Diana Nyad has made history this week as the first person to swim the 110-mile Florida Strait. This was Nyad’s fifth attempt, and it took her 53 hours to complete. Nyad, 64, said that her record-setting swim was about being “fully engaged” in life – a lesson in passion and persistence we all can take to heart. Here in the AFP Suncoast Chapter, we have several opportunities for our members and the community-at-large to become fully engaged in philanthropy.
Our keynote speaker on September 17 will be fundraising veteran and long-standing AFP member, Holly Duncan. She will be sharing a career’s worth of advice and anecdotes on her professional development experience. It’s a not-to-be missed program.
On September 20, nominations are due for our 28th Annual National Philanthropy Day celebration. This is a great way for your charity to honor donors and volunteers whose gifts of time, expertise and resources contribute significantly to the quality of life in our communities. The National Philanthropy Day committee, chaired by Bryn Warner, has been working hard to ensure this will be the best celebration to date. Please consider submitting one or more nominations on behalf of your organization.
This month, the Resource Development committee led by Judy Anderson will launch a philanthropic guide that highlights some of the most visible and valuable marketing opportunities for partners to support of the development profession. Partners interested in sponsoring chapter activities should contact us as soon as possible as spots are filling up fast.
We will soon be electing a new slate of officers that will lead our organization in the years to come. I encourage you to speak with a member of our nominating committee if you have interest in serving in a leadership capacity or on a committee of the Board.
Diana Nyad’s goal took a team of experts that helped her make the swim from Cuba to Key West, giving her nourishment, protecting her from jellyfish and monitoring her health. For our volunteer-run Chapter to succeed and accomplish its goal of promoting ethical and effective fundraising, it takes the work of many members and professionals behind-the-scenes and along the way. Thank you to our members and leaders who are fully engaged with our mission, and welcome to those that would like to be.
Nora Gunn, CFRE
2013 AFP Suncoast President
Vice President, St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation & St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Foundation
Phone: 813 872 0979