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Bethesda Little Theatre Helps PEF, Camp Funshine

A recent performance by the Bethesda Little Theatre raised $4,500 for the Clinical Center's Patient Emergency Fund and $1,500 for Camp Funshine, an effort sponsored by Special Love, Inc., which assists people with AIDS and their families. Shown at the check presentation are (from l) Dr. Lauren Wood (NCI), representing Camp Funshine; Brian Campbell (SAMHSA) and Alice "Frankie" Smyth, both of the Bethesda Little Theatre; Randy Schools, president of the Recreation and Welfare Association at NIH; Adrienne Farrar, director of the CC's social work department; and Lynne Pusaniek of the Bethesda Little Theatre.

New Service for Those Needing, Sharing Leave

A Web site has been constructed that allows an NIH employee facing an economic hardship because of insufficient leave (to cover a personal or family medical emergency) and who does not wish to request donated leave via the HHS-wide Voluntary Leave Transfer Web site, to have his/her name and request for donations placed on an NIH-only Web site. The employee must be an approved leave recipient under the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program (VLTP).

The service, provided by the Division of IC Consulting, Office of Human Resource Management as part of NIH's ongoing initiative to improve quality of work life, is strictly voluntary for both leave recipients and leave donors. You can access the site via the Internet, through the OHRM home page at http://www1.od.nih.gov/ohrm/ or directly at http://www3.od.nih.gov/ohrm/vltp/.

If you have questions, need more information regarding VLTP, or want to announce your request for leave, contact the VLTP representative in your institute or center. The list of NIH representatives can be found at the Web site.

World Cup Fever

World Cup Fever grips a large audience in the darkened elevator lobby of the Clinical Center's 14th floor recently, where a big-screen television is occasionally set up for the pleasure of patients whenever a big event is broadcast. The World Cup soccer tournament, held every 4 years, met the criteria for rolling out the oversized TV set. No one was checking IDs, so it's possible that not every single viewer was a patient, but the broadcasts drew large and devoted audiences until the Cup championship wrapped up July 12 in France. Viewers hooted and hollered with the fortunes of their teams. And you thought the NCAA basketball tournament was popular?

DWD Offers TransFERs Briefings

The open season to allow Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)-covered employees the opportunity to elect coverage under FERS is under way through Dec. 31, 1998.

To help employees make informed decisions regarding coverage, the Office of Human Resource Management's Division of Workforce Development is offering CSRS/FERS transfer briefings. A professional consultant, experienced in all aspects of federal employee benefits and specializing in preretirement planning, will deliver presentations and field questions from the audience. Attendees will receive a workbook designed to help them compare benefits under CSRS and FERS.

Employees can plan to attend a morning session (8:30 to noon) or afternoon session (1 to 4:30) on these dates: July 16-Bldg. 1, Wilson Hall; Sept. 14-Clinical Center, Masur Auditorium; Oct. 16-Natcher main auditorium.

Preregistration is not available. Attendees must provide their names and ICs before entering the session. Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

Native American Youth Visit

About 30 Native American high school students visited NIH on June 23 as part of the National Native American Youth Initiative. The young scholars were chosen from across the United States for a week-long stay at American University. They represented more than 15 tribes in more than a dozen mainly western and southwestern states. Their day at NIH consisted of tours of the Clinical Center, visits to several laboratories and meetings with Native American college students pursuing NIH summer internships in science and research. During the week, they also visited George Washington University School of Medicine, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the Indian Health Service headquarters at the Parklawn Bldg. and Capitol Hill. Conducted by the Association of American Indian Physicians (AAIP), the initiative's goals include encouraging students toward professions in the health sciences, preparing young people to gain admission to college and professional schools and developing their awareness of health research issues/legislation affecting Native American communities. Shown with several of the students are Dr. Lorrita Watson (top, standing r) of NIH's Office of Research on Minority Health, which hosted the program, and Reba Solomon, AAIP project coordinator (bottom, standing l).