BLACKSBURG – Wanting to take advantage of the momentum created by a best ever finish in the Learfield Directors Cup standings and the securing of the Commonwealth Clash for a second straight year, the Virginia Tech Athletics Department is calling upon all fans to participate in its first ever Drive for 25 Day, which will be held Sept. 25.
Starting at noon on the 25th, the Hokie Club – the fundraising arm for the athletics department – will be encouraging fans and alums to make a financial contribution and join the Hokie Club. Fans can contribute either to a specific sport or to the Hokie Scholarship Fund, which helps the athletics department pay for the scholarships of more than 550 student-athletes.
"We appreciate all those individuals who have joined the Hokie Club as part of the Drive for 25 over the past year and a half," said Bill Lansden, senior associate athletics director for development and executive director of the Hokie Club. "As we continue to provide a positive experience for more than 550 student-athletes, we're calling on Hokies from all over the country to participate in Drive for 25 Day. Whether it's joining for the first time or sharing news and updates through emails and social media, current Hokie Club members and new supporters can make an impact for 25 hours and make a difference in the lives of Hokie student-athletes."
Giving day events are normally 24-hour online fundraising challenges that universities, departments, and/or organizations sponsor to rally supporters and inspire donations. The Drive for 25 Day, though, will last 25 hours through 1 p.m. on Sept. 26 – a tribute to the importance of the No. 25 worn by former head football coach and pending College Football Hall of fame inductee Frank Beamer, whose contributions to the department and university have been well documented.
Hokie Club officials have set up a giving page for each individual sport in preparation for Drive for 25 Day, and they also have secured matching gifts for each sport (up to $5,000). In addition, they plan to use the hokiesports Twitter account (@hokiesports) and the Hokie Club Twitter account (@HokieClub) to have challenges for each hour and contests for new Hokie Club members.
Virginia Tech Athletics and the Hokie Club want current donors to participate in Drive for 25 Day as well. Certainly, any additional financial gifts provided by current donors only serve to maximize the impact on the lives of student-athletes and the success of the 22 varsity sports at Tech.
Both new and current Hokie Club members are encouraged to follow Virginia Tech Athletics on social media throughout the 25-hour event, as there will be giving competitions and opportunities to win exclusive experiences at future Virginia Tech Athletics events. A full list of those experiences will be listed on the giving day website in the days leading up to the Drive for 25 Giving Day.
"We have outstanding momentum as a university and athletics department, and this is the single best way our alumni, students, and fans can support Virginia Tech Athletics," Director of Athletics Whit Babcock said. "The No. 25 means a lot around here, and we aspire to reach 25,000 members, like others at the top of the ACC. This one-day initiative will hopefully escalate us over 15,000 members and have us well on our way. We, in athletics, realize the importance of strength in numbers, and we are asking for the help and support of the Hokie Nation."
The other way for current donors to become involved is by signing up to be Drive for 25 Day Ambassadors. Those who sign up to be ambassadors will receive a toolkit that includes ways to encourage other Tech fans to give, including by using one's email contacts and social media accounts to educate on how contributions make a difference in the lives of Tech's student-athletes. Each ambassador receives a custom URL link to track the number of gifts he/she brings in as a part of Drive for 25 Day.
Virginia Tech Athletics and the Hokie Club expect thousands of alumni, students, faculty, staff, family, and friends to participate by donating to the areas of athletics that resonate with them. The ultimate goal is to increase the membership of the Hokie Club to 25,000 members – a goal originally announced Dec. 12, 2016 with the official launching of the Drive for 25 campaign.
After his retirement following the 2015 season, Beamer took on the role of spokesperson for the Drive for 25 campaign, and under his leadership, the leadership of the Hokie Club and the generosity of the Virginia Tech fan base, the membership of the Hokie Club today consists of 13,787, up nearly 4,000 in less than two years.
Today, Beamer remains involved, speaking at any number of Hokie Club and fan-related functions and stressing the importance of scholarships for student-athletes. As a former student-athlete himself and a longtime head coach, he brings a first-hand knowledge as to how athletics giving resonates within a student-athlete's life.
"When Tech people come together, they get things accomplished," Beamer said. "When you're separated, there is not much there, but when you get together, you have something strong, and we have something very strong here.
"I think our fans would like for us to beat Clemson and Louisville and Florida State – and we just had a great win down there in Tallahassee. That's the goal around here, but we've got to beat them in this area [Hokie Club membership], too, and we're making progress, but we still have work to do. It doesn't just happen. If we can get everyone together and make this a cause, then let's not only beat them on the field or on the court, but also make sure we're supporting our kids financially through their scholarships."
For those looking to sign up to be a Drive for 25 Day Ambassador or for those looking for more information about Drive for 25 Day, please check out this website – https://givingday.vt.edu/.
