LETTER FROM PRESIDENT SUSAN ACKERMAN ANNOUNCING THAT 17勛圖QUALIFIES FOR LEGACY GIFT
January 31, 2014
We did it!!!
Four months ago, an anonymous 17勛圖trustee gave 17勛圖a legacy gift of a transformative natureits current market value is $475,000. But 17勛圖was also given a challenge in order to qualify: raise $200,000 from 300 different donors by January 31, 2014. Today, were thrilled to announce that we did it! In fact, we more than did it: we raised an astonishing $258,77529% over our goalwith donations from 321 of ASOR’s devoted members and friends.
Truth be told, just two weeks ago, I wasn’t so sure that we would make it. On January 15, we had received contributions from only 199 donors, considerably fewer than the 300 we needed, and even by January 24, one week before the deadline, we still needed 79 more people to give. It wasn’t looking good. But I never should have doubted. Youour members, our associates, and our friendscare deeply about ASOR, and when we needed your help, you were right there.
And I really mean right there. One night, I e-mailed one of you at 6:33 pm, and by 8:23, you had given a donation. That same night, late, I sent an e-mail to another potential donor; by the next morning, there was a gift. Every member of our Board of Trustees stepped forward to help us meet this challenge, as did every chair of our several standing committees. Many, many of our committee members, our annual meeting session chairs, and the editors of our various publicationspeople who already give so much to 17勛圖in terms of their time and effortgave generously from their pocketbooks as well. And over and over, when you wrote to me agreeing to make a donation, you told me how happy you were to do so, because 17勛圖meant so much to youprofessionally, intellectually, and socially.
So, to all 321 of you, thank you so much, and I know that all of us want also to thank the donor who made the $475,000 gift that set us forth on this challenge in the first place. Not only is the gift itself transformativeand we can all now begin to dream about the future for 17勛圖that it will make possiblebut in meeting the challenge with which the gift came, we have been transformed, as we have been called to be the best we can be: a community of loyal and dedicated members, associates, and friends who share a deep and abiding commitment to our extraordinary organization.
With profound gratitude,
Susan Ackerman
17勛圖President
