Hunter Wortham, left, Aubrey Swett, honorary co-chair, Wendy Lowery, Chancellor Kyle R. Carter, Sandra Oliver, executive director of the Robeson County United Way, Brian Russo, Alison DeCinti and Morgan Hunt Warriax, SECC campus coordinator, were on hand at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke’s North Carolina State Employees Combined Campaign celebration on Nov. 27. Not pictured is Melissa Schaub, honorary campaign co-chair. Contributed

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The University of North Carolina at Pembroke’s faculty and staff demonstrated their generosity once again by giving mightily to the 2012 North Carolina State Employees Combined Campaign.

Giving totaled $17,152 in outright gifts and payroll-deducted pledges, which resulted in a substantial year-over-year increase. Fourteen percent of UNCP’s 1,000 faculty and staff contributed to local, state, national and international charities.

“We were very pleased with the response,” said campaign Chairman Morgan Hunt Warriax. “We set a goal of 10 percent participation and our faculty and staff responded to the call.”

The Combined Campaign is the state employees’ umbrella organization for charitable giving. As the only authorized workplace giving program for state employees, nonprofits from the American Cancer Society to the Robeson County United Way are represented.

Sandra Oliver, executive director of the Robeson County United Way, was on hand at UNCP’s celebration on Nov. 27. The local United Way received more contributions from UNCP employees than any other charitable organization.

“Without folks like you, the agencies we represent would not be able to do good work in our community,” Oliver said. “When you give to the United Way, it stays in Robeson County.”

Oliver thanked Hunt Warriax and Chancellor Kyle R. Carter for participating in the United Way’s successful “Dancing with the Stars” event. Proceeds from that event go to buy books for Robeson County children through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program.

“Some of these funds will help people right here in Robeson County,” Carter said. “We have shown again that we are a regionally engaged university that cares about its communities.”

Hunt Warriax thanked campaign co-chairs Aubrey Swett, director of the Office of Community and Civic Engagement, and Mellissa Schaub, interim assistant vice chancellor for Student Academic Support and Retention.

For information about giving at UNCP, call the Office of Advancement at 910-521-6252, email advancement@uncp.edu or visit www.uncp.edu/advancement/.

Scott Bigelow is the associate director of public relations for The University of North Carolina at Pembroke.