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The annual has begun its 2011-12 iteration at Western Washington University.

This annual drive provides ²ÝÁñÉçÇø faculty and staff with a convenient way to financially help organizations of their choice and benefits a wide variety of charitable organizations, some dependent solely upon private support, to continue to perform worthwhile activities, according to a message from Sara Wilson, the CFD campaign leader at Western. The CFD is an all-volunteer effort, authorized by Washington state law, and is the only organization permitted to solicit contributions on campus.

In the 2010 campaign, 161 Western employees, 12 percent of the total, pledged $52,049 to different organizations.

"Our level of giving is a statement to our friends and neighbors," Wilson said in a message sent to the campus community Tuesday. "My goal is to raise our participation rate minimally to 15 percent by the end of the 2011 campaign. I hope you will take a moment to listen to the stories of your colleagues who give through the Combined Fund Drive and consider making your donation and making a difference in the lives of others."

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