Torch - Fall 2015

Advancement & Community Relations

The Power of GOLD

By Heather Colwell, Senior Development Officer

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W hen a Havergal student or Old Girl hears the word “gold,” she may think of a prize or award that she won for a special achievement, or she may think about Havergal alumna, Jill Apps, and her two gold medal hockey wins at the Olympics. For graduates of the last decade, GOLD is now an acronym for the cohort of most recent Old Girls— G raduates O f the L ast D ecade. Last year, as Havergal celebrated its 120th birthday, a new giving society was launched—the GOLD society. Created to honour young Old Girls who donate to Havergal’s Annual Giving Program, participation lies at the core of the GOLD society. To honour its establishment, we paired one lucky GOLD society member with another member of the Havergal Old Girls Association (HOGA) for a professional coaching session. GOLDen Old Girl Kate Applin 2005 was our lucky winner for her participation in the Annual Giving Program at Havergal College. Applin was a strong leader during her time at Havergal and she continues to thrive as a young professional. Recently, she successfully completed her MBA at Wilfried Laurier University. Throughout her post-secondary education, she made giving back to Havergal through our monthly giving program one of her personal charitable priorities. It was a great pleasure to pair her with fellow Old Girl Jane Ross 1979, who also continues to support Havergal in so many ways as a donor, as a professional coach and as a facilitator for professional development sessions with HOGA. Old Girls like Applin and Ross continue to strengthen the culture of philanthropy at our school. They know first-hand the value of a Havergal education, and their support and participation in our community is paramount to the long-term success of Havergal College. Each generation of Havergal families has benefited from those generous members of the community, who have understood the need to keep Havergal at the leading edge of girls’ education. Old Girls from 1944 to 2015 continue to show their support for Havergal by making gifts to their class endowments each year. For current students at Havergal, the tradition of the class endowment begins in Grade 12. Old Girls and—more recently—their families have been establishing class endowments as a legacy to their graduating year since 1947. These funds support many different areas at the school, including bursaries, curriculum enrichment, the arts, music, athletics and green initiatives, to name just a few. The power of these gifts over the last 75 years can be seen throughout the halls at Havergal. The generosity of those who have come before is

Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects.

—Dalai Lama

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prevalent in every nook and cranny of the school’s beautiful campus and has touched the lives of all its students over the decades. So what does the word GOLD mean to you? Whether you are a current student, Old Girl, current or past parent or another community member, you have the power to contribute to this extraordinary place. We know that amazing things happen when you invest your time, talent and treasure at Havergal. The power of our combined philanthropy will be felt for many decades to come.

Old Girls Kate Applin 2005 and Jane Ross 1979

TABLE OF CONTENTS | FALL 2015 • TORCH 13