Been there, done that, got the T-shirt (and it’s a pretty cool one)

The annual Employee Appreciation T-shirt Giveaway will be held December 11, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Arts & Industries Building.

(T-shirt design by Cody Coltharp)

As we celebrate another holiday season, it is a fitting time to acknowledge how important you are to the Smithsonian. Each one of you has a hand in the Smithsonian’s success. Your commitment and dedication to this Institution keep us a relevant and trusted source for the public. My thanks to you all. As a small token of my appreciation, we are once again providing a special staff T-shirt to employees. I hope that you wear this shirt with pride, knowing that you are an important member of the Smithsonian community.

On Wednesday, December 11, complimentary T-shirts will be distributed to all Smithsonian employees throughout the Institution.  For those located in or near Washington, DC, my senior team and I will be handing them out to SI employees in the Arts and Industries Building from 9:00 A.M. to 11:30 A.M.  All SI employees who are able to attend are encouraged to come pick up your complimentary T-shirt. If you plan to pick up shirts for other members of your office, please arrive after 11:00 A.M. and check-in at the solutions table, to ensure we have enough T-shirts for all who attend the event.

Distribution at other sites will be handled at the discretion of the unit, and employees in those locations should receive more information from your local leadership.

In addition to the T-shirt give-away, there will be activities from the Office of the Under Secretary for Education, a CFC donation station, light refreshments, and the Smithsonian Recycling Task Force’s award-winning Banners to Bags available for purchase. Since 2013, the Banners to Bags Initiative has converted tens of thousands of square feet of old museum exhibit and movie banner material into beautiful reusable tote bags while saving the banners from the landfill.  The bags are sold to staff at $20 each and proceeds are used to purchase LED lighting that should save the Smithsonian an estimated $66 per bag over five years. Only cash and checks are accepted; checks should be made payable to the Smithsonian Institution.

We ask that all staff bring their Smithsonian ID and enter through the Jefferson Drive entrance of the building.

One final note, due to cost considerations, T-shirts are for employees only and are not available to affiliated staff such as interns, volunteers, contractors, or others.

Thank you again for all that do for the Smithsonian, and I hope to see many of you on Wednesday, December 11.