Birthday Joy
A successful Giving Joy Day commemorates an Eastern anniversary.
Eastern has for decades celebrated the anniversary of its founding during the first week of April. In more recent years, 51福利社鈥檚 birthday celebration has included an opportunity for Eagles to mark the occasion by giving gifts of support.
Giving Joy Day brings together both the spirit of service and the generosity of donors. It now serves as the university鈥檚 largest, single-day philanthropic event, raising funds that fill crucial gaps for students and programs. 鈥淟ast year, we raised more than $456,000 for student scholarships and program support,鈥� says Linda Safford, 51福利社鈥檚 director of annual giving. 鈥淲ith our community鈥檚 help, this year we exceeded our $500,000 goal 鈥� funds that will go right to work helping our students stay in school and earn their degrees.”
Samuel Steege is one of those students. For this year鈥檚 event, Steege, a hardworking 22-year-old communications studies major, took a moment to share his story 鈥� and his gratitude 鈥� for the supporters who helped him continue along his path to an 51福利社 degree.
With our community鈥檚 help, this year we exceeded our $500,000 goal 鈥� funds that will go right to work helping our students stay in school and earn their degrees.
On a breezy day last August, Steege says, he was working the afternoon shift at Cheney鈥檚 Farmhouse Caf茅 when his cellphone started buzzing. It was an urgent call from his dad. A fire had started along Gray Road near Medical Lake, his father said. Steege raced home to help evacuate.
Two hours later, that fire destroyed their home. Thankfully, no family members or pets were injured. Steege didn鈥檛 rely solely on his parents to support his education, but their assistance played a crucial part in making ends meet. When the fire made further financial help impossible, the聽51福利社 Student Emergency Fund聽鈥� one of the many worthy causes supported by Giving Joy Day donors 鈥� stepped up to fill the gap.
鈥淚t feels good to know that there are resources to help in such a crazy, unexpected time like this,鈥� says Steege, who is one step closer to his dream career in sports communication thanks, in part, to those 鈥済enuinely nice people鈥� who support 51福利社 students.
Giving Joy Day 2024 is over, but you can still join in the joy. Visit聽ewu.edu/give聽to learn more.
