Soundside lights up for CFC's "Beacon of Hope" campaign Published Oct. 5, 2010 By Airman 1st Class Joe McFadden 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- The 2010 Combined Federal Campaign commenced during a kickoff ceremony at the Soundside Club Sept. 30. More than 50 local-area charities met with hundreds of Airman and civilian key organizers from both Hurlburt Field and Eglin Air Force Base at the event. This year's "Beacon of Hope" campaign runs through Okaloosa and Walton Counties from Oct. 4 to Nov. 12. CFC organizers set a 35 percent participation goal for both bases in addition to monetary goals of $435,000 at Hurlburt Field and $690,000 at Eglin Air Force Base. "Like a lighthouse shining out into the dark sea, it is up to you as loaned executives, project officers, coordinators and key workers to be the beacons of hope for the 2,300 different charities involved in this year's campaign," said Staff Sgt. Walter MacKenzie, 373rd Training Squadron, Detachment 7 historian and one of the event narrators. Col. Bill Porter, 96th Air Base Wing vice commander and chairman of the Local Federal Coordinating Committee of Okaloosa and Walton Counties, likened the event to a high school pep rally. "In our case, winning is meeting our goals," Colonel Porter said. "But I not only want to meet them, I want to exceed them. And if you look at the last eight years, we have actually exceeded our goals eight years straight, raising more than $1.2 million each year." He also directed the audience's attention to the thousands of different charities detailed in the CFC's 64-page brochure and highlighted the importance of key workers going face to face with their organizations to rally support. Col. Michael Plehn, 1st Special Operations Wing commander, spoke about how a single contribution can make a difference in their community. "Whether it's hunger or the scourge of a disease that you or your loved one have no control over, a smile about supporting a cause that helps abandoned animals, or something that brings a tear to your eye for helping disadvantaged or disabled children or wounded warriors and their families, you're here in this room today because you feel passionately about something bigger than yourself," Colonel Plehn said. "I would ask you to pass that passion on to the folks you're going to interact with over the next six weeks. Let them feel some of the passion that led you into this room today so we can help our fellow Americans." Guest speakers from different local agencies like Horizons of Okaloosa County, the Okaloosa Coalition on the Homeless and the Waterfront Rescue Mission told the audience about the work these organizations do in their communities. Many agencies distributed fliers and promotional materials for key workers to share with their teams at their respective squadrons and bases. According to the campaign's website, the CFC is the world's largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign, with more than 300 CFC campaigns throughout the country and internationally to help raise millions of dollars each year. For more information about the CFC, visit their website at http://www.opm.gov/cfc/ or http://www.okaloosa-waltoncfc.org/.