October 28, 2002

With 52 prizes waiting to be awarded to lucky contributors to the Connecticut State Employees Charitable Campaign, the odds of winning are better than playing the lottery.

Of course, none of the prizes is worth $64 million, but a few are worth their weight in gold.

"Before the employee lottery for academic core parking, two spaces were set aside as the most coveted prize of all," says Richard Veilleux, chair of the campaign for the University's Storrs campus. "With about 200 people on the waiting list for core parking spots, this is the best chance going for two UConn donors: they'll leap-frog right to the top."

Ann Denny, manager of parking services, also donated another prize - a large quilt she designed and made by hand, based on a design called "The Flying Geese". The quilt is valued at $600.

"It's for a great cause," she says. "I'm certain people can find a charity they believe in if they just flip through the book of charitable organizations."

With only one week remaining in the official campaign, UConn employees who have yet to fill out their cards have little time to qualify for the drawings, which will occur early in November.

The top prizes - the parking spots, Denny's quilt, women's basketball tickets, a basketball autographed by the 2002 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship team, and several others - will be awarded during a closing reception Nov. 7. The remaining prizes will be awarded that week.

Part-time UConn employees and staff on special payroll who may not have received the campaign information packet also are eligible to contribute and to win a prize. These employees can call Veilleux at 860.486.3530, or University Events at 860.486.1001 to receive campaign material.