TIFTON – While much of the country was participating in Giving Tuesday on Nov. 28, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s Office of College Advancement decided to make the day about expressing gratitude to all those who have supported ABAC by participating in “Grati-Tuesday.”
OCA staff and members of the Student Alumni Council spent the day reaching out to alumni and donors to show gratitude by calling over 500 people and emailing more than 1,000 to show appreciation for their support over the past year.
“Grati-Tuesday was a wonderful day for us to say a special thank you to the faculty, staff, alumni and friends who invest in ABAC,” said Dr. Deidre Martin, chief advancement officer for OCA. “We are so grateful for the generosity of those who support ABAC.”
Traditionally, Giving Tuesday has been a day for individuals, community organizations, nonprofits and businesses large and small to roll up their sleeves to make their communities a better place through “unleashing the power of radical generosity,” according to the movement’s website.
This is the first time ABAC’s OCA has done Grati-Tuesday, according to Randi Hickman, OCA development officer.
“We feel like there are opportunities throughout the year where supporters can give,” said Hickman. “We wanted to focus on showing our wonderful supporters how much we appreciate them. We’ve been very blessed, and this was our opportunity to give back to them.”
Kwinci Way, a biology major from Adel, was one of the students that participated in the event.
“I was honored to have the opportunity to express gratitude toward various faculty and staff, alumni, and donors for their continuous contribution and support to the ABAC community,” Way said. “On Grati-Tuesday, I was able to personally speak with numerous individuals that are devoted to ABAC students like myself. As a member of Student Alumni Council, we strive to express our appreciation for these ABAC supporters. It is beyond motivating to interact with people who are so invested in my college. We are overwhelmed by everyone’s support through all forms of contribution, through time and thoughts as well as monetarily.”
