University of Virginia offices and departments across Grounds will hold a variety of events, including bake sales and silent auctions, to mark “CVC Day” on Wednesday.

U.Va. President Teresa A. Sullivan first declared “CVC Day” last year to encourage employees to use the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign to support their favorite charities.

Sullivan and other offices in Madison Hall (the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost and the Office for Diversity and Equity) are offering prizes to three University employees who participate in the charitable giving campaign. Three names will be drawn randomly after online giving ends Dec. 21, and winners will receive tickets in the president’s suite to either a men’s basketball game, a women’s basketball game or a John Paul Jones Arena event. Dates for each of the games and the arena event will be announced soon.

The CVC is the annual workplace-giving program that enables University and state employees to support their favorite causes in areas that include health and human services, animal welfare and environmental programs. Many of the nonprofit organizations serve the local region, and 100 percent of donations go to the charities.

Through the CVC, employees can set up convenient payroll deduction or give with a check, credit card or cash using the pledge card delivered in the campaign’s signature red envelope. Employees can also donate online.

“This is a community effort that means a lot to employees,” CVC administrator Lis Christian said. “Each charity has been vetted and has to be financially sound. That helps donors make decisions on what’s meaningful to them.”

The campaign also is important to the charities. “For a lot of the nonprofits, U.Va. is their biggest contributor through the CVC,” she said.

Campaign representatives can add their area’s events to the CVC Day online list.