ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Winthrop University’s 24-hour giving day event on May 4-5 will champion supporters to show their pride (Bleed Garnet) and give back (Give Gold) to the university.
The fundraising celebration aims to strengthen Winthrop’s donor community, a vital part of advancing resources, programs and opportunities for students and educators. The event takes an all-in approach, rallying everyone from alumni to philanthropists to family and friends to make a collective impact in one day. Fundraisers have set a goal of creating the single largest day of giving and inspiring 500 donors to give, no matter the donation size.
“What I want our Winthrop community to understand is that all contributions of any dollar amount to this institution are significant. Together we can make a huge and lasting impact,” said Interim President George Hynd. “Each dollar the university receives makes a big difference for Winthrop students and gives us the ability to drive resources to specific areas, now and in the future.”
Winthrop launched its first giving day initiative in 2019 in conjunction with the annual Winthrop Day celebration for incoming students. This year’s fundraising effort will operate as a standalone event to create a new tradition as well as promote a culture of giving.
“Philanthropy at Winthrop is about moving the university forward for our students. The more support we draw to Winthrop, the better the experience can be for not only our current and future students, but it can also further increase the value of the Winthrop degree for our alumni,” said Tim Gibson, annual giving manager. “My hope is that our community can see the importance of giving back to Winthrop because they have a vested interest in the university’s success.”
As in past years, donors will be able to give to designated areas that mean the most to them. That includes student scholarships and research, athletic programs, academic colleges and departments, and other programs like study abroad.
A new online platform has been developed to keep track of the excitement and momentum of Bleed Garnet, Give Gold. Donors can follow giving progress throughout the day, monitor donor challenges and check matching gift updates. The Winthrop community can also set up personal pages to encourage donations that support specific university areas they are passionate about.
“Last year, when many students found themselves dealing with a variety of pandemic-related issues, the Winthrop community banded together to support our students in need. It demonstrated, once again, that we are truly a generous, caring group, and I cannot wait to see what we can accomplish on May 4-5,” Gibson said.
A big part of Bleed Garnet, Give Gold relies on high-spirited champions who sign-up to show their giving day pride via social media. Champions will be spreading the word on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Follow the day’s activities with the hashtag #BleedGarnetGiveGold or visit giveto.winthrop.edu/2021/give
For more information, contact the Division of University Advancement at 803/323-2275.
