SLAC Today logo

SLAC Logowear: More Than Skin Deep

(Photo - FOLA) SLAC t-shirts, hats and mugs look good, spread SLAC spirit and now they've raised $6,000.

Yesterday morning, a small knot of SLAC employee volunteers gathered outside the Central Lab Building to present the lab with a $6,000 check. This donation represents the proceeds from the past six years of SLAC logo item sales.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of all SLAC logo items are held by the “Friends of the Linear Accelerator” (FOLA) organization, and are given back to the lab in one form or another.

"For every SLAC t-shirt, polo shirt, or mug we sell through the SLAC Guest House, FOLA makes about a dollar or so," said Doug Kreitz, who volunteers his off-hours to managing the production and sales of SLAC logo items. "The time has come to give that money back to the lab employees."

Several years ago, some proceeds were used to purchase the large glass case to display SLAC logo items in the Panofsky Auditorium Breezeway.

SLAC's Lee Lyon has agreed to form a disbursements committee to solicit ideas and decide on how to spend this recent donation of $6,000, and any future proceeds from FOLA. Currently, ideas include a custom-made oak bench to go outside the cafeteria or perhaps an awards case for the auditorium lobby.

"Whatever they decide on, it will be something tangible for everyone at SLAC to enjoy," says Kreitz.

Former SLAC employee Brian Harris first created SLAC logo items more than a decade ago to benefit the lab's softball team. P.A. Moore continued the tradition through the late 1990s, and Doug Kreitz took over in 2000. Everyone involved in the sale of SLAC logo items does so on his or her own time as a volunteer.

"These volunteers deserve a lot of credit for their dedication," says Kreitz. "Thanks especially to Terry Anderson for his logo designs and to everyone who shows up to inspect, count, price and fold newly arrived shipments whenever I put out the call for help."

All SLAC logo items are available 24-hours-a-day in the SLAC Guest House gift shop. Additionally, every November, employees can place catalog orders for unique SLAC logo wear from Lands' End Business Outfitters.

—Kelen Tuttle
    SLAC Today, June 23, 2006