The Spirit of Giving Extends Beyond Christmas

BY DENNIS BROOKS, P.ENG., P.GEOPH. Education Foundation Columnist

Editor's Note: The APEGGA Education Foundation, which is separate and distinct from APEGGA, serves the professions by supporting education. It assembles and manages funds, builds endowments, encourages donations, and distributes funds for scholarships and awards, and to support special projects. The foundation helps in the education and development of engineers, geologists and geophysicists, as well as those who might enter the three professions.

This issue of The PEGG comes out later in the month than usual so it becomes a season's greetings number, combining the months of December and January into one issue. So, while I usually start with my main theme and then campaign progress, I'll turn things around this time to end the article with some thoughts for the season and best wishes.

The Campaign
Starting with the campaign ties in well with the season, because the campaign is all about the spirit of giving. In October, we received another $6,300, bringing the total voluntary donations this year to $39,877. This will add $811 to each of our $2,000 awards, or 41 per cent of our goal of doubling the awards.

In these days of increasing fees, scholarship winners are certain to appreciate the extra money. The campaign continues until about April when scholarship applications begin to arrive.

To put the campaign into perspective, consider that it would take an endowment fund of almost $1 million to generate this revenue. Consider also that last year's total voluntary donations were $31,782; we are already ahead of that and still have two more months of reporting! This is progress you can be proud of.

Our mail-out to grandfathered life members - those who don't pay annual dues so wouldn't otherwise see a direct solicitation - has been very gratifying. We have received more than $8,700 in donations from them. Response from 35-year practicing members has not been as good. We hope to hear more from them soon.

Our November PEGG special section incorporated a donation form and it was pleasing to see that some members availed themselves of that.

Our campaign has been an internal one, directed at APEGGA members, and one of our goals was to achieve increased awareness. I think we have done that.

When I started writing these columns in 2001, I said that we hoped to raise the average annual donation per APEGGA member from about 85 cents to more than $1 (or even $2). We are moving in the right direction: the figure now is $1.15! So if you've never donated before, send us at least $2. And if you can make it $25, we'll mail you a tax receipt.

Season's Greetings
We at the APEGGA Education Foundation are grateful that many members have been moved by the spirit of giving throughout the year to put something back into their professions. Some of you have taken advantage of employer matching programs, so thanks, too, to the employers and our other corporate supporters.

May the spirit of giving stay with all members this holiday season and extend to your family, friends and colleagues. We encourage you not only to support the foundation, but also to experience the joy of giving to other charities that enrich the lives of others.

Finally, a wish for peace on earth and goodwill to all. Merry Christmas!

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