Calvin Set for On-Campus Campaign Celebration

September 17, 2007 == MEDIA ADVISORY

It'll be root beer floats on the Commons Lawn at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Calvin College as the campus celebrates the launch of the biggest fundraising campaign in school history.

"No Greater Task: Hearts and Minds Renewing God's World" is a $150 million capital campaign that Calvin president Gaylen Byker says will be vital to the college's future.

Already $120 million of that $150 million goal has been raised during the leadership gift portion of the Campaign with Calvin employees having pledged $3.5 million of that amount (with an 85 percent participation rate), a commitment Byker says "has helped us significantly as we presented the needs of the college to donors."

Calvin also plans to mark the public launch of the Campaign on Wednesday, September 19 at DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids with a video presentation about the work of Calvin alumni around the world and dinner for some 1,100 guests.

But first the college's students, faculty and staff will gather to celebrate. Along with the root beer floats on the lawn the college also will have a special 10 a.m. Chapel service on Tuesday.

And it plans that day to unveil a brand-new Campaign Web site, complete with stories and maps of where alumni are at work in the world, a live webcam of work on the Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex (a $49.5 million component in the Campaign), a video clip of President Byker answering frequently asked Campaign questions (such as why does the college need a "fancy" gym) and an on-line giving option.

That Web site will go live at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, September 18 at www.calvin.edu/campaign

Calvin also has decorated many of its on-campus lightpoles with 50 new maroon banners, including both new Calvin banners and new Campaign-specific banners.

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Received on Mon Sep 17 15:40:41 2007