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DKGIEF

Appreciating Donors: More Than

Chocolate Almonds!

Think about the last time you donated
money…
… did you throw money into
a collection? Maybe at a place of
worship? Maybe on a street corner to the
sound of jingle bells?
… did you pay more than market
value for something? Maybe a ticket
to a fund-raising dinner? A package of
cookies? A box of chocolate almonds?
… did you write a check? Maybe as
a yearly practice? Maybe in response to
a request to give?
Depending on one’s cultural context,
donating money can be a regular
practice or it can be an exception to
everyday life. But no matter how or
when someone donates, the act of
giving usually comes with some form of
appreciation.
In the mailbox, it might be a note of
appreciation.
On the doorstep, it might be a big
smile from a 10-year-old athlete who
just sold you chocolates.
On the street corner, it might be a
quiet “thank you.”
Showing appreciation to donors can
be simple or complex. In the remainder
of this article, we highlight how the DKGIEF shows appreciation to major gift
donors—the Wall of Roses—and actions taken by the Foundation, with the support
of the 2020–2022 DKG Administrative Board, to ensure the longevity of the Wall
following the sale of the DKG headquarters building.
In 2011, a piece of artwork was commissioned to support the Society’s
campaign to invite long-term, significant donors. Gifts of $10,000 or more
have been recognized with a “leaf”—formerly attached to a rose trellis on the
Wall of Roses, which was a feature in a frequently used, light-filled stairwell at
Headquarters that was the main pathway between the first and second floor of the
building. With the sale of the building, the question loomed: What will we do with
the Wall of Roses?

48 · Volume 89-2