, and tons of fantastic prizes! And the best part? All donations will go directly to the CFD and will be distributed evenly among registered charities!

Early bird registration ends August 12th, so make sure you sign up soon! More information about the 2011 CFD Motorcycle Ride and the registration form can be found at http://www.cfd.wa.gov/2011-Motorcycle-Ride.aspx.

If you have additional questions about the CFD Motorcycle Ride, please contact Susan Herr at 360-664-4766 or [email protected].