Greetings State Employees:

I woke up early to a rising sun and a cool breeze coming through the windows about a week after my son was born in 1996.  My wife and son were asleep in the townhouse apartment we rented just down the street from the Children’s Museum. I decided to get up and head to Marsh to pick up some donuts to celebrate the new addition to our family. When I returned, we ate donuts, held our newborn son, and marveled at our good fortune to have a beautiful, healthy baby boy. Then came a knock at the front door and a neighbor yelled to us that we had to leave the apartment immediately because the building was on fire. We quickly gathered up our essential belongings, our two dogs, and our baby and ran out of the building. Firefighters were able to save the building, but our apartment was a total loss. All our belongings, including our baby clothes, dresser and crib were ruined. We had nothing.  

As we watched our belongings burn, employees from the Salvation Army-Indiana Divisional Headquarters located across the street noticed the fire and came over to help. They brought clothes and baby supplies for our family. Thanks to their help, we had the basic goods we needed while we looked for a place to stay. The Salvation Army was able to help me in my time of need because of contributions and donors like you through programs such as the State Employees’ Community Campaign (SECC).   

SECC is the annual charity campaign funded by state employees. The dollars you give through the SECC campaign fund organizations that help people in their greatest time of need; just as the Salvation Army helped my family many years ago.

The 2017-2018 State Employees’ Community Campaign Takes Giving to the Next Level, and I am honored to serve as this year’s SECC Chairman.  The SECC allows state employees to contribute to any charity with a 501(c)(3) ruling through either a one-time contribution or the convenience of payroll deductions. State employees are an extremely giving group; collectively, we raised $1.47 million last year alone! And over the past 38 years, SECC has raised over $30 million benefitting 1,600 organizations worldwide. The SECC website (www.insecc.org) provides more information about how to donate. 

Join us on Friday, Oct.13 for an Ice Cream Social. From 1 to 3 p.m., I will be hosting along with my fellow agency heads and other elected office holders. We are serving ice cream bars in the IGC-S Atrium for $5 a bar, with all proceeds benefiting the Salvation Army.

I look forward to seeing you at these events and many more throughout the campaign. Be on the lookout for more information from your SECC agency coordinators.  

Thank you for all that you do to help take Indiana to the Next Level. I have no doubt that you will, once again, step up and participate in this year’s campaign and Take Giving to the Next Level. Your contributions help so many people in need.

Work hard. Be nice. Have fun!

Bruno Pigott
IDEM Commissioner
SECC Chairman, 2017-2018 

This year, the state of Indiana saw more people than ever reach an Earned Status of Silver in Go365. Last year more than 7,800 people reach an Earned

Status of Silver, while this year more than 8,400 qualify to upgrade to the Wellness CDHP during the upcoming Open Enrollment.*

The past eight months have been full of opportunities to earn points and reach Silver Status including nine state sponsored 5Ks and hikes, lunch-time walking groups, dozens of on-site Biometric Screenings and our To Silver and Beyond Steps Challenge.

While the opportunity to qualify for the Wellness CDHP has passed, you can still participate in the Go365 program to earn points. By continuing to participate, you can get a jump start on qualifying for the 2019 Wellness CDHP, as 10 percent of all points earned in 2017 carry over into 2018. Also, don’t forget the bucks you earn can be used toward anything in the Go365 Mall, maybe even a holiday gift or two.

*Unofficial numbers as of 8/31/17.