Thank you, Dan for that introduction -- and thank you all for letting me be a part of this celebration.

Today we are celebrating the success of last year's State Employee's Combined Campaign.

Success is defined as the achievement of something attempted.

Our main objective was to offer DOT employees the chance to give to others.

That meant that the success of this campaign rested solely on your shoulders.

As team captains, you were responsible for giving out pledge forms and making sure each employee had the opportunity to give.

I know that this was no easy task.

Before we started this campaign we had our work cut out for us.

We started in the middle of:

• a tight budget that meant a small employee raise;
  
• an unstable economy, not just in our state but in our nation; and
  
• the worst terrorist attack the world has ever seen where many people were giving to the national relief fund.

This goes with out saying -- people were scared.

Although their hearts were tender towards others, their pockets remained tight so their own families could survive.

This left the task of getting employees involved up to you -- and you met that challenge and defeated it.

You faced difficult odds this year in collecting money from your co-workers.

But you came out on top.

You helped raise more than $120,000.

You successfully met your goal of getting the message out and leaving the rest up to the giver.

This year our State Employee Combined Campaign faced the darkest year ever, but like the slogan said, we were the lights.

In spite of a struggling economy, we dug deep into our pockets and we focused on what was more important - giving to our neighbors.

On behalf of all of the employees of DOT, thank you for your hard work and dedication.

Your devotion is truly an inspiration - and will serve as an example to all of us.

Enjoy your rewards - they are well deserved.

Thank you.