By Alana Hu
Staff Writer
Those wanting their donations matched when giving to Union University’s library capital campaign will need to either donate or pledge those funds by Dec. 31.
The deadline ensures that donations given or pledged by then will be matched – up to $10 million – by the Bill and Carol Latimer Foundation.
Union is closing in on the portion of the pledged matching component by the Latimer Foundation.
University President David Dockery announced in October 2011 that the Latimer Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Bill and Carol Latimer, has provided a $10 million lead gift.
The lead gift is a pledge by Bill and Carol Latimer to give up to $10 million in matching gifts and pledges made by December 2012 and given before December 2014.
“President Dockery and I had been talking with the Latimers for several years about the right project in which they could make a long-term difference for the life of the university,”said Jerry Tidwell, senior vice president for university relations.
Tidwell added, “At this point, we have been blessed with gifts and pledges of about $7 million. [And] we are grateful for the participation of so many who want to help with this special project. We believe that, with God’s help and blessings, we will raise the full amount by that time.”
IGave, a campaign for students to donate to the university, was designed to also encourage faculty and staff to give.
“So far, apart from the Latimer Foundation, the pledged and received funds have come from long-time donors, alumni, faculty, staff and students,” Tidwell said.
The new, 60,000-square-foot and three-storied library, with costs at an estimated $18 million, will replace Emma Waters Summar Library, which has been housed in the Penick Academic Complex since 1975.
“We are pleased as well with the participation level of administration, faculty, and staff toward the new library,” Tidwell said. “Many departments have already reached 100 percent participation.”
GET INVOLVED:
To donate to the library capital campaign or to find out more, visit http://www.uu.edu/library/renewingminds.
