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REMARKS BY: DONNA E. SHALALA, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PLACE: 1998 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Kick-Off, Washington, D.C. DATE: October 1, 1998

1999 Combined Federal Campaign

It's great to be here! As the baseball great Yogi Berra said, "Thank you for making this day necessary." This is one of the great pleasures and privileges of my job. And as the longest-serving Health and Human Services Secretary ever, I've been invited to kick off more Combined Federal Campaigns than anyone -- and I always get a kick out of it. But this year seems a little different. Maybe it's because of the new CFC poster. The one featuring a sketch of me throwing a baseball. I admire the courage of the artist -- as any critic knows, there's a fine line between a portrait . and a parody. I also admire the generosity of the artist. First, the picture takes a good ten years off me. Second, I'm right handed, but the picture has me pitching southpaw -- and as every lefty knows, they're smarter and more creative. Finally, it looks like I'm really throwing smoke -- but to tell you the truth, I'm happy just to get the ball across the plate. In fact, if I'd been pitching against Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire this year, they would have beaten Roger Maris' home-run record back in May.

Throwing out the first pitch of the season last spring at Camden Yards was a great moment for me. But my pitch today is about another great moment -- the moment we look out at the world, look in our hearts, step up to the plate and give to the CFC. My pitch today is to beat our 1998 CFC goal of $2.45 million. And I have a feeling we'll hit this pitch out of the park because of the great leadership of the CFC; because of the great commitment of everyone here today, from vice chairs to campaign managers; and because of the great generosity of the people of HHS. Every year, we ask you to give. Every year, you dig deeper. And every year, as Yogi Berra would say, "It's deja vu all over again." Because every year, you make us proud. In the five years since I became Secretary, you've given a total of $12 million to CFC. That's $12 million to help real people overcome real challenges in their lives -- as Terry Morris has shown us with his remarkable story.

When you -- the people of HHS -- give to the CFC, you're doing double duty. Every day, in the lives you improve through jobs you do, you give what you are. Then once a year, when the CFC comes calling, you give what you can. To give what you can and what you are -- that's true generosity. The spirit of generosity is what made the home-run competition between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire so exciting and uplifting. They showed us what heroes are made of, because even when they shattered the home-run record, they didn't quit or take walks. They kept suiting up, staring down the pitchers and swinging for the fences. That's the challenge facing you, the heroes of CFC. To step up to the plate once again, post another winning season, and make this CFC one for the history books -- for our Department, for our communities, for our children, for our country, for the proud feeling in your hearts when you give what you are -- and what you can.

And now, to kick off the 1998 HHS Combined Federal Campaign, it's my privilege to officially announce the winner of the "Name the Team" contest and her winning entry: She's Amy Reeder, from the HHS Inspector General's office. And her winning entry -- the name of our team this year -- is, of course: "The Home Run Heroes."

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