Vol. 38, No. 18

2-6-2008
By: Adam King

Bucks for Charity: A new giving record

The faculty and staff at Ohio State have Michele Bondurant’s admiration. The Bucks for Charity program manager said even when times are tough or unforeseen circumstances occur, OSU employees have stepped up to the plate.

As an example, one of the largest single donors to the campaign recently passed away, but faculty and staff in that college rallied to make up the difference by increasing their number of donations and surpassing the previous year’s amount by more than $1,000.

The willingness to be generous is a trait typical of Ohio State as a whole, Bondurant said.

“What those folks did was just beyond my expectations,” Bondurant said. “They really came through for the campaign and showed that no matter the goals we set, the campus community is willing to go one step further.”

That was certainly the case in 2007. Bucks for Charity had a goal of $1,175,000 and finished with a new record of $1,192,640, up 8.2 percent from 2006. The Medical Center, as it is every year, was the most generous, donating $338,000.

But 21 colleges and departments surpassed their totals from last year, and Student Affairs had the largest increase.

There was some worry, Bondurant said, that the rise in inflation and the economic downturn would hurt giving overall. But that never materialized, and the campaign had its 10th straight year of increasing donations.

“I’m ecstatic we almost hit $1.2 million, and we’ll increase our goal next year, especially with Athletics Director Gene Smith as chair,” Bondurant said.

It was the fifth consecutive year Bucks for Charity, which was celebrating its 10th year, surpassed $1 million. There were a record 5,235 donors, a 16 percent increase over 2006, as well as 125 Leadership Level donors, who give between 0.5 percent and 2 percent of their gross annual salaries.

Those donors and the campaign coordinators were honored at a Jan. 23 luncheon at the Faculty Club, where President E. Gordon Gee personally thanked them.

“President Gee said that it really ties in with his six goals for the university, one of which is caring for the community,” Bondurant said. “It’s really nice to hear him say that and know that our generosity means something not only to those we help, but to the university as a whole.”

The largest individual donation of $8,000 came from a retiree, and Bondurant said it shows employees still feel connected to the university even after leaving campus.

“A lot of times these workplace campaigns are a convenient way to support these charities, and when people leave they lose the capacity to contribute fast and easy as they do through Bucks for Charity. We’re glad we can still give them the option, and it’s our way of saying they’re still part of the family.”

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