Gearing Up: 2018 #GivingTuesday Community Campaign

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In the simplest of terms, the #GivingTuesday global movement encourages people, as part of their holiday shopping and traditions with family, to think about making a donation (of time, talent or treasure) to help others.  Last year the Cook Family Foundation matched online gifts of up to $50 to nine participating local nonprofit organizations. Together, over $18,000 was raised through 237 givers.  

Over 70 Community Campaign leaders from Canada, Puerto Rico and all over the U.S., came together to share ideas and learn from each other at the recent #GivingTuesday Summit in Dallas, Texas.

Returning from a recent #GivingTuesday Community Leaders Summit in Dallas, Lorraine Austin and Yvette Collard (co-chairs of the local #GivingTuesday effort), have been energized by new friends, fresh ideas and renewed inspiration for #GivingTuesday 2018 – now just 175 days away! (November 27, 2018)  

“Attending the summit certainly has inspired us, and really has us thinking about how we can best use what we’ve learned to invigorate our team’s efforts this year,” said Collard.
“The official kickoff for the Shiawassee #GivingTuesday 2018 campaign will be held June 14th at the Memorial HealthCare Cancer Center’s conference room at 10am with this year’s nonprofit participants–currently numbering seventeen organizations!”

Sharing “Big Ideas” at the #GT Summit

Summing-up  what they’ve learned, Austin and Collard identified the following “10-step” highlights:

  1. #GivingTuesday is NOT just about giving, it’s about ENGAGEMENT
  2. Action plan should be developed by consensus of group
  3. ImpACT – it’s #GivingTuesday, not #FundraisingTuesday, which means you want to accept all forms of giving:  time,skills, voices, money, and local impact–as part of a global movement
  4. Start with a clear, unified, measurable goal:  think about what you are trying to accomplish and set individual goals (both action and financial) and the key–the goal must be directly related to the organization’s story
  5. Come up with, “borrow”, USE new ideas  (see “ideas” google document for specifics)
  6. Bring in business/governmental leaders for support
  7. Reach/Engage/Include younger supporters (HS students and other youth groups)
  8. Training – various types (see “ideas” google document for specifics) but realize that technology is changing everything and inspiring individual participation in nonprofits
  9. Plan a kickoff event
  10. Sign up your community campaign on the national #GivingTuesday website

Questions?  Contact Yvette Collard ([email protected]) or Lorraine Austin ([email protected]).

(Note:  A preliminary “ideas” document has been shared with kickoff invitees as well as on social media, and can be accessed here:  2018 #GivingTuesdayShiawassee – Ideas from #GivingTuesday Summit)

Shiawassee County’s Leaders and Best Honored

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Tyson Moore with Bruce and Jacqueline Cook

Once again, the Cook Family Foundation is providing a scholarship to every high school senior from the greater Shiawassee County region attending the University of Michigan.  This fall, twenty young men and women from nine area high schools will enroll at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

The future Wolverines were recognized at a dinner on May 10.  Special guest at the event was Dr. Martin Philbert, Provost and Executive Vice President of the University of Michigan.  Philbert, the former dean of the U-M School of Public Health was educated in Great Britain, earning a bachelor of science degree from the University of Cambridge and medical degree from the London Royal Medical School.  He began his academic career at Rutgers University and joined the U-M faculty in 1995. Dr. Martin’s message to students: “The most important reason for coming (to U-M) is the way you’ll be challenged to think hard, to ask critical questions, analyze from many perspectives and develop complex solutions to problems.”

At the reception, Tyson Moore, senior of Corunna High School, was awarded the Bruce & Jacqueline Cook Scholarship. This four-year, full tuition scholarship is funded separately from the Foundation by its namesakes. Tyson is the son of Michael and Jennifer Moore, and plans to pursue a major in biochemistry with the goal of becoming a medical researcher. At CHS, he is a member of the concert and marching bands, and was a drum major for two years. He is an accomplished member of the swim team, and has served as captain and lifeguard, and is a proud member of the National Honor Society. Accepting the award, Moore shared, “I’m extremely grateful. I can’t fathom the generosity of someone who wants to pay for me to learn and someday help others.”

