Giving Tuesday Sets New Record

Rivers’ faculty, staff, and coaches showed their appreciation throughout the day by accepting fun-filled challenges as the donations rolled in. Varsity coaches Bob Pipe and Susanna Donahue faced off in a water balloon toss after the first 100 gifts were tallied—Donahue lost, but Pipe still got soaked. With 200 gifts in, Middle School teachers Sam and Emily Poland challenged Associate Director of Admissions Karin Senior and Math Department Chair Dan McCartney to a relay race, but lost in the final seconds as McCartney raced over the finish line wearing Rivers football gear. And dozens of faculty members danced with abandon to “Uptown Funk” when 300 gifts came in by late afternoon.

 

Late in the day, two anonymous donors, impressed by the outpouring of gifts, promised to give an additional $35,000 to The Rivers Fund if we met our goal. Not only did we reach 400, but went on to receive over 450 in just one day to set a new school record!

 

Helping to reach that final goal were Upper School student volunteers who spent the evening at an alumni phonathon in the Campus Center. Members of Rivers Givers and the student Alumni Council Reps manned the phones for a couple of hours to push the total to record highs.

 

Head of School Ned Parsons took one for the team when the goal was reached, gamely submitting to a drenching from a water-filled Zamboni to express his—and the community’s—thanks to donors for their generous support of the Rivers Fund which helps to cover the day-to-day costs of educating Rivers students.

 

“I am thrilled with the success of this year’s #ForRivers challenge for Giving Tuesday,” said Janna Anctil, Director of The Rivers Fund. “The support from our entire community—including trustees, faculty and staff, parents, alumni, and Rivers’ own Red Wing— was incredible and proves how special Rivers is to so many of you. Thank you so much!”