CONTRIBUTED BY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF EAST ALABAMA
OPELIKA –– The Community Foundation of East Alabama is pleased to announce its fourth Annual Opelika Giving Day raised a total of $24,150 for 10 nonprofit organizations in Opelika. Opelika Giving Day is a 24-hour online fundraising challenge which provides a safe and easy way for participants to give to support nonprofits that are doing great things throughout the Opelika community. Opelika Giving Day took place June 15 and 16 from noon to noon. The Community Foundation is grateful to the 176 donors who participated in Opelika Giving Day.
The 10 nonprofits selected for Opelika Giving Day 2022 were all tasked with campaigning and raising awareness on social media as well as in the community. Barbara Patton, the president of the Community Foundation of East Alabama, said, “the role of the Community Foundation leading up to and on Opelika Giving Day was to help promote each organization and their projects through social media, emails and media outlets in order to expand their online and social media presence and fundraising success. The Community Foundation also met with the organizations to give them recommendations for engaging donors to be successful in reaching their goals.”
Two organizations exceeded their goals this year: The Friends of the Wood Duck Nature Preserve, with a goal of $2,500 raised $2,820, and the Women’s Hope Medical Clinic, with a goal of $8,000 raised $8,200. The Friends will be replacing the staircase at the north and south viewing blinds and make repairs to the bridge over the northside backwater. Women’s Hope will be purchasing 10 new baby cribs, 31 new car seats and installing BrightCourse, an online parenting education system.
In addition, the Opelika Theatre Company raised $3,140 to purchase new LED spotlights for the stage, new sound front speaker monitors, licensing rights and scholarships for acting classes; Circles of Opelika raised $2,225 to fund the Robert E. Lofton Fund for educational assistance for its participants; the Opelika Bicycle Advisory Committee raised $1,395 to go towards installing their second public repair station at the new Opelika Library; Creekline Trails of Opelika raised $3,045 for trailhead signage and to install a public viewing area on Waverly Parkway once the parking lot is in place; the Knee High Foundation raised $575 to go toward supply-filled bookbags; Opelika Main Street raised $475 to assist with the purchase of sculptures for downtown; 3-D Elite raised $425 to assist in participation in the AAU Nationals for their basketball teams; and $1,850 was raised for the continued renovation of the interior of Southside Center (formerly the Brown School).
Since the inception of Opelika Giving Day, giving has totaled $149,880.09.
“All the projects this year will be valued additions to the Opelika community and/or serve a need for its residents,” Patton said. “A big thank you to all those who donated to make these projects a reality. I think you will see the impact your giving has made as these projects come alive. Also, a special thank you goes to Rae Maher who stepped in to help with the social media fundraising implementation this year.”
The Community Foundation always has an evaluation at the end of every online event.
“The nonprofits gave good feedback and suggestions for next year, and those will be incorporated to make the fifth Opelika Giving Day even more successful,” Patton said. “If you missed your opportunity to participate this year, the next Opelika Giving Day will be held the first week in May with applications received in January 2023.”
For more information, email info@cfeastalabama.org.
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF EAST ALABAMA
The Community Foundation of East Alabama was incorporated in 2007 as a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization. As a local center for philanthropy, the Community Foundation works with individuals, families, corporations, private foundations and nonprofit organizations to help them carry out their charitable objectives and address emerging community issues. Donors to the Community Foundation also benefit from the Foundation’s combined assets which greatly reduce investment and administrative fees. Our five-county region includes Lee, Chambers, Macon, Russell and Tallapoosa counties.
Our Community Foundation is administered by a governing body of East Alabama citizens committed to building a vibrant community foundation. Through the generosity of people in East Alabama, our community foundation will continue to grow. Through grant making, we look forward to a brighter future by giving back to the place we call home. Visit www.cfeastalabama.org for additional information.
PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBSERVER