And we're off!! Every October UTSA participates in the State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC), and every year our faculty and staff step up to support this effort to help the people of San Antonio and Texas. Everyday UTSA faculty and staff are working to advance research and discovery and promote teaching and learning. Community engagement and public service are core to UTSA's mission as well. This University has a role to play in the betterment of our community, and SECC is one very important way that we fulfill this mission. We should be very proud that in 2012 UTSA raised $229,774 through SECC to support their favorite Texas charities. UTSA was ranked second in donations among all state agencies and institutions of higher education in SECC District 41, which includes San Antonio and surrounding counties. This year, UTSA's goal is $245,000. I hope that you will join us at one of the four Campaign Kickoff and Agency Fairs either today from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the UC Denman Room (2.01.28) at the 1604 Campus or from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the University Heights picnic areas. Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 2nd for our downtown and ITC folks we will also have Kickoff's from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. in the Durango Building Southwest Room (1.124) and again from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in the ITC auditorium. You can learn more about some of the agencies that benefit from your SECC donation --- and also have some fun! There will be door prizes and ice cream paletas. As a reminder, the 2013 UTSA SECC Annual Fundraising Online Auction opened Sept. 16th and runs through Oct. 11th. To view the great items in this year's auction, visit the UTSA SECC<http://utsa.edu/secc> website, follow the link to the Online Silent Auction, check back daily and bid, bid, bid! Mark your calendar for the UTSA SECC Book Sale<http://www1.utsa.edu/secc/wordpress/events/2013-book-sale/>;, which will be from 9:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m., Oct. 23-24 at Sombrilla Plaza on the Main Campus. Stop by for great deals on great books. If you have books you have read that are sitting on the shelf, consider donating them to the SECC Book Sale to help raise money for those in need. Also, please take the time to make your online donation<http://www1.utsa.edu/secc/wordpress/> to SECC. Gifts of any amount are welcome but what is most important is your participation. This year's giving campaign runs from October 1st through the 31st. Online donations are encouraged but not required, and employees who make donations will be entered into special prize drawings scheduled throughout the month. Please join us and your colleagues across our campuses to show that Together We Care about our community. [cid:image002.jpg@01CEBE98.8064D000]<http://www.utsa.edu/secc> Together We Care!