Generosity in Action - the Spirit and Action of Cares Day

Dear students, staff, and faculty,

Yesterday, a three-month planning process culminated in a stunningly successful fundraising campaign called Cal Lutheran Cares Day: Stronger Together! This year, on April 7^th, from 12:01 a.m. until midnight PST, the Cal Lutheran community – students, alumni, parents, regents, friends, faculty, and staff, came out in full force to share stories of care and make financial gifts in support of our mission.

The day’s strategies – matching gifts, challenge activities, tracking reports, and more—grew out of innovative ideas largely generated and implemented by our colleagues in University Advancement. This front-line team deserves a loud shout-out for the productive efforts and the positive attitude they exuded throughout the entire process. Impressively, the “entire” Cares Day Team goes well beyond Advancement. It includes: Marketing, Information Technology Services, Media Services, Facilities, Housekeeping, Event Services, Sodexo, and other campus partners across the University from Academic Affairs to Student Life, from Athletics to Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. 

The public-facing event was a single day, but the process leading up to it was much longer. The time and energy expended were well worth it as our preliminary numbers show that 1900 donors contributed a whopping $1,032,800, and still counting, during this single campaign! 

One of the beautiful features of this program was that it was designed so that donors would earmark their individual gifts to support an area of personal interest or passion; an area that they genuinely desired to support. The array of choices was wide. It included programs and services such as these: academics, teaching and learning, scholarships, teaching technologies, student experiences, student support services, academic support, athletic teams, diversity and inclusion, global education, PLTS, spiritual development, and more. Another beautiful part of the program was that gifts of all sizes were kindly offered and appreciatively received.

For me, Cares Day and the many activities that lead up to it are quintessential examples of Lutheran generosity. Why? Not because of the dollar amount they raise but because the spirit of the event centers so clearly on helping others and giving to something bigger than ourselves. In the words of Pastor Peter Marty, generosity has “nothing to do with means and everything to do with desire…The widow in the temple who gave her last two coins is emblematic of one whose desire runs deep. So are the men whom Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl remembers walking through the barracks comforting others and giving away their last piece of bread.” I invite you to read the full article here.

The spirit of giving and the desire to help others are what made, and make, Cares Day feel so good. It is a time when California Lutheran comes together with a deep and genuine desire to strengthen our overall community by supporting the people, programs, and possibilities that tug most tightly at our own heartstrings. Our spirits are generous, and you can feel it. I know I felt it all day yesterday as I walked across campus, watched the leaderboard, and popped into offices to thank those who made the day run so smoothly. 

As Pastor Marty also says, “generosity fuels abundance, even in a world where doctrines of fairness and reciprocation hold center stage.” That’s another great thing about generosity. It means we give more than what might seem reasonable and get more than we deserve. That’s not fair… it’s generous.
 
Thank you to all who contributed your time, talent, and treasure to allow Cal Lutheran’s generosity to shine strongly on Cares Day. What a gift it would be if the spirit of Cares Day would manifest every day. There is no doubt that we are stronger and brighter, together. 


Lori E. Varlotta, Ph.D.
President