Brendan Dewley of Owosso, Dr. Martin Philbert, Provost & Vice President of U-M, and Tom Cook

Brendan Dewley, Owosso High School senior, is the recipient of the Donald Cook Scholarship. He has been the vice president of the student government at OHS for two years, and is a member of the quiz bowl team and National Honor Society.  He has played tennis and worked on the robotics team, and is employed at Bob Evans restaurant. He is the son of Josh and Lynnette Dewley and the interests he intends to pursue at U-M include communications, political science and social change, leading to a career as a television writer, journalist or possibly a lawyer. “I am very grateful for everything the Cooks have done,” said Dewley.  “It’s going to put me at ease knowing I have their support.”

The Donald Cook Scholarship is awarded by the University of Michigan to a student attending the College of Literature, Science and the Arts and provides $5,000 per year for four years at U-M. It has been financially supported by the Cook Family Foundation in recognition of the Foundation’s founder.  In 2017, the Foundation entered a multi-year funding agreement to endow the scholarship in perpetuity at the University.

Of the twenty scholarship recipients, in addition to the Bruce and Jackie Scholarship winner, Tyson Moore from Corunna High School and Brendan Dewley of Owosso High School there are students from nine area high schools, with three valedictorians (Kathryn Beeman of Ovid-Elsie, Ryan Kingsbury of Laingsburg, and Nicholas Mazarra of Durand) and two salutatorians (Christopher Mars of Corunna and Spencer Wood of Morrice). Other scholarship winners were: from Byron, Olivia Howard and Ian Wilsdon; from Corunna, Ramneet Chauhan, and Michael Miller, Jr.; from Laingsburg, Matthew Nickols and Emma Smith; from New Lothrop, Michael Kieffer and Rebekah Riley; from Owosso, Jake Bacigal, Abigail Brainerd, Daniel Clevenger and Damien Moore, Jr.; and from Perry, Trent Ivey.

For more information on the Foundation’s scholarships, visit this page.

Shiawassee Scholars Class of 2022

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On May 1, fifty-two eighth grade students officially became Shiawassee Scholars. The Class of 2022 pictured here is from: Byron, Corunna, Durand, Laingsburg, Morrice, New Lothrop, Owosso, Perry and St. Paul schools . By identifying and recognizing academically talented students early, the Shiawassee Scholars program seeks to encourage students to continue to pursue academically challenging activities during their high school years.  The program is a partnership between the Cook Family Foundation and the Shiawassee Regional Education Service District, and since 1999 and has recognized nearly 960 Scholars.

The Shiawassee Scholars Program provides resources and support to academically talented high school students to reach their full potential.  Students are identified in eighth grade by achieving the highest scores in the county on the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test). Shiawassee Scholars participate in several programs, starting with a three-day trip this June to the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor.  Through high school, Scholars have the opportunity to practice their test-taking skills, attend several informational sessions regarding planning for college and career, get assistance with dual enrollment options and accelerated academic programs, and can apply for a scholarship for a summer academic program.

The newest Shiawassee Scholars are, in alphabetical order:

Kendall Anderson, Hannah Beaucamp, Stephen Bender, Aliyah Bentley, Ethan Brunner, Claire Buckley, Abigail Colborn, Ella Coulter, Lucas Cunningham, Kezzie Dietz, Ellie Feldpausch, Abigail Franzmeier, Jade Garske, Grant Goetschy, Isabel Henige, Brock Herrick, Chalea Herron, Zachary Hinojosa, Aaron Jafri, Victor Jones, Caleb Joslin, Ella Kay, Alyssa Kenyon, Harrison Ketchum, Jillian Klaver, Ella Kloeckner, Reece Kramer, Jack Lamb, Kevin Laskowski, Colin Lavery, Adrianna Monear, Dillan Morell, Collin Munro, David Neese, Grace O’Neill, Alexander Popovitch, Carson Reed, Rachel Reed, Alyse Rowley, Zachary Slider, Nichole Steffens, Justin Svarc, Makenzi Tallon, Samantha Thayer, Casmiera Thorman, Kyra Waldner, Lillian Warren, Anya Wasilenski, Jason Weber, Ethan West, Madison Wheeler, and Vanessa Zettle.

For more information about the Shiawassee Scholars contact Renee Doston at the SRESD by calling 989-743-3471  or by emailing her at: [email protected]