Purdue United Way Campaign surpasses goal
The Purdue United Way Campaign total of $761,197 is revealed at a victory celebration on Wednesday (Nov. 17) at the Shively Club in Ross-Ade Stadium. (Purdue University photo/Mark Simons)
Purdue faculty, staff, retirees and students rose to the challenge this year, helping Purdue raise more than 103 percent of the University's goal for the United Way Campaign.
The campaign total of $761,197 was revealed at a victory celebration Wednesday (Nov. 17). The campaign officially passed its goal of $735,000 on Nov. 11, and the total raised is more than one-sixth of the community goal of $4.5 million.
"At a time when our neighbors need it most, the Purdue community has come forward to lend a helping hand," said Christine Ladisch, 2010 campaign chair and dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences. "We surpassed our highest expectations this year."
Before the Purdue celebration began at the Shively Club in Ross-Ade Stadium, the Lafayette Flute Choir entertained guests including team captains, senior and junior chairs and past campus chairs.
Speakers at the celebration included Ladisch; Cindy Murray, Lafayette city clerk and chair of the local United Way campaign; and Jay Akridge, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture and local United Way campaign first vice chair. All expressed gratitude to the campus community for the compassion and dedication put into the campaign.
"I would like to thank everyone for their generosity, enthusiasm and resourcefulness," Ladisch said. "This community is great because of all of you."
Ladisch also shared highlights of the campaign, including another record-setting year by Purdue's Vanguards (those who give $1,000 or more). This year Purdue has 34 new Vanguards, and their donations are 42 percent of the total employee contributions. Purdue is the top organization in the community for Vanguard givers.
Other highlights from the campaign include:
* Twelve of 19 Purdue areas met or surpassed their goals for 2010.
* Many areas and departments held special events totaling more than $15,000 in donations.
* Purdue retirees surpassed their $89,000 goal for 2010 by donating more than $93,000 to the campaign (104 percent of goal).
