Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter - The American Payroll Assocation

SEPA Wins APA 1st Place for Community and Educational Outreach for 2006 NPW!

The First Place winner in the APA Community and Educational Outreach Contest is

Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter!

**The results are in for the 2006 National Payroll Week celebrations and this time the SEPA chapter walks
away with 1st place for the community and educational outreach contest. The first place award entitles us to a FREE 25th Annual Congress Registration.

Someone is going to Las Vegas!! Could that be you? Stay tune for the announcement of the winner!

Sandy Lerch, CPP - FREE Congress Registration WINNER!! Read our June newsletter for her remarks on her first APA Congress!

Chapter (SEPA). SEPA organized a unique list of community and educational outreach activities during NPW.

T h e c h a p t e r answered phones for the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon during the Labor Day weekend and wore their NPW polo shirts on camera. They were even able to get in an on-air NPW promotion during the local broadcast of the telethon! The chapter challenged all the people who receive a paycheck to pledge $25 to the MDA. The chapter also set up an NPW marketing table at the Campbell’s Fi e l d b a s e b a l l stadium, home of the Camden River sharks . More than 5,000 people passed by the table on their way into the stadium. The chapter members handed out chocolate coins and chocolate baseballs along with the NPW online survey Web address and information on prizes. A laptop computer provided access to an NPW-oriented CD-ROM and the Internet for anyone who wanted to take the survey on the spot. An NPW “Getting Paid In America” online survey advertisement was displayed four times on a big screen in the outfield throughout the game, and announcements were made between innings on the field. Information about the SEPA chapter and about “Money Matters” National Education Day was display on the marketing table. Chapter members, along with their “NPW Chicken,” braved the wind and rain to participate in the 5K Walk for Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). SEPA members said they are passionate about the cause because one of their fellow chapter member’s relatives has PKD. In addition, the chapter held their NPW kick-off Casino Party celebration. More than 80 chapter members and their guests attended the event and enjoyed playing.

National Payroll Week 2006 started off with a celebration SEPA style – with an NPW Kick-off Casino Party! The celebration was held on August 9^th from 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Sheraton Park Ridge Hotel with approximately 80 members, guests and volunteers in attendance. We had Blackjack, Texas Hold ‘em, Craps, Roulette, SEPA version of Deal or No Deal, and even a magician! We drew names all night long for some great prizes and give-aways, and a gift for the person with the most chips at the end of the night. Part of the proceeds went to our Education Fund.

Our volunteers then helped spread the word about the APA Online Survey at a Camden Riversharks baseball game on Sunday, September 3^rd from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Total attendance for the game was approximately 5,000 people, and we had a marketing table at the top of the entrance to the Stadium. Along with information about the Survey, we handed out chocolate coins, chocolate baseballs and information on our SEPA Chapter. An NPW announcement was broadcast on-field between four of the innings, and our NPW ad was displayed on the big screen throughout the game. It was a big hit!

On Monday, September 4^th we once again helped answer phones for the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Studio 17/UPN 17 Studios. We received an on-air promotion of NPW during the telecast and we again challenged everyone who received a paycheck to pledge $25 to Jerry and his kids.

On Saturday, September 16^th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. we walked 5K for the PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease) Foundation at Ridley State Park in Media to help raise funds for a very worthy cause. Although it was raining a little, a great time was had by all.

Mark your calendars for the 2007 NPW to be held September 3 – 7, 2007. See our NPW Present tab for more information!

Think Vegas, baby...cards, games of chance, slight of hand, and of course, your favorite Southeastern Chapter members crooning the night away. Inspired by National Payroll Week, we transformed the velvet beauty of the Park Ridge into an unforgettable night on the strip... Vegas attire was admired, but not required.

Players were given funny money with which to purchase their gaming chips. Lessons were provided during the first hour of the party. Members met for an evening of bidding, betting, wagering and winning in the unique style of National Payroll Week!

But wait you say…. You don’t gamble? Don’t fret! We thought of that as well. Mary Sharp hosted “Deal or No Deal” the SEPA way! Several members walked away with fabulous prizes. At the end of night, Gina Morton had amassed the most chips and scooped the grand prize that was donated by the Park Ridge Hotel!!! Gina won an overnight stay and breakfast at the Park Ridge.

Southeastern PA Chapter invites everyone to try their luck at the next casino night planned for August 8^th, 2007. Come to the NPW kick off casino party night Wednesday night, August 8^th, 2007. Bring your spouse, your friend, your sister, or your co-workers. SEPA’s 20^th Anniversary and NPW kick off party for 2007!!!

SEPA won Second Place for its promotion of the survey to its members, co-workers, and the general public. We mailed postcards to 200 of the largest employers in our area, encouraging them to take the NPW Online Survey at APA. An email request was also sent to Google asking them to include the logo of NPW with a link to the NPW survey for the Google home page. We also advertised NPW on our Web site and passed out magnetic flashing money pins for our members to wear during NPW.

