By PHIL OSBORNE

Danville Schools Education Foundation

The first International Day of Giving, or Giving Tuesday as it has come to be known, was launched on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in 2012. Scores of companies nationally and internationally signed on to promote charitable giving as a significant part of the frenzy of the holidays.

During the first year — as with most initial endeavors — results were modest but encouraging. Starting in year two, results have increased exponentially: $28 million in 2013 to $274 million in 2017.

The Danville Schools Education Foundation’s participation has been limited in the past, but we’re going to try a full-court press this year in concert with launching our new website, www.givedanville.org/give.

This initiative will also be our first effort at an annual campaign for alumni. If you are an alum or have a Danville or Bate HS alum in your circle of friends and family, please make them aware. As mentioned earlier, expect modest results — but wouldn’t it be great to surprise everyone with the generosity Danville Schools can experience in this season of giving?

You don’t have to wait until next week. All gifts logged on our website between now and then will be our basis for Giving Tuesday contributions. These are (individual) giving levels that are being considered for future campaigns — all with multi-year pledge periods:

• Fleet Admiral — $50,000

• Admiral — $25,000

• Commodore — $10,000

• Captain — $5,000

• Commander — $2,500

• Lieutenant — $1,000

• Ensign — $500

• Friend of the Admiral Society  — $250

Now consider what that does. Earlier this year, the Foundation awarded some $7,000 in grants for 18 teacher projects — or a little less than $400 per grant. If you and your family could pledge $2,000 for five years, that would conceivably support 25 independent grant projects during that time period.

So, while you’re sitting with friends and family on Thursday laying out your roadmap of stores to hit on Black Friday, forget for just a few minutes about Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. Focus on what you can do to help Danville Schools during Giving Tuesday.

Speaking of our new website, a huge debt of thanks is owed to Ben Saylor, a DHS grad and member of our board. Here’s our second installment of “meet the Foundation board.”

Ben was born in Danville and graduated from DHS in 2011. After high school, he attended the J.B. Speed School of Engineering at the University of Louisville, graduating in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.

Following college, Ben worked in the public sector for three years as a traffic engineer. Now, a Product Development Manager for ASI Visual Collaboration Systems, Ben oversees the development of the educational software platform Student Sheet.

Ben comes from a large family of Danville alumni, with his grandparents graduating in 1956, 1963 and 1964; parents in 1983 and 1990; sisters in 2006 and 2012; plus many more aunts, uncles, and cousins throughout the years. Ben and his dog Leo live in Louisville.

Ben has been volunteering with the DSEFAA since 2016.

Phil Osborne is executive director of the Danville Schools Education Foundation. Email him at posborne@danvilleschoolsfoundation.org or phil.osborne@danville.kyschools.us.