Pirates, disco dancers and Stormtroopers, oh my!

Supporting the 2016 State Employee Charitable Campaign took a festive turn on Oct. 27, with the Texas A&M College of Dentistry costume contest and lunch fundraiser. Among the participants: staff, faculty and even some last-minute recruits from the Advanced Education in General Dentistry clinic.

The individual and group winners — Dr. Stephen Crane, clinical associate professor in public health sciences, and D3 patient appointment associates Paige Gomez, Amanda Barton, Nancy Vallejo and Patient Appointment Coordinator Cristina Rivera — will choose which charities the funds raised will benefit. In total, the Oct. 27 costume contest and Oct. 14 jersey and jeans day events have raised $1,073 toward the campaign.

About the State Employee Charitable Campaign

Now in its 23rd year, the SECC is the only state-authorized workplace giving campaign for employees of state agencies and higher education — including universities and junior colleges — throughout Texas. Offering the convenience of payroll deduction, more than $8 million was given to charitable organizations in 2015 alone.

To enroll in the campaign: By Oct. 31, log into the Texas A&M University System Single Sign On, click “SECC Enrollment,” and select your contribution option and charities of choice.