SEPA wins Third Place for NPW 2005 Community and Educational Outreach Contest!

SEPA won Third place for its coordinated outstanding community outreach efforts during NPW. Our chapter members volunteered for the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon during NPW. During the televised event, Raeann challenged the viewers who received paychecks to donate $1 from each paycheck they received during the year.

In addition, we participated in the Walk for Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) during NPW. Members received some local media coverage that featured volunteers wearing customized NPW shirts and caps. Members proudly raised $425 for PKD research at a time when many others were contributing to the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and had less to give to other charities.

Members also organized a Muscular Dystrophy Association Bowl-A-Thon in East Norriton. Members collected more than $600 in pledges and was able to send a child with muscular dystrophy to camp.

SEPA would like to give a special thanks to our own Alicia Milligan for her hard work on NPW!

Please read more below on these wonderful events and visit our Photo Gallery for pictures!

National Payroll Week celebrations started on Labor Day with several chapter members volunteering to answer phone for the Jerry Lewis MDA/Katrina Hurricane telethon. During the telethon that is broadcasted nationally, Raeann Hofkin, President of SEPA, challenged everyone in American receiving a paycheck to donate $1 per paycheck. Raeann had the chance to briefly describe NPW and mention the SEPA chapter members were kicking off their celebration by volunteering their time.

The NPW celebration continued into the following weekend when several chapter members raised over $600 with the MDA bowl-a-thon. The Chapter members were awarded a special award for raising enough money to send a child to summer camp.

You would think we were done, but ah, no…… the following weekend, chapter members were once again volunteering their time and efforts to raise funds and awareness for Polycystic Kidney Disease by walking in the PKD 5 mile. The SEPA team braved the hot humid weather and raised $425 for PKD research.

Polycystic Kidney Disease is the most common genetic, life threatening disease affecting more than 600,000 Americans and an estimated 12.5 million people worldwide. In fact, PKD affects more people than cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, hemophilia, Down syndrome, and sickle cell anemia – COMBINED.

Thank you to all the SEPA members who volunteered their time and the members who may not have been able to donate their time, but opened their hearts and wallets to help support fellow chapter members reach their goals. Together we can make a difference. Special thanks goes to Alicia Milligan for going above and beyond the call of duty by organizing all the NPW events. Alicia not only spent hours organizing these events, but she also volunteered her time and energy. Alicia is also responsible for designing the new SEPA NPW logo that will be used for future NPW celebrations.

Please contact Alicia Milligan at Alicia_Milligan@gmaccm.com or (215) 328-1896 if you have ideas for next year, want to volunteer your time, or want to donate to our worthy causes.

As part of our National Payroll Week activities, the SEPA chapter will be participating on National Public Lands Day on September 18, 2004. We are asking for volunteers to assist Valley Forge NHP in conducting basic preservation projects. Some of the projects include :

- Marking catalog numbers on museum artifacts.

- Sprucing up the Welcome Center Area by removing weeds from the garden beds and applying mulch.

- Preserving young spruce trees along the Glen Hardie Tree Screen by placing plastic fencing around the trees.

SEPA will also be participating in the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon on Monday September 6, 2004. Volunteers must be a minimum age of 16 and are needed between 3:00PM to 7:00PM. The MDA telethon helps thousands of individuals with neuromuscular disease. Please consider volunteering to help make a difference for Jerry's Kids!

The "Getting Paid in America" survey is available again in 2004 for everyone. Make sure to visit http://www.nationalpayrollweek.com and complete the survey with your thoughts on getting paid in America. Participants in the survey are eligible to win a free paycheck and a trip to Las Vegas

SEPA Chapter static clings supporting National Payroll Week are still available from last year. If you didn't get one last year or need more, contact dbeck2@harleysvillegroup.com . They can be displayed in your office, payroll department, file cabinets, even in a car window or just about anywhere you can think of!

NPW for 2003 offers the first-ever national online survey of America's workers and their thoughts about their paychecks! The survey "Getting Paid in America" is available for everyone and participants are eligible to win a free paycheck and a trip for two to Las Vegas! The survey is available online at http://www.nationalpayrollweek.com

The SEPA Chapter has purchased NPW static clings supporting NPW. Static clings can be displayed almost anywhere, in your car, your office windows, file cabinets, etc. and they are reusable from year to year! The clings are 8 x 8 squares and will be available for sale at the August Chapter meeting for $3.00 each or 2 for $5.00. Click on the picture to the right for a larger view. If you are unable to attend the meeting and would like to show your NPW support, contact Denise Beck at dbeck2@harleysvillegroup.com to arrange your purchase!

Philadelphia