#GivingTuesday to showcase spirit of philanthropy at Castleton
Tuesday, Dec. 1 — CASTLETON — On Tuesday, Dec. 1 Castleton University will look to shine a light on its long-standing spirit of philanthropy by participating in Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving held annually on the first Tuesday following Thanksgiving. The campaign aims to kick off the season of giving and transform the way the world thinks about, talks about, and participates in the holiday season.
“When you think about the thousands of hours our alumni, students, faculty, and staff donate during the course of a year, it’s staggering,” said Castleton President Dave Wolk. “Our students are engaged in the community more than ever before with over 400 community partnerships in Rutland County, and our alumni, faculty, and staff lead by example every day with gifts to the University, charitable donations, blood donation, or simply giving of their time.”
While Giving Tuesday is largely known for its impact on social media through the hashtag, #GivingTuesday, Castleton’s efforts will focus on the idea of “Giving Green,” in reference to the University’s signature color, PMS 343 Green. All those who participate in Castleton’s events will be encouraged to join the social media conversation by using the hashtag #IGaveGreen in addition to #GivingTuesday on their personal channels.
“Giving Green is a way to feel connected to a place we all love and care about so deeply,” Wolk said. “By volunteering to be a part of this effort, it shows how many of us are connected to each other through Castleton, and how we all feel about engaging with our community and the University.”
Castleton will encourage donors to give gifts of $17.87 – a reference to its founding year – to the Castleton Fund, while also highlighting several on-campus efforts throughout the day.
The Castleton Fund is seeking to set a new standard for the most donations to the University in a single day, in an effort to raise awareness and funds for its fundraising which is centered on student scholarships and programmatic needs.
The Castleton Student Government Association will be organizing an effort to collect food items, winter clothing, and other donations for area charities throughout the day, challenging the various on-campus clubs and organizations to see which can be the most philanthropic on campus.
Finally, the Gift of Life Marathon will kick off its annual 12 Days of Giving at President Dave Wolk’s home. The blood drive will have the feel of a family party, block party and blood drive wrapped into one and just like last year, Wolk will personally provide free rides to anyone who needs one, which can be arranged by calling 802-468-1203.
“Our family room will be the waiting room, the porch will host the collection, and the dining room will serve as the canteen,” Wolk said. “The Castleton University community will roll up its sleeves, literally and figuratively, to get the 12 Days of Giving off to a great start, and we welcome everyone to join us.”
Castleton University hopes that the atmosphere created on Giving Tuesday, on-campus, in the community, and through social media, will make this an event that people look forward to for years to come.
