CITY LAUNCHES CHARITY DRIVE:

The Chief-Leader/Adrienne Haywood-James

City agencies Oct. 31 began the 2007-08 Combined Municipal Campaign with a goal of collecting $2.6 million in charitable contributions from their employees and increasing the participation rate to 15 percent. During ceremonies at the Emigrant Banking Hall just north of City Hall, Department of Citywide Administrative Services Commissioner Martha Hirst (left) and United Way of New York City President Gordon Campbell presented an award to the Fire Department's Regina Washington in recognition of that agency performing the best in last year's campaign.